Islamic State Destroys Tombs, Shi'ite Holy Sites In Mosul

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The information office for the Islamic State (IS, formerly the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria or ISIS) in Ninawa Province in Iraq recently tweeted the religious justification for destroying holy sites in the city of Mosul, which the organization recently captured. The IS also posted photo documentation of the destruction of tombs said to be those of the prophets Younis (Jonah), Sheeth (Seth), Daniel, and Jarjis (George), as well as Shi'ite burial and holy sites.

Accompanying the photos was the ruling by Imam Al-Shawkani banning the moving of tombs, the building of mosques and prayer sites on top of tombs, and the transformation of tombs into sites for ritual and pilgrimage.[1] According to IS, the Koran and Muslim tradition state that most tombs are defiled because mosques were built above and around them, and because they are now sites of ritual and pilgrimage.

Concurrently, the information office posted a document claiming that the people of Mosul have been misled for a long time by mendacious and false clerics[2] who practiced pagan customs and used the tombs to extort money from the poor and innocent. IS said that it seeks to put an end to these forbidden practices and to eradicate the widespread phenomenon of idolatry.

According to the religious justification document, many are claiming that IS is destroying the tombs of Muslim holy men but they should really be thanking IS for implementing the instructions of the Koran and Muslim tradition. IS justified the destruction of several tombs believed to be of prophets in Mosul by saying: "Aside from the tomb of the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon Him, the location of all other tombs of prophets are unknown. Even the location of tomb of the prophet Ibrahim Al-Khalil is disputed. Anyone who claims that there are other tombs or burial sites besides those is lying."

Also in the document, IS attacks what it calls false claims that prophets such as Jonah, George, Seth, and Daniel are buried in Mosul, and argue that there are signs that George is buried in Mecca and Daniel is buried in Iran.

Blowing up the tomb said to be of the Prophet Jonah

Blowing up the burial site said to be of the Prophet Seth

Blowing up the tomb said to be of the Prophet Daniel

Blowing up the tomb said to be of the Shi'ite Imam Yahya Abu Al-Qasim

Blowing up the tomb said to be of the Shi'ite Imam Hassan

Blowing up the tomb said to be of the Shi'ite Imam Qadhib Al-Ban Al-Mosuli

Blowing up Shi'ite holy site of Al-Faysaliya