Beautiful women Quote by Washington Irving
““Mahomet now proceeded to execute the great object of his religious aspirations, the purifying of the sacred edifice from the symbols of idolatry, with which it was crowded. All the idols in and about it, to the number of three hundred and sixty, were thrown down and de-stroyed. Among these, the most renowned was Hobal, an idol brought from Balka, in Syria, and fabled to have the power of granting rain. It was, of course, a great object of worship among the inhabitants of the thirsty desert. There were statues of Abraham and Ishmael also, represented with divining arrows in their hands ; "an outrage on their memories," said Mahomet, "being symbols of a diabolical art which they had never prac-ticed." In reverence of their memories, therefore, these statues were demolished. There were paintings, also, depicting angels in the guise of beautiful women. " The angels," said Mahomet, indignantly, " are no such beings. There are celestial houris provided in paradise for the solace of true believers ; but angels are ministering spirits of the Most High, and of too pure a nature to admit of sex." The paintings were accordingly obliterated. Even a dove, curiously carved of wood, he broke with his own hands, and cast upon the ground, as savoring of idolatry.””
About This Quote
Source Book: The Life and Voyages of Mahomet, 1850
Mahomet destroyed idols and images he deemed idolatrous, aiming to purify worship and eliminate polytheistic practices.
In simple terms: He removed symbols he thought were false worship.
Eliminate false symbols to focus on true belief.
Themes
Mood
Type
When to use this quote
- historical religious reform
- modern religious debates
- interfaith dialogue
- art preservation
- cultural heritage protection
Key Concepts
Questions to Reflect On
- What defines true worship?
- How do we balance heritage with belief?
Interpretations of religious intent vary; some view it as cultural loss.