Task: Text Simplification
Input (English): the first minaret was constructed in 665 in basra during the reign of the umayyad caliph muawiyah i. muawiyah encouraged the construction of minarets , as they were supposed to bring mosques on par with christian churches with their bell towers.
Output (English): the first minaret was constructed in 665 in basra during the reign of the umayyad caliph muawiyah i. muawiyah encouraged the construction of minarets , as they were thought to rival the bell towers of christian churches.