The first mosque , which was a modest structure built in 622 in Medina, was the house of the Prophet Mohammed. Building a mosque was a sacred trust, dedicated to fulfilling the spiritual needs of the community at large. The latest example, blowing up the 12th-century Great Mosque of al-Nuri in Mosul, which happened Wednesday, is particularly disturbing. But what are the roots of ISIS' destruction of Muslim holy sites and, more importantly, what effect can it have on local populations? Even the Mosul mosque was to be destroyed in 2014 but the residents of the city linked their arms together to protect its beloved minaret.

Source: CNN June 24, 2017 17:15 UTC