Hindu gods are false. Mahmud Ghaznavi had rightful reason to desecrate Somnath Mandir. He didn’t destroy Bamiyan sculptures. But idol is different. Hindus worship it (which is wrong, hence Ghaznavi broke Somnath)

Pakistan: “Hindu gods are false…Ghaznavi was right in breaking idols and desecrating Somnath…”- Hassan Nisar, Pak liberal intellectual.

Mahmud of Ghazni’s destruction of the Somnath temple is justified in Pakistan as an act of religious duty, rooted in Islamic iconoclasm. In Islam, idol worship (shirk) is considered a grave sin and breaking idols is viewed as purifying the world from practices which are deemed contrary to Islam. Differentiating idols from sculptures, Pakistani intellectuals argue that Hindus’ veneration of idols legitimized their destruction.

Throughout Islamic history, iconoclasts like Mahmud have been celebrated as defenders of monotheism, especially in regions like Pakistan. Revered as heroes, they symbolize the triumph of Islam over perceived idolatry and are idealized in textbooks and public memory.

Iconoclasm is regarded as the ultimate service in Islam, representing loyalty to Allah’s command against idolatry. Celebrating figures like Mahmud reflects an emphasis on enforcing Islamic monotheism and removing practices deemed contrary to Islamic teachings. This reverence continues to shape historical and cultural narratives in Muslim-majority Pakistan, where, Hindu temples and idols are broken and vandalized even today, as an act of serving Allah and taunting and belittling the Hindus and their religious practices.

"Hindu gods are false. Mahmud Ghaznavi had rightful reason to desecrate Somnath Mandir. He didn't destroy Bamiyan sculptures. But idol is different. Hindus worship it (which is wrong, hence Ghaznavi broke Somnath)"

-Pak 'liberal' intellectual Hassan Nisarpic.twitter.com/Tg0wO8tCRU

— Pakistan Untold (@pakistan_untold) April 7, 2023