Tripoli, . . .[restrict]26 August:
A statement from the Grand Mufti, Sheikh Sadeq al-Ghariani, released by the Fatwa Office today, condemned the desecration of of graves and holy sites, which it described as “not religiously permissable” and “a violation of the sanctity of the dead”.
This comes against the backdrop of recent attacks on Sufi shrines, and continued attempts to demolish Tripoli’s Al-Sha’ab shrine, allegedly with the backing of the Ministry of the Interior.
The statement said that it was forbidden to desecrate graves, whether they belong to Muslims or non-Muslims, and stressed that anyone who does so contravenes the teachings of both the Qu’ran and the Hadith.
It also contained a reminder that the use of weapons is forbidden, other than under state authority and also urged the government to do eveything within its power to achieve security and stability. [/restrict]
