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Taliban seek Muslim support
Kabul: Taliban chief Mulla Mohammad
Omar used the Eid-al-Adha festival to urge the Muslim world to support the
destruction of ancient Buddhist icons and unite behind his vision of
Islam.
The reclusive war veteran and ‘Islamic scholar’ said the annihilation
of Buddhist statues in Afghanistan would proceed despite vehement
international condemnation and protests from Islamic states. He said the
statues, including the giant ancient Buddhas in the central province of
Bamiyan, were only ‘one per cent’ of Afghanistan's historical
heritage. Omar also dismissed the global outcry as a ‘drama’ which
should be transparent to Muslims with ‘common sense.’
‘Now that we are destroying false idols, the world has made a drama out
of this. The Muslims of the world, particularly Afghan Muslims, should use
their commonsense,’ the Taliban militia's Radio Shariat quoted him as
saying. ‘I would like to ask you, do you prefer to be called
statue-destroyers or statue-sellers?’
Omar last week ordered his followers to destroy all statues in
Afghanistan, including the country's precious pre-Islamic figures, to
prevent idolatry in line with a fatwa (religious decree) from local
clerics.
The Islamic world has also expressed its indignation, notably Pakistan,
one of only three countries which recognizes the Taliban regime and its
closest ally. Messages from Islamic states and religious leaders have
stressed that tolerance for other religions is a basic tenet of Islam.
But Omar, known as Amir-ul-Mominin (Commander of the Faithful) in Taliban
circles, said the issue was clear-cut and Muslims should not be influenced
by people of other faiths.
‘I would like to ask the world Muslims not to harmonize their voices
with those of non-believers,’ he said. ‘The infidels want to rob Islam
of its spirit.’ q |
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