What they said on demolishing churches, synagogues and fire temples

Ikrimah (may Allah have mercy on him) said: Sayyiduna Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) was asked: Do the non-Arabs have the right to erect a building or a church in the cities of the Muslims? He said: As for the cities which the Arabs founded, the non-Arabs have no right to put up a building in that city, or he said: to build a church in them. Nor may they strike the clapper (naqus) in it, nor may they drink wine in it, nor may they keep swine in it, or he said: nor may they bring swine into it. And as for the city which the non-Arabs founded, then Allah gave the Arabs dominance over it and they surrendered to the ruling of the Arabs, the non-Arabs have the right to act according to the covenant made with them. And the non-Arabs have the right over the Arabs that they fulfil their covenants with them. And they must not burden them beyond their capacity.

Ubayy bin Abdullah (may Allah have mercy on him) said: A letter of Umar bin Abd al-Aziz (may Allah have mercy on him) came to us saying that the churches, Jewish houses of worship and fire temples concerning which a peace treaty was made are not to be demolished.

Abd al-Malik (may Allah have mercy on him) said: Ata (may Allah have mercy on him) was asked about Jewish houses of worship: Are they to be demolished? He said: No, except for those located in the Haram; those are to be demolished.

Amr (may Allah have mercy on him) said that al-Hasan al-Basri (may Allah have mercy on him) used to consider it disliked for churches to be left standing in the cities of the Muslims.

Awf (may Allah have mercy on him) said that al-Hasan al-Basri (may Allah have mercy on him) said: Peace has been made with the non-Muslims on the condition that, in places other than the cities, the way between them and their fires and idols will be left open.

Ibn Suraqah (may Allah have mercy on him) said that Sayyiduna Abu Ubaydah bin al-Jarrah (may Allah be pleased with him) wrote to the people of Dayr Tabaya: "I have granted you safety for your lives, for your wealth, and for your churches from being demolished."

Habib bin Shahid (may Allah have mercy on him) said that Muhammad bin Sirin (may Allah have mercy on him) did not leave any idol of the people of Persia without breaking it, nor any fire without its being extinguished.

Awf (may Allah have mercy on him) said: I was present with Abdullah bin Ubayd bin Ma'mar (may Allah have mercy on him) when a fire-worshipper was brought who had built a fire temple in Basra. He (may Allah have mercy on him) had him beheaded.