De-Islamizing Islam

It is worth noting here that the statues of Gautam Buddha had already been carved out of the mountainsides of Afghanistan 500 years before Islam’s entry into the country during the time of the Prophet Muhammad. Just as these statues were safe prior to the advent of Islam, they continued to remain safe throughout the fourteen hundred years of the Islamic era. It is only in recent times, during Taliban rule, that these statues have been held to be un-Islamic and subjected to demolition. Now the question arises as to whether the Taliban have a better knowledge of Islam than that of the Sahaba (the Prophet’s companions), the Tabiun (the Companion’s disciples) and other great Islamic scholars of the past. The truth is that while the Taliban were ostensibly smashing idols, what in reality they are doing is demolishing Islam. Far from serving the interests of Islam, this initiative is doing it the greatest harm. Islam believes in the principle of tolerance between different religions. This verse was revealed in the Quran during the Makkan period: “For you your religion, for me mine.” (109:6). If this Islamic principle were formulated, it could be worded like this: “Follow one and respect all.” We find many practical examples of adherence to this principle in Islamic history. For instance, during the period of Umar Faruq, the Second Caliph of Islam, Palestine was conquered. At that time an agreement was reached between the Caliph and the Christian authorities. One of the clauses of this agreement, signed by the Caliph Umar, was that the Christian churches as well as the statues of Mary and Christ placed in the churches and the Cross would remain as they were. This illustrates a principle of religious tolerance which has been observed by Muslims throughout the history of Islam. We do find instances of certain Muslim kings having broken idols. But these instances are exceptions and not the rule. Furthermore, such acts on the part of rulers were governed by their political interests and not by the teachings of Islam. The statues of Gautam Buddha carved in the mountains may have been objects of worship in the past, but today they enjoy the position of historical monuments. They no longer belong to a particular religious group: their status is that of symbols of a historical heritage common to all mankind. The principle of Islam, applicable to this state of affairs, is to remove the issue from the private or the national sphere to the universal sphere. One of the teachings of Islam is that Muslims ought not to take any such action as is likely to be counterproductive. For instance, the Quran enjoins: