Tomb of Prophet's companion to reopen

The restoration and repair of the Tomb of Abu Ayyub al-Ansari, which is considered one of the holiest places in Islam following Mecca, Medina and Jerusalem, is coming to an end after three years of work.

The Tomb of Abu Ayyub al-Ansari, a companion who hosted the Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him) for months, will be open to visit in May after three years of restoration. Undertaken by the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality, the renovation of the tomb has finished and the Tomb of Abu Ayyub al-Ansari will open its door to visitors after an opening ceremony overseen by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on May 8.

Mayor of Eyüp Municipality Remzi Aydın said, "The Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality carried out restoration of the tomb over the last three years. Thank God, the restoration is finally over." He said that the Tomb of Abu Ayyub al-Ansari has never undergone a restoration to such an extent. For the first time in its history, the tomb has been renovated according to its original architecture and features. Special tiles were also brought from different parts of Anatolia for the tomb. "The restoration took a long time, as it is a work of high quality. God willing, the tomb will offer its services to its visitors without needing any restoration for a long time," Aydın added. Stating that the number of visitors coming to the tomb increases every day, Mayor Aydın claimed that Eyüp is a very popular district. "We are the servants of Abu Ayyub al-Ansari. He hosted the Prophet Muhammad for months. He is one of the sahabah (the companions of Muhammad) who was friends with the prophet," he said. Aydın said that they want to carry on the tradition of the ansars (who helped Muslims after the migration) and host those who visit their district in the best manner possible. "We want to turn this into our culture and tradition," he concluded.

The Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Kadir Topbaş previously said that the restoration process would take a long time due to the thoroughness of the restoration. For instance, the tiles used in the renovation of the Tomb of Abu Ayyub al-Ansari were reproduced according to their originals.‎ "We are happy that it was us who undertook the renovation of this holy place. We could not simply repair the tomb," he said, adding that it is the first comprehensive renovation in the last 250 years. "It took a long time, but we have done it correctly," he concluded.