The Salaf Did Not Destroy Monuments

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ

It is important to remember that when the pious predecessors, the swahabah, the tabi’un, and the taba’ tabi’un, conquered Egypt, Persia and elsewhere, they did not destroy the Pyramids of Giza, the tombs of ancient kings, or the historical heritage of previous civilisations.  And yet, we have groups like the Taliban and ISIS destroying not only these, but mosques and tombs of Muslims, including the tombs of the swahabah under the pretext of “protecting” the ummah from shirk. 

It is recorded, in Swahih al-Bukhari, that the Prophet (s.a.w.) said, “By Allah!  I do not fear that you will worship others along with Allah after my death, but I fear that you will fight one another for worldly things.” 

So who do the Taliban, ISIS, and all these Wahhabi and Neo-Salafist groups represent?  Most certainly not Islam.