WAS ISLAM SPREAD BY THE SWORD?

Question

How can Islam be called the religion of peace when it was spread by the sword?

Don't get me wrong if you have evidence that it wasn't then, I will drop the claims.

Answer 1

It is a common complaint among some non-Muslims that Islam would not have millions of adherents all over the world, if it had not been spread by the use of force. The following points will make it clear, that far from being spread by the sword, it was the inherent force of truth, reason and logic that was responsible for the rapid spread of Islam.



1. Islam means peace.

Islam comes from the root word salaam, which means peace. It also means submitting ones will to Allah (swt). Thus Islam is a religion of peace, which is acquired by submitting ones will to the will of the Supreme Creator, Allah (swt).



2. Sometimes force has to be used to maintain peace.

Each and every human being in this world is not in favour of maintaining peace and harmony. There are many, who would disrupt it for their own vested interests. Sometimes force has to be used to maintain peace. It is precisely for this reason that we have the police who use force against criminals and anti-social elements to maintain peace in the country. Islam promotes peace. At the same time, Islam exhorts it followers to fight where there is oppression. The fight against oppression may, at times, require the use of force. In Islam force can only be used to promote peace and justice.



3. Opinion of historian De Lacy OLeary.

The best reply to the misconception that Islam was spread by the sword is given by the noted historian De Lacy OLeary in the book "Islam at the cross road" (Page 8):

"History makes it clear however, that the legend of fanatical Muslims sweeping through the world and forcing Islam at the point of the sword upon conquered races is one of the most fantastically absurd myth that historians have ever repeated."



4. Muslims ruled Spain for 800 years.

Muslims ruled Spain for about 800 years. The Muslims in Spain never used the sword to force the people to convert. Later the Christian Crusaders came to Spain and wiped out the Muslims. There was not a single Muslim in Spain who could openly give the adhan, that is the call for prayers.



5. 14 million Arabs are Coptic Christians.

Muslims were the lords of Arabia for 1400 years. For a few years the British ruled, and for a few years the French ruled. Overall, the Muslims ruled Arabia for 1400 years. Yet today, there are 14 million Arabs who are Coptic Christians i.e. Christians since generations. If the Muslims had used the sword there would not have been a single Arab who would have remained a Christian.



6. More than 80% non-Muslims in India.

The Muslims ruled India for about a thousand years. If they wanted, they had the power of converting each and every non-Muslim of India to Islam. Today more than 80% of the population of India are non-Muslims. All these non-Muslim Indians are bearing witness today that Islam was not spread by the sword.



7. Indonesia and Malaysia.

Indonesia is a country that has the maximum number of Muslims in the world. The majority of people in Malaysia are Muslims. May one ask, "Which Muslim army went to Indonesia and Malaysia?"



8. East Coast of Africa.

Similarly, Islam has spread rapidly on the East Coast of Africa. One may again ask, if Islam was spread by the sword, "Which Muslim army went to the East Coast of Africa?"



9. Thomas Carlyle.

The famous historian, Thomas Carlyle, in his book "Heroes and Hero worship", refers to this misconception about the spread of Islam: "The sword indeed, but where will you get your sword? Every new opinion, at its starting is precisely in a minority of one. In one mans head alone. There it dwells as yet. One man alone of the whole world believes it, there is one man against all men. That he takes a sword and try to propagate with that, will do little for him. You must get your sword! On the whole, a thing will propagate itself as it can."



10. No compulsion in religion.

With which sword was Islam spread? Even if Muslims had it they could not use it to spread Islam because the Qur'an says in the following verse:

"Let there be no compulsion in religion:

Truth stands out clear from error"

[Al-Qur'an 2:256]



11. Sword of the Intellect.

It is the sword of intellect. The sword that conquers the hearts and minds of people. The Qur'an says in Surah Nahl, chapter 16 verse 125:

"Invite (all) to the way of thy Lord

with wisdom and beautiful preaching;

and argue with them in ways that are

best and most gracious."

