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What is wrong with smashing the idols?

sovietchild

Well-Known Member
The Meccans banked on the idols while they attacked Medina aggressively, they prayed to their idols for help. Muhammad always gave them reasonable arguments for believing in One-God who is the real helper against the worship of the idols. They refused to listen the arguments and continued their aggression. With the most minimum loss of human beings and without any destruction of the properties Muhammad while defending himself for co-existence, did win before their own eyes .
Now, they realized that they were wrong, so the Meccans who previously worshiped the idols, themselves broke them, they wanted the idols no more. They were to worship One-God, henceforth, whole-heartedly.
Right?Please
Regards

Source please.
 

SomeRandom

Still learning to be wise
Staff member
Premium Member
What is wrong with destroying the idols?
Well, it's quite rude for starters. It's very thug like behavior, which is frowned upon because it's destructive and disrespectful to other people.
You don't see me tearing down Mosques. Because in a civilized society one recognizes that respect should be given to other people and their right to worship (or not worship) anyway they see fit. It's a fundamental human right recognized across the world over. So to destroy idols that one may or may not worship directly deprives someone of that right, thereby persecuting them. Now destroying an idol one owns is the one exception because you officially and legally own it. Still a rather pointless endeavor, I mean you might as well tear up a book you own. What's the point?
If you destroy an idol that belongs to someone else or even a country (like a landmark or something) then it's actually vandalism and destruction of property, which is illegal in most countries.
In any case, it comes down to basic civility and respect.
I mean honestly, manners cost nothing.
 
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YmirGF

Bodhisattva in Recovery
The verse does not speak of demolishing the idols. Is it? Please
Regards
Unfortunately, @paarsurrey you have only Muhammad to blame for the continuing misunderstanding here as it is he who personally smashed the statues/idols in the Al Kaaba Al Musharrafah after his forces occupied Mecca. In theory, most human animals would seek to correct a perceived gross injustice and many Muslims seem prone to following your so-called "prophet" in merrily destroying anything they find offensive. A clear difference between the actions of Muhammad himself, the alleged messenger of THE god and that of said god's ramblings in his dreary little book.Please
Regards?
 

FearGod

Freedom Of Mind
Unfortunately, @paarsurrey you have only Muhammad to blame for the continuing misunderstanding here as it is he who personally smashed the statues/idols in the Al Kaaba Al Musharrafah after his forces occupied Mecca. In theory, most human animals would seek to correct a perceived gross injustice and many Muslims seem prone to following your so-called "prophet" in merrily destroying anything they find offensive. A clear difference between the actions of Muhammad himself, the alleged messenger of THE god and that of said god's ramblings in his dreary little book.Please
Regards?

Do you know a hadith or a verse which instructs Muslims to destroy the idols?
 
It must be some kind of Ahmadhi revisionist quackery. I've never come across that type of explanation before and I've read extensively about the period. I will defer to @Augustus as he is a walking encyclopedia. :)

Can't say it's anything I've read about. As you know, it's certainly not the 'traditional' narrative, which has the idols being broken at Muhammad's request following their victory over the Meccans.

A tent was pitched for him where he offered prayers of thanks to the All-Mighty Allâh, Who, out of His immense grace, had granted him a splendid victory. But he did not repose long. He, in the company of the Helpers and Emigrants, got
up and proceeded towards Al-Ka'bah, the Sacred House, which is an emblem of the Oneness and Supremacy of Allâh. It was unfortunately infested with idols that numbered 360. He knocked them down with his bow while reciting the verse of the Noble Qur'ân: "And Say: 'Truth (i.e. Islamic Monotheism or this Qur'ân or Jihâd against polytheists) has come and Batil (falsehood, i.e. Satan or polytheism, etc.) has vanished. Surely! Batil is ever bound to vanish.'"[17:81]...
He denounced these acts of Quraish and ordered that all idolsbe dismantled, images and effigies deleted.

(The Sealed Nectar)

Seeing as most of the Sirah was made up centuries after the fact though to explain and contextualise the Quran, the event probably never happened in the first place though (and because, textually at least, the Quran reflects a significantly 'Abrahamic' environment rather than a pagan one).

I suppose this affords more creative license in how the 'event' can be remembered.
 
If that was true then how can we explain that idols still exist in Egypt till this day?

One can only believe that it is because early Muslims never saw it as particularly important to destroy them, suggesting that modern Wahabbi types who are obsessed with destroying idols are engaging in a form of innovation.
 

LuisDantas

Aura of atheification
Premium Member
sovietchild said:
Prophet Luqmaan once said to his son "O my son, do not set up any idols beside God; idolatry is a gross injustice."

"O my son, do not set up any idols beside God; idolatry is a gross injustice."
The verse does not speak of demolishing the idols. Is it? Please
Regards
Fair point. It does not.

I guess there are people who follow that up with a perceived need to address the injustice with further action.

Like others in this thread, I commend you for thinking better than that.
 

paarsurrey

Veteran Member
Do you know a hadith or a verse which instructs Muslims to destroy the idols?
It must be some kind of Ahmadhi revisionist quackery. I've never come across that type of explanation before and I've read extensively about the period. I will defer to @Augustus as he is a walking encyclopedia. :)

If one cannot quote a verse where Quran has commanded one to destroy the idols, then please comply at least to the request from friend @FearGod .
Regards
 

paarsurrey

Veteran Member
paarsurrey said:
sovietchild said:
Prophet Luqmaan once said to his son "O my son, do not set up any idols beside God; idolatry is a gross injustice."

"O my son, do not set up any idols beside God; idolatry is a gross injustice."
The verse does not speak of demolishing the idols. Is it? Please
Regards
Fair point. It does not.

I guess there are people who follow that up with a perceived need to address the injustice with further action.

Like others in this thread, I commend you for thinking better than that.
"O my son, do not set up any idols beside God; idolatry is a gross injustice."
The better point is that one concentrates on the reasons/arguments given in the above verse (any many others) namely doing "gross injustice by believing in idolatry". Please
Regards
 

paarsurrey

Veteran Member
Unfortunately, @paarsurrey you have only Muhammad to blame for the continuing misunderstanding here as it is he who personally smashed the statues/idols in the Al Kaaba Al Musharrafah after his forces occupied Mecca. In theory, most human animals would seek to correct a perceived gross injustice and many Muslims seem prone to following your so-called "prophet" in merrily destroying anything they find offensive. A clear difference between the actions of Muhammad himself, the alleged messenger of THE god and that of said god's ramblings in his dreary little book.Please
Regards?

Please attend to post #176 , if one please, and don't be angry.
That is the core solution.
Regards
 

paarsurrey

Veteran Member
Well, it's quite rude for starters. It's very thug like behavior, which is frowned upon because it's destructive and disrespectful to other people.
You don't see me tearing down Mosques. Because in a civilized society one recognizes that respect should be given to other people and their right to worship (or not worship) anyway they see fit. It's a fundamental human right recognized across the world over. So to destroy idols that one may or may not worship directly deprives someone of that right, thereby persecuting them. Now destroying an idol one owns is the one exception because you officially and legally own it. Still a rather pointless endeavor, I mean you might as well tear up a book you own. What's the point?
If you destroy an idol that belongs to someone else or even a country (like a landmark or something) then it's actually vandalism and destruction of property, which is illegal in most countries.
In any case, it comes down to basic civility and respect.
I mean honestly, manners cost nothing.
"fundamental human right"

Muhammad cared for all the humans rights rather he was the champion of the human rights. We follow Muhammad, not the politically motivated Terrorists of any time and place. Please
Regards
 
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