Breaking the Idols and Removing the Statues

Question:
Many questions have come in asking about the goodness of breaking idols and removing statues, and whether it is obligatory for a Muslim to break any idol he has, whether it is for decoration or for worship? And is there a difference between an idol intended for worship and an idol that is hoped for or thought to be worshipped?

Answer:
The Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) ordered the defacement of images. He said to 'Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) . The idols are among the greatest of images and the smallest of images, so defacing them, destroying them, and eradicating them is an obligatory matter in the religion of Islam for whoever is able to do so, and they are the people of authority. As for the images in your house and the statues in your house, sit on an image. No one should come and say, "You are asking for the house." It is obligatory for you to ask for the images, the three-dimensional figures with souls, and the hanging images; do not let them be displayed in your house.
As for the general case in the country, in the regions, or in the Kingdom, the destruction of these things is the exclusive domain of the rulers, as they have the power to do so. As for individuals, they cannot do it because they do not have authority over them. So the obligatory thing is to observe the destruction of idols and the defacing of images, even if they are not taken, because the fact that they are images in themselves, the fact that they are images and statues, requires their removal. If they are worshipped, the matter is clear. But this is only for whoever has authority, either private authority, which is his authority over his house, or public authority, which is the rulers in affairs who are able to destroy these statues and these images.

The presenter:
May Allah reward you