Edinburgh University Press

Edinburgh University Press

The destruction of ‘un- Islamic’ edifices by ISIS and the Taliban

A picture of the ceiling of dome to Abu Nasr Parsa Shrine

by Shivan Mahendrarajah The Taliban are back in power, ushering in renewed fears of destruction of cultural heritages. Their first time in office (1996–2001), the Taliban destroyed edifices on the basis that they were ‘un-Islamic’ and/or ‘beacons’ for polytheists (mushrikin).…