The Washington-based Saudi Institute, an independent news gathering group, says most Islamic landmarks have been destroyed since Saudi Arabia was founded in 1932. It cited a 1994 edict by the kingdom's senior council of religious scholars which ruled that preserving historical buildings might lead to polytheism.
Angawi, who founded the Haj Research Center in 1975 to study and preserve Mecca and Medina's rich history, claims to have identified a home of the Prophet Mohammad. But he is reluctant to publicize its location fearing it would be demolished like DAR al Arqam -- the first school in Islam where the prophet taught.
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