[Al-Qur"an 16:125]



12. Increase in the world religions from 1934 to 1984.

An article in Readers Digest Almanac, year book 1986, gave the statistics of the increase of percentage of the major religions of the world in half a century from 1934 to 1984. This article also appeared in The Plain Truth magazine. At the top was Islam, which increased by 235%, and Christianity had increased only by 47%. May one ask, which war took place in this century which converted millions of people to Islam?



13. Islam

Answer 2

Let me ask you this, which ideology in the last 5000 years lasted more than 3 to 4 centuries that was spread with the "sword" so to speak. None comes to mind, then why is it that Islam is still going strong after almost 15 centuries, obviously, Islam was spread by winning hearts and minds, the proof is in its billion plus followers. Win the philosophical argument win the war and never the other way around. It also doesn't hurt that the message of Islam is based on Universal truths and a solid verifiable primary document fully preserved :)

Answer 3

Muhammed started by slaughtering the Jews of Medina..and the deaths have never stopped.

Answer 4

only if your coming from the dark ages then yes to you.

Islam spread through the dawah(preaching) of the Sahabas who travelled miles & miles only for the love of this religion.The companions main goal was spreading Islam then Business, education & ... came in the 2nd stage.

Answer 5

You can continue singing your claim that Islam was spread by sword.

It doesn't matter to Muslims. Non-Muslims say lot more stupid things against Islam. It doesn't matter to Muslims.



Muslims do not have swords in USA nor Europe. How come Christians are reverting as Muslims?



Muslims only fought with those countries that didn't permit Muslims to preach Islam in their country. So Muslims fought against such rulers to free masses from their tyrant rule over masses. When Muslims sent emisories to rulers of Iran, they killed emisories instead of giving them permission to preach Islam. So Muslims fought against such countries to liberate masses from such rulers and to establish Islamic rule. But they never forced any one to accept Islam.

Your claim is false and ridiculous.



Egypt and Palestine were being ruled by Christian Patriarchs. They allowed Muslims to preache, so no war was fought against these countries. If you can't understand the historical facts I have written here, then it means you do not want to learn the truth. You simply want to continue to mouth off against Islam. We don't care about this mentality of non-Muslims.

Answer 6

why Islam is the fastest-growing religion ?now did we forced or coerced

any one to be Muslim???



did you get it.

________________________



Muhammad's sword



By Uri Avner( Jewish writer)



http://www.55a.net/firas/en1/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=378:muhammads-sword&catid=60:comparative-religions&Itemid=114

______________________

ISLAM: The Fastest Growing Religion In The World



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TizG7EZVKLE

________________



Answer of one who has become Muslim to the question “Why did you become Muslim”?



http://www.islamqa.com/en/ref/103524



_____________________



How do we know Islam is the truth?

It is the only religion that:



1- Hold Allah as One, Unique, and Perfect.



2- A lonly worship of Allah, not Jesus, not an idol, and not an angel only Allah.



3- The Quran does not contain contradictions.



4- The Quran contains scientific facts, which are 1300 years ahead of their time. The Quran while revealed 1400 years ago contains scientific facts, which are only now being discovered. It is not in contradiction to science.



5- Allah challenges the world to produce the like of the Quran. And He says they won't be able to.



6- Prophet Mohammed was the most influential man in History. Even a non-Muslim wrote a book called the 100 most influential men in History, and Prophet Mohammed was #1. Prophet Jesus was #3. Note even Prophet Jesus was a prophet sent by Allah. Would Allah allow a false prophet to be so successful? No. Even the Bible says this in Deuteronomy 18:19. A false prophet would die!!! Yet Prophet Mohammed did not die till he completely conveyed, and taught Allah's religion.



7- He had many prophecies, and all of his prophecies have come true, or are still coming true.







Most importantly is this:

Allah created us, and we know that we should only worship Him. This is an instinct Allah has created us with. He did not just leave us, rather He sent prophets for us. These prophets had miracles as proof. The miracle for us today is the Quran. There is no other religion that worships only Allah, and believes in Him as totally perfect, and believes in all of His prophets, and scriptures.



