Re: the IS video, did the early followers of the Prophet, in fact, destroy relics and statues?

by hoppyfrog

From the (IS video)[http://news.yahoo.com/islamic-state-fighters-destroy-antiquities-iraq-video-124118694.html] is the statement: "The Prophet ordered us to get rid of statues and relics, and his companions did the same when they conquered countries after him," an unidentified man said in the video.

I'd like to know if this is historically true or simply a (false) religious justification for their actions.

CrackaBox

One instances come to mind but is wasn't anything like ISIS and much more symbolic.

  1. Just a quick recap of Islamic history, Muhammad came from the city mecca with a great religious monument called the Kaaba that held Idols from every tribe/clan. The monument was important to the Christians, Jews and soon to be Muslims since they believe it was built by Adam and rebuilt by Abraham after the flood. The Idols inside seemed insulting to god since the Ten commandments forbids both Idolatry and Polytheism. Orginally Muhammad only asked them to remove them peacefully of their own will but this sentiment faded over the years when the tribe the Quraysh continued to show opposition and hatred to what they perceived as a disturber. After the many battles and persecution of muslims a treaty was signed that was suppose to allow muslims to make pilgrimage to the kaaba was broken by the Pagans Arabs Muhammad began the conquest of Mecca to fully eliminate the only enemies of Allah, so in Islam the Quraysh are comparable to Pharaoh and his army in Exodus. After the conquest of Mecca Muhammad shatter all the Idols inside the Kaaba to purify it since their gods were proven to be false after their defeat, he then gave all the pagan Arabs several gifts to show that he wasn't doing to show his dominance or tyranny. ISIS might see the statues as idols so in their twisted view they feel they must destroy them to purify the muslim nation to get on Allah's good grace.

There is second one, but it's not really proven and has a likely chance of never happening.

  1. Muhammad's companion and the second rashidun caliph Umar had alledgedly burned down the library of Alexandria with his justification being "If those books are in agreement with the Quran, we have no need of them; and if these are opposed to the Quran, destroy them." The problem with this is that the earliest account we have of this event was written 500 after and the library had already been destroyed by Julius Caesar, so we don't know if any of it is real.
rubberchickenlips

What is the black meteorite stone imbedded in the Kaaba?

bazza75

In terms of religious sources, Islam, like other monotheistic religions (particularly Judaism) is strongly and emphatically opposed to idol worship as a part of polytheism and actively encourages destroying statues ect. In terms of whether this act is in accordance to an Islamic tradition, I think most scholars would be interested mainly in the actual 'worship' of idols which would set it apart from this act.

Apart from the destruction of the idols around the Kaba by Muhammad, Umar as well as allegedly burning the library of Alexandria is also known for destroying a great amount of Persian books which contributed to the comparative lack of pre-Islamic Persian literature surviving to today. Given the Islamic writings on idols and statues and medieval Arab acceptance of Umar's destruction of books, I think it would be unsurprising if at least public relics and statues were desecrated in the Arab invasions of the Rashidun caliphs (it is almost impossible for me to say how much this was actually done however). However, this sort of vandalism was typical of warring armies in general, Alexander the great for example burned the library of Persepolis, the Romans and the library of Alexandria ect.

So while I don't think that ISIS is behaving at odds with the Islamic tradition left by the companions, it is equally acting in the tradition of conquerors and rulers getting rid of ideas and memories competing with their rule.