The tomb of Kebekiyeh dia A-Din Aidughdi (d.1289), Governor of Safed.
Inside the tomb of Kebekiyeh dia A-Din Aidughdi
Photos taken on 29 January, 2010.
Mamilla Cemetery is one of the most prominent
and ancient Muslim cemeteries in Jerusalem. According to Islamic traditions,
the cemetery was active as early as 7th century and claims to be the burial
site of the companions (Shahabah) of Prophet Muhammad. The name Mamilla is
often ascribed as a contraction of Arabic term “M’amaan Allah” (under the
protection of Allah) or “Man Min Allah” (coming from Allah). An
alternate view is that Mamilla got its name from a Christian saint named St.
Mamilla. There existed a church dedicated to St. Mamiila and a Christian
cemetery on the site before Islam reached Jerusalem in 638 AD. The Church of
St. Mamilla was active from the 4th to at least the 9th centuries. Historical
records support Mamilla as an Islamic cemetery from the 11th century only.
However, it is certain that from 11th century, aside from being a Christian
cemetery for a brief period during the Crusader era, Mamilla remained without
interruption as Muslim burial ground. The cemetery was perhaps the largest
Islamic cemetery in Jerusalem until it became defunct in 1927. About 70,000
people are supposed to be buried in Mamilla cemetery through centuries. The
total area of the cemetery has been estimated to range from 33 acres to 111
acres by various authorities. Among the buried notables were Islamic scholars,
saints, emirs, muftis, Sufi mystics, 12th century soldiers of Saladin and
Crusader soldiers.
Under Israeli
control, the cemetery ground was used to make a public park (Independence Park,
1955), a parking lot (1964), a public lavatory, streets, squares and various
Governmental buildings. The cemetery has become a site of much controversy
after California based Simon Wiesenthal Center decided to build the 'Museum of
Tolerance and Human Dignity' in 2004. The site selected for this purpose was a
3.5 acre plot near the cemetery where the parking lot was built in 1964. During
the course of excavations on the site for construction, an estimated 1,000
skeletons were discovered, resulting in an intense public outcry against the
museum by the Palestinian Arabs and many Israeli academicians and
archaeologists. The work was halted several times only to be resumed after the
Supreme Court of Israel rejected the Islamic Movement's petition in October
2008 and gave a final approval in July, 2011. The museum is expected to be
completed by 2015 as against the earlier target of 2009. Vandalism to
gravestones is being reported frequently from the Mamilla cemetery these days.
Palestinians consider
the construction of the ‘Museum of Tolerance’ in Mamilla as an act of
desecration, a defilement of Islamic holy site and an illegal acquirement of
their ancestral burial ground used since the time of Prophet Muhammad. The
Israeli supporters counter-argue that for 50 years, the site served as the
municipality's car park where Muslims, Jews and Christians parked their cars
there every day since the 1960s without any objection. They also cite incidents
from 1929 and 1945 where Muslim leaders and Islamic councils gave permission to
use the cemetery land for constructing hotels and business centers, an
indication that the area is regarded as 'mundras,' or abandoned and without
sanctity even before the modern state of Israel was formed.
More details can
be availed in the Wikipedia link here for a general
outlook on the subject. The Israeli viewpoints can be best summarized from an
article written by Avra Shapiro here. The Palestinian
concerns are nicely represented in a three part series of articles written by
Rashid Khalidi here 1, 2 and 3. To get a better picture of the area, the following link to the map of the
region would be much useful.
Location
Same
as Mamilla Pool, see the post below.
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