The past one week has seen BJP leader Subramaniam Swamy tirelessly tweeting and retweeting, insisting that mosques are only structures, and hence can be destroyed, while temples are actual places of worship.

“A mosque is not a religious place. It is just a building and it can be demolished any time. If anyone disagrees with me on this, I am ready to have a debate on the issue. I got this information from people of Saudi Arabia,” Swamy said.

He must be referring to the large areas around the two holy mosques of Makkah and Madinah that may have included historical sites and small mosques, which had been removed years ago to make way for pilgrimage-related infrastructure.

The massive expansion of both Makkah and Madinah is essential for the growing numbers of pilgrims. Both holy sites host 12 million pilgrims each year and the number is expected to rise to 17 million by 2025.

Moreover, religio-historical sites have no significance in Islam, because they might receive unnecessary reverence from a section of society to the extent the act could lead to the gravest sin of shirk (worshipping anyone other than Allah).

Hence, the removal of these sites is for the greater good of its people and for the ease and comfort of pilgrims at the two most important mosques in Islam.

Saudis are not the ones who would derive pleasure in removing mosques, as Swamy would like to have you believe.

In fact, Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) encouraged the building of mosques by stressing the reward of such an act. He said: "He who builds a mosque for the sake of Allah, seeking the pleasure of Allah, would be rewarded by Him with a dwelling in heaven."

Mosques are sacred places of worship for all Muslims where the pleasure of Allah is most sought.

The Holy Qur’an also reiterates the vital role of mosques: “And (He revealed) that the mosques are for Allah, do not invoke with Allah anyone.” (Surah 72, Ayah 18 Al-Jinn)

Islamophobic Swamy's attempt to exploit the Saudi example in order to fulfill his communal Hindu agenda in India will find no takers.

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