The Ruling on Preparing Historical Sites for Tourism

Question:
Honorable Shaykh! We hear and read about the surveying of historical and ancient sites, such as the ruins of the people of Salih, the people of the trench, and some old mosques, among others, to make them places for tourism, as is done in the city of Al-Ula, and to receive visitors from inside and outside, just as delegations are received. We ask you to issue a fatwa on this?

Answer:
The work is not permissible. This work of raising the ruins, protecting them, and preparing them for tourism is not permissible. Because it makes itself independent, it has issued old and new fatwas, it has issued fatwas or news, we ask Allah to guide the responsible parties to act in accordance with the Shari'ah, and to avoid what contradicts the Shari'ah in the sanctuary, we ask Allah to guide them to that, for this work is not permissible, it is one of the means of shirk (associating partners with Allah), whether in the near or distant future, yes.