Re: Destroying Idols
There cant be religious freedom (as guaranteed by Islam), without guaranteeing the sanctity of “idols” those religions adhere too.
Its a contradiction, allow people to pray to whom they like or what they like as their is no compulsion, yet destroy their idols ?
Re: Destroying Idols
Bottom line even if you believe on destroying idols , it still doesn’t apply to the destruction of museum pieces or the pyramids. These are historical relics no longer worshipped.
If they feel so strongly about this crap why not invade India and destroy their idols in their temples ? Of course not , not when India is funding terrorists to destroy muslim countries.
Doesn’t anyone find it odd that ISIS is not invading Israel ? It’s right next door.
Re: Destroying Idols
Israel doesnt have oil.
Re: Destroying Idols
other then generally disagreeing with Isis and islamqa [najdi fatawa site] on all other issues, on this occasion the gap might not be that great. Although i do expect fine differences on this issue. The damage between our relations has been done through their other beliefs, so i am not supporting isis nor islamqa, they are both mubtadi 
I mean I can only talk from my own perception here, so I am not representing Ahlus Sunnah wal Jamaah in everything I say, as its not a topic on which I have been informed by traditional scholars
My perceptions:
If we look at Pakistan, and my area of it specifically. There is no hindus, and no mandirs, but at one point there must have been hindus in this region and mandirs. The Mosque at Ayodha (?) was built upon the site of a hindu temple. So what I am implying is that even the Ahlus Sunnah wal Jamaah has removed idols from our midst.
We need to define ‘‘destroy’’, we have have removed/destroyed statues [idols] in the past like for example in Makka Sharif and during the time of Prophet Ibraheem Alaihis Salam. Medina Sharif was not effected by idolatery because it is said they were the descendants of the Jews who moved there in wait for the Arrival of RasoolAllah SallAllahu Alaihi wa Ahlihi wa Sallam! Which would indicate them being upon a type of jewish tradition?]
Any way back to topic, I would say we are to destroy idols, I would also say preferably with the community that used to worship them coming in to Islam. So this is removal type of destroy, rather then just smash. Publicity stunts such as what possibly isis has done are between them and Allah Subhanahu wa Ta’ala.
What isis is doing in smashing these statues is not among the issues i would take up against them.This is something the western world may have more interest in, and an issue over emphasized by their media. We have our own issues with isis, and as long as they remain they deserve our attention
Re: Destroying Idols
My input:
Prophet Muhammad 
made illegal trade of idols. Some Museums where these idols are kept are free but most of others are not free. Peoples pay to watch these idols and those who trade it earn illegal amount. That could be also a reason for why destroying these idols which likely used in a Museum. Or there might be many reasons of why destroying these idols.
Peace Saleem,
This verse doesn’t prohibited destroying of idols. However, it does state that we shall not abuse (curse) deities (idols) of disbelievers because if we abuse (curse) their deities (idols), surely, they’ll curse deity (one true God) of believers out of their ignorance and that is why we were ordered not to do so.
Beside the stories of destroying idols in Kaaba and by Hazrat Ibraheem a.s., have you ever heard/read the story of Dhul-Khasla or Dhul-Khalasa house? This house (Dhul Khasla or Dhul Khalasa) was in Yemen in which idols were worshiped. Prophet sent a Companion r.a., to destroy it and that Companion r.a., burnt that house and dismantled it completely.
The verse you quoted above is about verbal abuse (cursing) and doesn’t prevent destroying of idols.
Peace Hareem01,
That could be a reason. But if we read various hadiths, we will come to know that peoples were made stones at the graves like the Christians do, and also tuned graves into shrines which prohibited by Islam and that is why it was ordered for leveling.
Another reason for making of picture i.e., engraving images on stone like idols etc.
Re: Destroying Idols
Why would Isis evade Israel? ISIS’s mission seems to be to tarnish the image of Islam…to make Islam look bad…and Israel would be pleased with that.
Re: Destroying Idols
Within our Islamic society removal of statues and idols is not something we have had to worry about because we have lived in a period of settled Islamic society not one which is expanding. and the hindus who used to share our land cremated their deceased.
