Destruction of Idol Temples

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

You have new messages (last change).
Calendar by Karachi-based Al Rasheed Trust commemorating the destruction of Bamyan Buddhas.
Calendar by Karachi-based Al Rasheed Trust commemorating the destruction of Bamyan Buddhas.

Contents

[edit] Destruction of temples

The following is a list temples that were destroyed. The destruction of temples was generally to eliminate the supposed practice of idolatry to suppress what were seen as heathen faiths.

[edit] Comments by Historians

Theophilus stands triumphantly atop the Serapeum, from contemporary Goleniscev Papyrus
Theophilus stands triumphantly atop the Serapeum, from contemporary Goleniscev Papyrus

Edward Gibbon (1776-88) writes about the destruction of Serapeum:

After the edicts of Theodosius had severely prohibited the sacrifices of the Pagans, they were still tolerated in the city and temple of Serapis; and this singular indulgence was imprudently ascribed to the superstitious terrors of the Christians themselves: as if they had feared to abolish those ancient rites, which could alone secure the inundations of the Nile, the harvest of Egypt, and the subsistence of Constantinople
At that time (A.D. 389) the archiepiscopal throne of Alexandria was filled by Theophilus... His pious indignation was excited by the honours of Serapis; and the insults which he offered to an ancient chapel of Bacchus, convinced the Pagans that he meditated a more important and dangerous enterprise. In the tumultuous capital of Egypt, the slightest provocation was sufficient to inflame a civil war. The votaries of Serapis, whose strength and numbers were much inferior to those of their antagonists, rose in arms at the instigation of the philosopher Olympius, who exhorted them to die in the defence of the altars of the gods.
These Pagan fanatics fortified themselves in the temple, or rather fortress, of Serapis, ... But when a sentence of destruction against the idols of Alexandria was pronounced, the Christians set up a shout of joy and exultation, whilst the unfortunate Pagans, whose fury had given way to consternation, retired with hasty and silent steps, and eluded, by their flight or obscurity, the resentment of their enemies.
Image:Somnath.jpg
Destruction of Somnath idol by Mahmud of Ghazni from Great Muslim Heros
Theophilus proceeded to demolish the temple of Serapis, without any other difficulties, than those which he found in the weight and solidity of the materials; but these objects proved so insuperable, that he was obliged to leave the foundations; and to content himself with reducing the edifice itself to a heap of rubbish, a part of which was soon afterwards cleared away, to make room for a church, erected in honour of the Christian martyrs.
The valuable library of Alexandria was pillaged or destroyed; and, near twenty years afterwards, the appearance of the empty shelves excited the regret and indignation of every spectator, whose mind was not totally darkened by religious prejudice.
While the images and vases of gold and silver were carefully melted, and those of a less valuable metal were contemptuously broken, and cast into the streets ...

Minhaj-us-Siraj, a 13th century historian writes [1] about the destruction of Somanath:

When Sultan Mahmud ascended the throne of sovereignty his illustrious deeds became manifest unto all mankind within the pale of Islam when he converted so many thousands of idol-temples into masjids and captured many of the cities of Hindustan… He led an army to Naharwala of Gujarat, and brought away Manat, the idol from Somnath, and had it broken into four parts, one of which was cast before the centre of the great masjid at Ghaznin, the second before the gateway of the Sultan’s palace, and the third and fourth were sent to Makkah and Madinah respectively.” Mahmud’s coins struck at Lahore in the seventh year of his reign describe him as the “right hand of the Caliph” and “the breaker of idols.”

Shams Siraj Afif in Tarikh-e-Firozeshahi (AD 1357) writes about Firuz Shah Tughluq (1351-1388) [2]:

"A report was brought to the Sultan that there was in Delhi an old Brahman who persisted in publicly performing the worship of idols in his house; and that people of the city, both Musulmans and Hindus, used to resort to his house to worship the idol. The Brahman had constructed a wooden tablet (muhrak), which was covered within and without with paintings of demons and other objects… An order was accordingly given that the Brahman, with his tablet, should be brought into the presence of the Sultan at Fîrozabad. The judges and doctors and elders and lawyers were summoned, and the case of the Brahman was submitted for their opinion. Their reply was that the provisions of the Law were clear: the Brahman must either become a Musulman or be burned. The true faith was declared to the Brahman, and the right course pointed out, but he refused to accept it. Orders were given for raising a pile of faggots before the door of the darbar. The Brahman was tied hand and foot and cast into it; the tablet was thrown on top and the pile was lighted. The writer of this book was present at the darbãr and witnessed the execution. The tablet of the Brahman was lighted in two places, at his head and at his feet; the wood was dry, and the fire first reached his feet, and drew from him a cry, but the flames quickly enveloped his head and consumed him."

John Strong writes about the Relic of the tooth of the Buddha brought to Goa from Sri Lanka [3]:

"In 1561, an interesting ceremony took place in the Portuguese enclave of Goa, in Southwestern India. During a military operation in Sri Lanka, Portuguese troops had captured what "local idolaters" (i.e., Buddhists) claimed was the tooth of the Buddha, and had delivered it as a prize to their viceroy, Don Constantino da Braganca. The viceroy had hoped to hold it for ransom, but now the archbishop of Goa, Don Gaspar, was insisting that it be destroyed. On a porch overlooking the river, in the presence of a great crowd of Christians and "pagans," he called for the tooth and "placed it in a mortar, and with his own hand reduced it to powder, and cast the pieces into a brazier which stood ready for the purpose; after which the ashes and the charcoal together were cast into the river, in sight of all those who were crowding the verandahs and windows which looked upon the water".

[edit] See also

[edit] References

[edit] External links

Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org../../../d/e/s/Destruction_of_Idol_Temples_fcb7.html"