Can anyone become a Muslim?

Yes anyone can. There are two declarations, which are necessary:



1- To bear witness that no one deserves to be worship except Allah



2- To bear witness that Prophet Mohammed is the Messenger of Allah.



This makes a person Muslim. But it should be said in Arabic. Next a person takes a shower, and He/She is a Muslim.



Then What?

After a person becomes Muslim he/she is taught about Prayers, Fasting, the Poor due, Pilgrimage. These are pillars of Islam.



Then What?

Muslims are brothers. A Muslim should love for his brother what he loves for himself. Allah's wealth does not run out, and Allah can provide for us all. We pray for each other, and love each other, and love for our brothers and sisters what we love for ourselves.

Answer 7

all through history there are two kinds of people. people who should be treated like pigs and people u can speak to like a human . our prophet spoke to the humans and they accepted our religion. that is why its peace. the pigs were killed because they werent needed and they created filth and impurity in the world. these pigs still exist now. fortunately, everything will come to an end and the world will wish they all followed islam.

Answer 8

Yes, it was.



BTW Islam does NOT mean peace, it means submission. The rest of lies to make mohammed the warlord look good.



@Deedat: Islam is not the fastest growing religion - read this:

http://islamdom.blogspot.com/2007/10/christianity-growing-faster-than-islam.html there are double the number of Christians around the world than muslims.



Muslims need to be told they are because they are very insecure in their faith and that is why numbers are so important to them. If it was in fact true why is there a $60 million bounty on this guys head http://ichabodthegloryhasdeparted.blogspot.com/2009/06/world-evangelism-broadcast-from-america.html if people aren't leaving in droves?



Their scholars admit that 75% of converts abandon it within 3 years http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v8EC8-aVlrE

Answer 9

Sometimes, the olive branch and the sword must be wielded together.

Answer 10

History says yes, partly. It was also spread by commerce via the silk roads.

Answer 11

Threatening people with violence is a time-honoured way of converting people to your ideology, whatever that might be. I think most ideologies that people feel passionate about spawn violence at some point. People get worked up and they get violent. That's people for you. The fact that people get violent about something they care about neither proves nor disproves anything about whatever it was that got them worked up.

Answer 12

if they are not fighting each other they are beating the sh.t out of each other

the sunni,s and the shitites

Answer 13

Christianity was born with the crusades of rape and murder of the peoples of the middle east. I am English and i fully understand why the Muslims despise the west.

I am white skinned and i originate from the UK but i am sick of the inhumanities committed by Israel on the Palestinians.

Answer 14

lol @Jaap Boetha.



Apparently he doesn't know any legitimate history. Just the propaganda part of it.

Answer 15

It's a very violent religion. It can't keep it's followers in check without threatening them with violence and fear or promising them a place in heaven for blowing people up, and acting like cowards.

Answer 16

Yes.



http://calculatedrisk.blogtownhall.com/2008/10/05/the_peaceful_muslim_expansion.thtml



623 Battle of Waddan



623 Battle of Safwan



623 Battle of Dul-'Ashir



624

Muhammad and converts begin raids on caravans to fund the movement. Zakat becomes mandatory

624 March 17 Battle of Badr Muhammad set out with an band of 314 Muslims reinforced by the Ansar to intercept a Meccan convoy en route from Syria to Mecca. The Meccans heard about this and mounted an counter interception from Mecca that is said to have been about 1,000 strong, although this number is suspect. Before the battle, the caravan was reported to have made it behind the Meccan force, and they could withdraw. An unknown number did, but others continued on for punitive reasons against the Muslims. The Muslims reached Badr first, and gained control of the water sources, so the Meccans would have to fight with limited water. The Meccans were defeated, losing seventy dead and seventy captured.

