Prominent Muslim ulemas have condemned the destruction of historical Buddha statues in Bamiyan, Afghanistan, by the Taliban militia and termed their act as unislamic and barbaric. “Islam has no relation with the Taliban act of destroying idols or places of worship of other religions and the act only displays their lack of knowledge about their religion, said Maulana Dr Kalbe Sadiq, Islamic scholar and vice president of Muslim Personal Law Board. “Their act is very shameful and has saddened the entire community,” Dr Sadiq said adding all Muslim states should unite against such a move and strongly oppose such intolerant and irreligious acts.

Another eminent Muslim scholar and member of Muslim Personal Law Board, Sajjad Nomani condemned the move and said that it appeared to be the handiwork of a few misguided people who neither had concern for Islam nor for international repercussions arising out of their actions. “It is a very sad incident and it is the duty of Muslim scholars and ulemas to use their good offices to prevent these acts,” he said, adding international sanctions and subsequent isolation of Afghanistan had resulted in the Taliban taking on the world through such barbaric acts.
Mushtaq Ahmed Siddiqui of all India Babri Masjid Action Committee appealed to the Taliban to stop the destruction of the priceless Buddha statues and hand the relics over to nations eager to have them. Bureau Report