Libya is in danger of losing a huge part of its cultural heritage. Ongoing conflicts are partly to blame, but some historical shrines are being deliberately destroyed, the graves they house defiled.
In the last few years, dozens of shrines have been demolished by followers of the Salafist movement – which doesn’t believe shrines have a place in Islam.
Libya’s religious authorities have declared these attacks on shrines and graves to be contrary to the rulings of all Islamic schools of thought; they are trying to raise people’s awareness in hopes that they can counter the violent Salafists.
Al Jazeera’s Mahmoud Abdelwahed reports from Tripoli. (Click the image to watch the report)