By SAPA/ Staff Reporter, *Rebels destroy more tombs* - News 24 - South Africa
Thursday, March 25, 2010
Mogadishu - Somalia's hardline rebels on Thursday destroyed more tombs of Sufi clerics as they intensified a drive to stop what they term "grave worshipping" by moderate Islamists.
Heavily-armed Shebab militia on Tuesday exhumed and took away the remains of a Sufi cleric buried in Mogadishu 30 years ago.
"The raids are continuing for the third day and we have excavated around seven graves so far," said Sheik Said Karatay, the Shebab official in charge of the tomb raids.
"We take their remains and rebury them in unidentified places to avoid them being recognised by people who continue worshiping them," he told reporters in Mogadishu.
"The operations will go on until we eradicate the culture of worshipping graves."Witnesses said the Shebab militia chanted "God is great" as they dug up and destroyed the graves using hammers and hoes.
Sufism, which is dominant in Somalia, emphasises the mystical dimension of Islam and includes practices considered as idolatry and innovations in the conservative Wahhabi current of Islam adopted by the Shebab.
The Shebab, who control much of the lawless Horn of Africa country, have set up a unit to destroy all tombs respected by Sufi Muslims.
Sunday, March 28, 2010
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Sunday, March 28, 2010
In Unidentified Places
Thursday, March 25, 2010
Mogadishu - Somalia's hardline rebels on Thursday destroyed more tombs of Sufi clerics as they intensified a drive to stop what they term "grave worshipping" by moderate Islamists.
Heavily-armed Shebab militia on Tuesday exhumed and took away the remains of a Sufi cleric buried in Mogadishu 30 years ago.
"The raids are continuing for the third day and we have excavated around seven graves so far," said Sheik Said Karatay, the Shebab official in charge of the tomb raids.
"We take their remains and rebury them in unidentified places to avoid them being recognised by people who continue worshiping them," he told reporters in Mogadishu.
"The operations will go on until we eradicate the culture of worshipping graves."Witnesses said the Shebab militia chanted "God is great" as they dug up and destroyed the graves using hammers and hoes.
Sufism, which is dominant in Somalia, emphasises the mystical dimension of Islam and includes practices considered as idolatry and innovations in the conservative Wahhabi current of Islam adopted by the Shebab.
The Shebab, who control much of the lawless Horn of Africa country, have set up a unit to destroy all tombs respected by Sufi Muslims.
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saints and shrines
By SAPA/ Staff Reporter, *Rebels destroy more tombs* - News 24 - South AfricaThursday, March 25, 2010
Mogadishu - Somalia's hardline rebels on Thursday destroyed more tombs of Sufi clerics as they intensified a drive to stop what they term "grave worshipping" by moderate Islamists.
Heavily-armed Shebab militia on Tuesday exhumed and took away the remains of a Sufi cleric buried in Mogadishu 30 years ago.
"The raids are continuing for the third day and we have excavated around seven graves so far," said Sheik Said Karatay, the Shebab official in charge of the tomb raids.
"We take their remains and rebury them in unidentified places to avoid them being recognised by people who continue worshiping them," he told reporters in Mogadishu.
"The operations will go on until we eradicate the culture of worshipping graves."Witnesses said the Shebab militia chanted "God is great" as they dug up and destroyed the graves using hammers and hoes.
Sufism, which is dominant in Somalia, emphasises the mystical dimension of Islam and includes practices considered as idolatry and innovations in the conservative Wahhabi current of Islam adopted by the Shebab.
The Shebab, who control much of the lawless Horn of Africa country, have set up a unit to destroy all tombs respected by Sufi Muslims.
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