Threatening Medina: Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s Agendas Exposed

This is part of the Saudi Crown Prince’s strategy to Westernize the kingdom, erode its values and identity, which began in Riyadh and extended to other cities.

According to the report, observers stated that targeting the city of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ and corrupting it, despite its status among Muslims, is something no previous ruler dared to do.

The report outlined the main schemes targeting Medina, which include undermining its religious sanctity and the Prophet’s Mosque. Medina has had a special sanctity for centuries, with no room for tampering or corruption, especially around its Prophet’s Mosque.

Changing “For Muslims Only” to “Border of the Sanctuary”

However, Mohammed bin Salman’s regime started to diminish this sanctity by replacing the phrase “For Muslims Only” with “Border of the Sanctuary” on directional signs in Medina.

As a result, the Prophet’s Mosque lost part of its sanctity and dignity. A video circulated showing two women, without hijab and dressed immodestly, trying to enter the mosque while the call to prayer was heard before being stopped by security guards. The report questioned, “Who allowed them to reach the Prophet’s Mosque dressed like this?”

The report stated: “Disrespecting the sanctity of the Prophet’s Mosque allowed revealing women’s immodest clothing hundreds of meters away from its honorable sanctuary.”

Hosting Hindu Delegation in Saudi Arabia

Last January witnessed a dangerous event, as the government itself hosted an extremist Hindu delegation and toured them near the Prophet’s Mosque, a clear challenge to the symbolic significance of the place and the feelings of Muslims.

The report mentioned: “It’s as if the message is that Medina is not just for Muslims anymore, but other polytheistic religions can visit and desecrate its mosque.”

Opening the Door to Israeli Encroachment

At the same time, there are active efforts to allow Israeli encroachment into Medina.

During the years of Mohammed bin Salman’s rule, there were serious Israeli violations targeting Medina and its landmarks, directly targeting its Prophet’s Mosque.

The beginning of this was what an Israeli named Ben Tzion did in 2017, when he filmed himself from the grounds of the Prophet’s Mosque wearing clothes with Hebrew writings.

Things escalated after that with the government allowing open Israeli delegations to enter Medina, including journalists, businessmen, and tourists.

This was evident when an Israeli boasted about filming a video near the Prophet’s Mosque, saying that just a year ago they were prohibited from entering Riyadh, and today they are wandering around Medina.

In February of last year, the Israeli media broadcasted for the first time from the heart of Medina, filmed with an Israeli camera just a few meters away from the Prophet Muhammad’s grave.

Earlier, in July 2022, the Hebrew newspaper “Times of Israel” published a lengthy report documenting the frequent visits of Israelis to the kingdom, including businessmen, journalists, and others, speaking of the visit of 50 of them to Medina.

Dissemination of Vice in Medina

Mohammed bin Salman’s strategy deliberately spreads vice and corruption in Medina, according to the report.

The fingers of the Entertainment Authority began to toy with Medina by launching the “Hawi” project last year, which included, for the first time, an outdoor cinema, as a first step to spread corruption.

Religious scholars and religious institutes in Medina are also being fought against, such as the closure of the most famous religious institute there and the arrest of several of its scholars and readers.

Among them is Sheikh Ahmed Al-Amari, the dean of the College of the Holy Qur’an at the University of Medina, who was tortured to death in 2019, and the arrest of the reader and chanter Rabee Hafez in 2017.

At the same time, Mohammed bin Salman’s regime allowed the sale of properties in Medina to foreigners after amending the ownership law to allow foreigners to own property in Mecca and Medina, after they were exempt from that since the kingdom’s founding.

This will open the door wide for Israelis to own property in the two holy cities, even if under different nationalities and deceptive methods.

Following the example of other cities and under the pretext of development and construction, campaigns began to demolish and displace several neighborhoods, landmarks, and the ancient Islamic heritage of Medina, filled with many memories.

Meanwhile, real compensation is absent for many of its residents whose homes were demolished.

Observers agree that Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s attempt to target Medina, its religion, people, heritage, and identity carries dangerous implications. With the repeated visits of rabbis to the kingdom, fears are escalating that the name “Yathrib” will be circulated again.