At the time of Caliph Omar's invasion of Egypt, the Arab…
“At the time of Caliph Omar's invasion of Egypt, the Arab officer on duty in the destruction of the library of Alexandria used two stamps with which he marked the books. One said: 'Does not agree with the Koran - heretic, must be burned'. The other said: 'Agrees with the Koran - superfluous, must be burned'.”
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
The quote illustrates that both dissenting and conforming ideas were destroyed, showing intolerance for any differing perspective.
In simple terms: Both opposing and agreeing ideas were burned.
Key Takeaway
Recognize the danger of absolute censorship.
Themes
intolerance
censorship
knowledge destruction
religious authority
Mood
critical
skeptical
Type
historical
analytical
When to use this quote
- library preservation
- academic freedom
- religious reform
- historical research
Key Concepts
authoritarianism
cultural loss
dogma
Questions to Reflect On
- What evidence supports this story?
- How does this reflect on modern censorship?
A Different Perspective
The anecdote may be apocryphal, lacking primary evidence.