If we had lived in an expanding phase then the question of what to do with pagan idols would arise - we would choose to remove [destroy] these
Also since the hindus did not add structures atop graves, we have not needed to deal with issues of respect/veneration of kufar graves [this is an honour reserved for the Believers]
The Majority view of Muslims is that structures around the Graves of Believers is permissible to facilitate the Visitors [Mizarin] who visit the visited [Mazar], and as a mark of respect, acknowledgement of their status
Re: Destroying Idols
My question remains how come these idols remained for hundreds of years in muslim countries, why demolish them now? Have we become better muslims or intolerant over a period of time? Since most of you have agreed that there’s no room for idols in muslim society, would you guys support non muslims demolishing mosques in their countries? Or tolerance is only expected from them?
Re: Destroying Idols
Now we have a choice, we can either get the axes out for use on isis, islamqa, lethal kamikazi on the subject of Graves of Believers, or we can continue to discuss statues, idols that we may or may not need to destroy
For those that do not know, The reason for linking of the two subjects above is that isis and other people who follow the bidah of abdul wahab najdi known as wahabis believe in destroying both statues [idols] and Graves of Believers. Where-as the Ahlus Sunnah wal Jamaah [the traditional Muslims who carried Islam till now] have Built Mazars for the Believers across the Islamic geographical area [incidentally the first such Mazar in the Uk built by Muslims was for a traditional sunni named Abdul Wahab [sunni Barelvi]]
My beliefs on Graves of the believers are pretty ingrained now, I look forward to meeting the Awliya at their places of residence
Ok back to the topic of statues and idols, relics and artefacts of the mushrikin - I have a question running in my mind which is that Allah Subhanahu wa Ta’ala has told us in the Quran to travel the Earth and see what happened to the people of old - if we remove all traces wouldn’t we be going against this?
I have not researched, nor reflected upon this aspect so if anyone has any input on this please do share
Re: Destroying Idols
What i have said is that isis have committed a publicity stunt, and they’ll get either the good for that or the punishment - where as the Muslims believe in removal and detraction away from idols and false no2, no3 gods [polytheism]
Some of the early Muslims [Sahaba] used to laugh at their past beliefs regarding idols once they had become Muslim and the Muslims since then have removed idols from their midst without much fuss. So what we have done is removed insignificant statues which were worshipped unfortunately.
These statues that isis have smashed are also insignificant. This applies to their status, and anyone who smashes them. They have smashed something insignificant so chill is what i am saying
I do not know if these statues were ever a focus of a peoples worship, or if they were just statues. either way it does not make much of a difference to their significance once destroyed
To answer these questions or to go near to finding the answers, we will need people to participate and give inputs
“My question remains how come these idols remained for hundreds of years in muslim countries, why demolish them now?..”
Good Question. I cant answer your question but we can work towards finding an answer. There is two elements here, why Muslims never destroyed these statues and why were they demolished now by isis
terminology that we may use
Idol - in my opinion is something which is taken as encroaching upon the Siffats of Allah Subhanahu wa Ta’ala, either as no2 ilah [Astagfirullah] or as a thing holding a non given (dhati/zaati) power
Statue - does not necessarily mean shirk but it can be a mould. statues of living objects are forbidden in Islam, and I assume symbols of kufr [non living objects] too
I am not aware whether these statues destroyed were idols or just statues - I certainly assume nobody these days worshipped them. So they were meaningless other then possibly a ‘work’ of the people of the past, an artefact
To get an answer or close to an answer we would need to establish whether if we must search for and destroy these statues, if being worshipped makes a difference to their ruling, if there is any islamic allowance for their preservation.
a) Is it permissible to destroy statues of idols made by previous peoples? 1) yes 2) no
b) Must we search for and destroy these statues? 1) yes 2) no
c) if being worshipped or taken as deities makes a difference? 1) yes 2) no
d) is there any islamic allowance for their preservation? 1) yes 2) no
The answer to these questions will go some way towards answering your question
**“..Have we become better muslims or intolerant over a period of time?..”
**We have become both over tolerant and on other aspects intolerant over time
“…Since most of you have agreed that there’s no room for idols in muslim society, would you guys support non muslims demolishing mosques in their countries?..”
