Handout shows Egypt's President Abdel Fattah al-Sissi praying during his pilgrimage, also known as Umrah, in Mecca
Egypt's President Abdel Fattah al-Sissi (front row, 2nd R) prays during a pilgrimage, also known as Umrah, in Mecca August 11, 2014, in this handout courtesy of the Egyptian Presidency. Picture taken August 11. REUTERS/Egyptian Presidency/Ha

Prophet Muhammad's tomb in Saudi Arabia is allegedly proposed to be destroyed. Muhammad's body may be taken to another grave. The alleged plan is to destroy chambers around Prophet Muhammad's grave.

The Prophet's remains should be anonymously kept in the al-Baqi cemetery, the 61-page plan apparently suggests. The proposed plan is likely to be highly controversial among Muslims who consider the place to be one of the holiest places on earth. A major Saudi academic has allegedly made such highly controversial proposals in his consultation document. The document has apparently been distributed among the supervisors at the al-Masjid al-Nabawi mosque in Medina. The Prophet's remains are presently kept under the Green Dome which is visited by millions every year and is considered to be the second-holiest Islamic site after the Kaaba (aka the Sacred House and the Ancient House). The alleged proposal asks for the removal of the Green Dome as well.

The Independent reported that the classified document of the proposal had been exposed by Dr Irfan al-Alawi. The director of the Islamic Heritage Research Foundation criticised the proposal and warned that such action might cause unrest among the Muslims worldwide. The proposed action may also run the risk of adding fuel to already-fiery tension between Shia and Sunni Muslims.

The basis of the alleged proposal seems to be the practice of visiting the tomb, which Saudi hardliners consider to be a flawed interpretation of Islam. The Wahhabi version of Islam that Saudi Arabia follows does not apparently allow worshipping any object including a tomb. The practice of worshipping a prophet or an object is considered to be shirq (idolatrous) which is prohibited in Islam. "People visit the chambers, which are the rooms where the Prophet's family lived, and turn towards the burial chamber to pray," al-Alawi told the British news agency, ""Now they want to prevent pilgrims from attending and venerating the tomb because they believe this is shirq, or idolatry. But the only way they can stop people visiting the Prophet is to get him out and into the cemetery."

Prophet Muhammad is highly respected by both Shia and Sunni sects in Islam. According to al-Alawi, both the sects are likely to be appalled by any kind of "desecration" of the Prophet's tomb. A recent report by the World Economic Forum throws light on a totally different possibility for the city of Medina. According to the report called "The Competitiveness of Cities," millions of pilgrims visit the place for Haj and Umrah, two holy visits to the holy city. The city is capable of holding seminars of prominent issues of the present day. Experts in subjects like Math and Science can take part in those seminars. According to Arab News, conference tourism can help religious tourism to the city. It can also attract more number of companies and investors.

Contact the writer: s.mukhopadhyay@ibtimes.com.au