Timbuktu and Islam

[bigbadgirl]

I'm sure most here have read about the destruction of Sufi shrines in Timbuktu. Is Islam so intolerent that it cannot even respect the different sects of it's own religion? If it cannot tolerate sects of it's own, how can it respect those of other religions?

 

[arthra]

The information I have is that it was a group of rebels allied with Al-Qaeda that committed this act...so it did not in my view represent Islam:


Islamist rebels smashed the entrance of a 15th-century Timbuktu mosque, while their Al-Qaeda allies in northern Mali cut off the key city of Gao by planting landmines all around it.
In Timbuktu, rebels from the Al-Qaeda-allied Ansar Dine (Defenders of Faith) group continued their destruction of the city's cultural treasures, defying a chorus of international condemnation.

Mali Islamists smash Timbuktu relics, plant mines - Yahoo! News Singapore

 

[Looncall]

The information I have is that it was a group of rebels allied with Al-Qaeda that committed this act...so it did not in my view represent Islam:


Islamist rebels smashed the entrance of a 15th-century Timbuktu mosque, while their Al-Qaeda allies in northern Mali cut off the key city of Gao by planting landmines all around it.
In Timbuktu, rebels from the Al-Qaeda-allied Ansar Dine (Defenders of Faith) group continued their destruction of the city's cultural treasures, defying a chorus of international condemnation.

Mali Islamists smash Timbuktu relics, plant mines - Yahoo! News Singapore

I'm not sure what you mean by "represent". It is clearly muslims committing yet more barbarous acts against humanity.

For interest, are there any recent cases of non-muslim groups trashing important monuments out of religious bigotry?

Is it a particular variety of islam that promotes this kind of behaviour? I can bring to mind the Buddhas of Bamiyan case, and I gather that historic sites in Saudi Arabia have been destroyed. Is there a particular connection?

 

[Caladan]

I'm sure most here have read about the destruction of Sufi shrines in Timbuktu. Is Islam so intolerent that it cannot even respect the different sects of it's own religion? If it cannot tolerate sects of it's own, how can it respect those of other religions?

It's worth noting that they destroy sites which are valued by local Muslims, in fact this is the reason they destroy these shrines, specifically because they are unhappy with the fact that local Muslims venerate these shrines and their saints.
Also, for anyone who would like to enrich their knowledge of this wider subject, there is a fascinating ammount of information about the problem of archaeological preservation in the Middle east conflict zones. There are professional Muslim archaeologists and scholars who fought a hard battle to preserve their heritage, and in fact what is considered world heritage of the highest class. Furthermore there are examples of the general public during the Arab Spring in Egypt physically protecting the Cairo museum.
So there is definitely a lot of grey area here, anything from destruction of sites, to looting of sites, to scholars efforts to preserves the sites and to increase awareness about their importance to the general population.

Ironically I presented a paper about this specific wider topic recently and focused on the contemporary events in the Middle East, including the Arab Spring, the American presence in Iraq, and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict... so in the happy occasion that anyone wants a short read let me know.

 

[Jayhawker Soule]

The information I have is that it was a group of rebels allied with Al-Qaeda that committed this act...so it did not in my view represent Islam: ...

First of all unlike arthra I'm not going to pretend that the vandals are not Muslim.

It does not appear to me that arthra 'pretended' anything of the kind.

 

[Caladan]

It does not appear to me that arthra 'pretended' anything of the kind.

Do you really want to grind this to dust? let people defend their own words.

 

[Jayhawker Soule]

It does not appear to me that arthra 'pretended' anything of the kind.

Do you really want to grind this to dust? let people defend their own words.

 

[Caladan]

Do enlighten me about who exclusively represent Islam.

 

[Caladan]

And again, the point was not disagreement with your post, but your misrepresentation of arthra's words.

Upon second reading you're right, that's not what arthra claimed. I will edit that part out of my post.

 

[Shuddhasattva]

Thank you - I respect that you were able to recognize that, and not afraid to admit it. I will delete my posts, I apologize for any hostile undertones.

 

[YmirGF]

...so it did not in my view represent Islamhttp://sg.news.yahoo.com/islamists-destroy-door-ancient-timbuktu-mosque-100927967.html

Then again, anything that diverges from the narrative of Muslims being followers of a "perfect" religion of "peace" is bound to bounce off said narrative. Just close your eyes... they aren't really there. Granted such people are a smaller percentage, but a vibrant and healthy percentage. When one adds their numbers of supporters or sympathizers, that "small percentage" becomes troubling.

 

[bigbadgirl]

I ask a question about the tolerance within Islam for different sects and no Muslims answer. That leads me to believe that very little tolerance exists. If you can not tolerate the beliefs of those of your own faith, then tolerance within Islam does not exist. True or false?

 

[Father Heathen]

I ask a question about the tolerance within Islam for different sects and no Muslims answer. That leads me to believe that very little tolerance exists. If you can not tolerate the beliefs of those of your own faith, then tolerance within Islam does not exist. True or false?

The destruction was committed by extremists (Al Qaeda hardly represents the average muslim), and there isn't an extremist presence here on RF to answer your question.