It is entirely plausible that the Islamic minaret was inspired by Christian Stylites “Pillar dwellers”
Previous posts; here, here, here, here and here.
I thought this to be a fascinating snippet from Diarmaid MacCulloch’s book: A History of Christianity – The First Three Thousand Years.
Pages 207 – 208:
One of the most extraordinary practices adopted by some ascetics in Syria was to spend years on end exposed on top of a specially built stone column, living on a wicker platform which resembled the basket of a modern hot-air balloon. This form of devotion was pioneered in the early fifth century by another Simeon, therefore nicknamed the Stylite (‘Pillar Dweller’). Once established on his column, he reputedly never descended from it before his death. Since the column was successively extended in height to some sixty feet, special arrangements were presumably made for the alterations; while detailed investigation has solved one obvious practical question by revealing evidence that this and subsequent pillars were en-suite.
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Over the next seven centuries, around 120 people imitated Simeon’s initiative in Syria and Asia Minor. They were like living ladders to Heaven, and even if hermits, they were far from remote. St Simeon himself had chosen one of the most elevated sites in his portion of Northern Syria next to a major road, dominating the view for scores of miles, and preaching twice a day. Stylites often became major players in Church politics, shouting down their theological pronouncements from their little elevated balconies to the expectant crowd below, or giving personalised advice to those favoured enough to climb the ladder and join them on the platform. There was little love lost between some rival pillars of different theological persuasions.
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Simeon does not seem to have protested while a large expensive church (whose ruins also still survive) was being built around his pillar, thus making this ragged hermit into a bizarre living relic, sole exhibit in a Christian zoo. It is plausible that one of the most important symbols of Islam, the minaret, was inspired by the sight of the later representatives of these Syrian Christian holy men summoning the faithful to worship God from these pillars. The first known minaret, after all, was part of the great Ummayad mosque in Damascus, well within the cultural zone of the Stylites.
Who would have thought that Islamic minarets may have been influenced by our own Stylites or “Pillar Dwellers”?
June 17th, 2010 at 10:23 am
In some of the oldest mosques, such as the Great Mosque of Damascus, minarets originally served as illuminated watchtowers (hence the derivation of the word from the Arabic nur, meaning “light”). (sourced Wikipedia).
Interview Sam Solomon, the role of the mosque in Islam.
June 17th, 2010 at 10:45 am
This is the second time I have found Diarmaid MacCulloch to be misleading – an islamic propagandist, the first concerned the Temple Church London.
June 17th, 2010 at 10:46 am
That’s interesting Goy, what did he say about the Temple Church in London?
June 17th, 2010 at 11:46 am
In his TV series he said sarcastically that the design of the Temple Church was mistakenly based on an islamic design, in fact the architecture would have been christian originally and therefor a correct interpretation – it is a subtle point, but he is still misleading.
If you can find the TV clip concerning this you will see what I am getting at.
June 17th, 2010 at 1:34 pm
My understanding was that the minaret started after Muslims took over churches which had towers and started using the towers for those purposes, especially in Spain under the Moors. The tradition then spread.
June 17th, 2010 at 2:06 pm
Oh, now you say that Gordon, I’ve heard this also…..
June 17th, 2010 at 8:45 pm
Having lived in South Africa (among minarets) and in Southern Germany (among Catholic church towers) I can confirm that there is little difference in shape or size. The first time I travelled by train from Munich I thought I was seeing Mosques all over the skylines.