A 2700-year-old Jewish Tomb in Al Qosh at Risk from Islamic State in Iraq

• The tomb of Jewish prophet Nahum is at risk courtesy of a possible attack from ISIS
• The 2700-year-old sacred spot at Al Qosh in Iraq faces a major threat which stirs up the locals
• The history of the Jews in Iraq and the stories concerning the prophet and his tomb add to the antique and religious sentiments of the residents as they carry on guarding the place
• Assyrian Christian Shajaa has taken up the responsibility of protection of the tomb following the tradition of his family

Sept 16, 2016: A 2700-year-old sacred site is in a danger of an ISIS attack. The sacred place is the tomb of the Jewish prophet Nahum who had predicted the impending doom upon Assyrian dynasty and the fall of the capital, Nineveh. Situated in Al Qosh of Northern Iraq, the sacred synagogue that houses the tomb is on the verge of experiencing the same fate due to the ISIS warfare.

Being located in a distance of only 15 kilometers from the frontline of ISIS, the threat to the holy place is enough to cause a stir among the local residents of the area. They remain anxious with a rising concern of a potential attack on that area. They have sought for help for preserving the holy site. A resident of Al Qosh, Ghazwan Elias, spoke for the locals and stated that with their very limited ability they are carrying on the task of preserving the sacred place.

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The prophet has frequently been regarded as the 'Elkoshite' i.e. "of El Qosh" or "of Al Qosh". Apart from that, some of the crumbling antique walls which are ornamented with the holy script of Hebrew also testify the fact that the tomb is actually of the prophet. It has been heard from local sources that right before the departure of the Jews from Iraq, the sacred spot used to be a much-visited shrine that reportedly saw the gathering of millions of worshippers annually. This adds to the sentiment of the residents and strengthens the motive of protecting the tomb of Nahum.

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It has been reported that an Assyrian Christian, born and brought up in Al Qosh, Asir Salaam Shajaa, has taken over the responsibility of guarding the place with great vigor. Convinced as he is, he claims the remains under the holy tomb are really of the prophet. He was found saying that his forefathers were left in charge of guarding the sacred shrine when the last of the Jews left Al Qosh and since then all the generations of his family have been traditionally protecting the tomb.

Preservation and protection of the sacred tomb have thus been a highly concerning issue. God forbids that the ancient holy synagogue does not come to face the wrath of the ISIS in future as the locals fear.

– by NewsGram Team