No, I would not support them to do that in their own countries because the Earth belongs to Allah Subhanahu wa Ta’ala [and His Messenger SallAllahu Alaihi wa Ahlihi wa Sallam]
The non muslims have rights, but its not equal rights.
**“..Or tolerance is only expected from them?..”
**On this issue of statues and idols. We can do whatever in our lands right? ok so we break the statue [nobody cares], and if we are going to break their idol - let them come talk to us. If they bring both heart and mind with them they’ll break the idols themselves
Will you see it as a mark of equality and tolerance if they say “we will not allow you to worship One Allah without associating any partners with Him if you do not maintain our idols in your land?”
Re: Destroying Idols
If destroying every idol in the countryside was a reality for Rasullullah (SAW), then why did he and his companions spare so many idols that have made their way into today’s museums?
This is the problem with muslims. They can’t differentiate academic research and work from ignorance and idol worshipping.
Museums do not house these historical relics for the purpose of worship. They are housed for academic purposes.
Re: Destroying Idols
Peace Ali_Syed,
Well the idols remained in city of Makka till its conquering and were destroyed later on. Likewise, the area which is called ‘Mosul’ is mixture of people who jostle there like Arabs, Kurds, Assyrians, Iraqi Jews, Kurdish Jews, Iraqi Turkmens, Armenians, Yazidi, Mandeans, Romani and Shabaks etc., That is how remained there but in 2014, only Sunni (in majority) remained in this city and ISIS militants destroyed those idols.
The museum where the idols were kept known ‘Mosul Museum’ which contains many interesting finds from the ancient sites of the old Assyrian capital cities Nineveh and Nimrud.
As we aware recently these ‘Ancient statues’ destroyed by ISIS on 26 Feb 2015 in Mosul (as seen in video) were FAKES - and the originals are safely stored in Baghdad, claimed by Iraqi museum director.
Reference: ‘Ancient_statues’_were_FAKES](http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2996859/Ancient-statues-destroyed-ISIS-Mosul-FAKES-originals-safely-stored-Baghdad-claims-Iraqi-museum-director.html#ixzz3UvnecXfR)
Re: Destroying Idols
Still thats not a justifcation, Muslims need to be more tolerant to expect the same behavior from others.
Re: Destroying Idols
This is not Prophet’s Hadith. We cannot treat it in same respect as Quran and Prophet’s Sunnah
Re: Destroying Idols
There is a difference between idols and symbolic icons
Re: Destroying Idols
Peace All,
Please tell us how this is not Prophet’s PBUH hadith.
I agree and we can expect this from ordinary Muslims but what we can say about or expect from these tiny group who by using the name of ‘Islam or Muslim’ doing this act.
Re: Destroying Idols
Statues [not idols] were allowed in the Shariah of previous Prophets. Verse 34:13
Tafsirs
al-Jalalayn:
They fashioned for him whatever he wished: lofty shrines (mahārīb are high edifices which are ascended by stairs) and statues (tamāthīl is the plural of timthāl, which is any thing which you fashion as a likeness [of another]), in other words, brass, crystal or marble figures — the use of figures was not prohibited according to his Law;…
Altafsir.com - The Tafsirs -
Tanwîr al-Miqbâs min Tafsîr Ibn ‘Abbâs:
(They made for him what he willed: synagogues and statues) of angels, prophets and other righteous servants so that people look at them and follow their example of worshipping Allah,…
Altafsir.com - The Tafsirs -
Noor ul Irfan volume 2 page 326:
[large file] http://marfat.com/DownloadBooks/Noor-ul-Arfan(Kanz-ul-Emaan)%202/WQB.pdf
Re: Destroying Idols
Re: Destroying Idols
Me too
We will have to ask Allah Subhanahu wa Ta’ala for help, and be patient
Re: Destroying Idols
Exactly. If you support destroying the religious property of others or important historical relics then you don’t get to complain about when muslim property gets destroyed.