624 Battle of Bani Salim



624 Battle of Eid-ul-Fitr



624 Battle of Zakat -ul-Fitr



624 Battle of Bani Qainuqa



624 Battle of Sawiq



624 Battle of Ghatfan



624 Battle of Bahran



625 Battle of Uhud 70 Muslims are killed

625 Battle of Humra-ul-Asad



625 Battle of Banu Nudair



625 Battle of Dhatur-Riqa



626 Battle of Badru-Ukhra



626 Battle of Dumatul-Jandal



626 Battle of Banu Mustalaq Nikah



627 Battle of the Trench



627 Battle of Ahzab



627 Battle of Bani Quraiza



627 Battle of Bani Lahyan



627 Battle of Ghaiba



627 Battle of Khaybar



628

Muhammad signs treaty with Quraish

629 Battle of Mu'tah The first outright battle between Islam and the Byzantine Christians. Islamic missionaries were said to have been executed when sent to the non-Muslim Arabs living in Jordan., Muhammad dispatched an army of 3000 on a punitive expedition, which met a larger force of 100,000(?) Byzantines. The Muslims declined open battle, but the fighting was intense in the numerous skirmishes. The Muslims, seeing the battle was hopeless, attempted to disengage. Using tactical deception, the Muslims succeeded in disengaging, and returned to Medina, where they were berated for their cowardice.

630

Muhammad conquers Mecca

630 The Battle Of Ta'if



630 Battle of Hunayn.



630 Battle of Autas



630 Battle of Hunsin



630 Battle of Tabuk This is the kind of “battle” the Muslims enjoyed. The rumor was that the Byzantines were amassing a huge army at Tabuk for the purpose of a pre-emptive expedition into Islamic territory. Muhammad amassed a 30,000 man army and set forth, but never engaged with the enemy. There was no Byzantine army in Tabuk when they got there. It is unclear if there ever was an enemy, or Muhammad was just being paranoid.

632 Dec. Battle of Yamama/Akriba Near the plain of Aqraba. Khalid with 13,000 faced self-proclaimed prophet Musailima with 40,000 men of Banu Hanifa (note: estimates of the size of enemy forces may have been inflated by Muslim reports to make their victories seem more spectacular than they were). After two days of battle, the outcome was inconclusive, with an edge to the Apostate army, which had forced the Muslims into flight on the first day. Khalid drew Musailima out with a proposal of negotiation, only to attack him when he drew close enough. Musailima managed to dodge the attack, but this disheartened the apostates, and they withdrew under a general Muslim attack. Surrounded in a walled garden to which he had retreated with 7,000 (?) men, Musailima was killed by a javelin, which ended the apostate resistance.

632 Battle of Zu Qissa ~

632 Battle of Zu Abraq ~

633 sept Battle of Buzakha Khalid vs. false prophet, Tulaiha

633 Battle of Zafar Khalid vs. tribal mistress Salma. Salma died on the battlefield.

633 Oct Battle of Naqra Part of Ridda wars.

632 Siege of Juwathah, Bahrain. Non-Muslim Bahraini tribes led by Hutam were beseiged in Juwathah by Al-Ala' bin Al-Hadhrami for one month. One night the Bahraini forces became drunk, and were overwhelmed and annihilated by the Muslims.

633 April Battle of Sallasil/Chains/Kazima Khalid marched into Persia behind his ultimatum: "Submit to Islam and be safe. Or agree to the payment of the Jizya, and you and your people will be under our protection, else you will have only yourself to blame for the consequences, for I bring the men who desire death as ardently as you desire life.” Tabari: Vol. 2, p. 554. Essentially the same message as always: Accept Islam, Pay the Jizya, or die by the sword. The Persians were initially outmaneuvered by the Muslim Cavalry, and reached the battlefield exhausted after a forced march. They chained their soldiers together in the line of battle to prevent a cavalry breakthrough. This also prevented a retreat when the battle turned against them. The Persian Com



and the list goes on and on ....

Answer 17

Sometimes yes. It was also the will of Allah.

Answer 18

YES