Islam spread by the sword?

salam

Junior Member
:salam2:

i need to do a presentation on this topic: misconcept that islam spread by the sword.

any ideas and trusted links would be very help full.

zazakomoalaho kair

:salam2:
 

virtualeye

Tamed Brother
:salam2:

i need to do a presentation on this topic: misconcept that islam spread by the sword.

any ideas and trusted links would be very help full.

zazakomoalaho kair

:salam2:


There are many interesting points to make in this subject. For instance:

If Islam was spread by sword then there must be a lot of Muslims waving their swords in America, because Islam is the fastest spreading religion in America as well as world.

If Islam was spread by sword then America is rightly spreading love for america in the world by invading, Is it so?

If Islam was spead by sword then Ben Gorian (first Israeli priminster) would not have said that the golden age of Jews, the peak era of of the Jews was under the Islamic rule of Spain.

If Islam was spread by sword then all the nonmuslims from the Islamic kingdom would have been wiped out. But they the christians and other nonmuslims are more safe and happier than the Muslims living in the nonmuslims countries like America and UK, where Muslims are being discriminated.


:SMILY209:


Wassalaam,
VE
 

ibn azem

Super Moderator
Staff member
Islam has been spread by the sword as the Moors got all the way to Tours and stayed in the conquered southern part of Spain.
Hi there,

Well that can be just an accusation and you can do so, but the fact is that the very non-muslim researchers tell you the real Truth about the muslims in Spain, if you are not satisfied with muslim answers to that matter, see:

http://www.turntoislam.com/forum/showthread.php?t=24
 

virtualeye

Tamed Brother
Mohammed needed to defend himself at first but I'm sure when he had enough followers he used his muscle to spread his faith as well.
Islam has been spread by the sword as the Moors got all the way to Tours and stayed in the conquered southern part of Spain.
'Spreading by the sword' doesn't mean they forced Islam on people and killed non-believers, but it does mean conquest played a vital role in its spread.


Please have a look how Muslims spread their Islam in such a way that all Jews lived very happily and spent their GOLDEN era in all their history:

http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761567959_7/Jews.html


This is not what I am saying but this is encarta.


Secondly, you are saying killing the nonbelievers did not play vital role but conquest. Ahan, then how about current Muslims living in non-Muslim countires? Why dont all Muslims convert to Christianity or other religions? Are there Muslims waving there swords?

It is the vax made nose, wherever you want you can twist.

If people are converting to Islam under Islamic rule then -> Islam Spread throught Sword.

If people are converting to Islam under Christian/nonmuslim rule then -> ?

How many people embraced the christianity and love for America when America invaded Afghanistan, Iraq and other countries? 99% people of Iraq and Afghanistan must be hating America. If Islam was spread by conquest then why the love for America and christianity is not spreading? Simply because Islam is the only true religion?


Bye.
 

thefighter

New Member
In addition to what other brothers said, everybody should know that the conquest of Islam was done through Dawa & the Muslims were being wecomed by the prevouisly converted to Islam countries, the Muslims used to go there & find the the gates of cites welcoming them the same way al-Ansar of Madinah welcomed our Prophet (pbuh) when he immigrated to them.

BUT, with the fast grow of Islam among Arab, the disbeliever tribes launched many wars against Muslims, and orientalists want us, Muslims, to surrender if enemies are attacking us in order to consider Islam is peaceful & not spread by sword.

THANKS SO MUCH FOR THE ENCARTA LINK
 

thefighter

New Member
Thanks for the useful contributions about this matter, it's time for eveyone to know that Muslims were weclomed mostly in the countries they conquest because it was religious, not political, affair, the previously converted to Islam people used to weclome the Muslims & open the cities gates for them.

Thanks also brother virtualeye, because since we are provided with such info from Encarta, nobody can criticize or say it's your own resources that you can't prove from, ok I don't think that Encartat is Islamic Encyclopedia/
it's clarifies to us why there is big minority in Morroco before Estableshing Israel, because they followed Muslims when they were out of Spain because under the European rule, there is no tolerance towards them.
 

Proud2BeHumble

Seek Truth, Be Happy
By Dr. Zakir Naik

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 one’s will to Allah (swt). Thus Islam is a religion of peace, which is acquired by submitting one’s 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 O’Leary.
The best reply to the misconception that Islam was spread by the sword is given by the noted historian De Lacy O’Leary 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 man’s 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 Reader’s 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 is the fastest growing religion in America and Europe.
Today the fastest growing religion in America is Islam. The fastest growing religion in Europe in Islam. Which sword is forcing people in the West to accept Islam in such large numbers?
 

Proud2BeHumble

Seek Truth, Be Happy
:salam2:

It is a striking fact of history that within three centuries, after Prophet Muhammad started preaching Islam in Mecca, Islam spread over the area of three continents; Asia, Africa and Europe. There are many reasons why people have been, from past to the present embracing Islam.

Muhammad Asad, a Jewish convert to Islam, says: “Islam appears to me like a perfect work of architecture. All its parts are harmoniously conceived to complement and support each other, nothing lacking, with the result of an absolute balance and solid composure. Everything in the teaching and postulates of Islam is in its proper place.” (Islam at the Crossroads, p.5)

In the race for the propagation of religion, Islam has always won over Christianity, in spite of the latter’s sophisticated and well-organized missionary activities. This has been the case in the course of fourteen centuries. As a result, most of the Christian missionaries started depicting Islam as a regressive, vulgar religion of savage people which was spread by the sword.

Yet, an unbiased Western Christian writer has written: “…We may feel certain that if Western Christians, instead of the Saracens and the Turks, had won the dominion over Asia, there would be today not a trace left of the Greek Church, and that they would never have tolerated Muhammadanism as the 'infidels' have tolerated Christianity there. We (Christians) enjoy the fine advantage of being far better versed than others in the art of killing, bombarding and exterminating the Human Race." (Bayle P., Dictionary, 'the article Mahomed', 1850)

Among the reasons for the rapid and peaceful spread of Islam was the simplicity of its doctrine. Islam calls for believing in only One God, worthy of worship. It also repeatedly instructs man to use his powers of intelligence and observation. Within a few years after the dawn of Islam, great civilizations and universities were flourishing under its influence, for according to Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), “seeking knowledge is an obligation for every Muslim man and woman”.

The zeal for understanding God’s creative power, as realized in the universe, led the followers of this religion to new ideas, new realms of knowledge and great advances in medicine, mathematics, physics, astronomy, geography, architecture, art, literature, and history.

We find that the spread of Islam was not limited to its miraculous early expansion outside of Arabia. During later centuries, the Turks embraced Islam peacefully, as did a large number of the people of the Indian subcontinent, as well as the people of Malaysia and Indonesia.

In Africa too, Islam spread during the past two centuries, while under the mighty power of European colonial rulers. Today Islam continues to grow, not only in Africa, but also in Europe and the Americas as well. Islam is the fastest growing religion now, with a following of about one and a half billion people.

Mr. Lamaan Ball, editor of Ask About Islam, adds: Although in the early years of the expansion of the Islamic state much land came under the rule of the Muslims, conversion to Islam of its inhabitants took several generations. This is because conversion by force is explicitly forbidden in the Qur'an: Let there be no compulsion in religion: Truth stands out clear from Error: whoever rejects evil and believes in God hath grasped the most trustworthy hand-hold, that never breaks. And God heareth and knoweth all things. (Surah 2 Verse 256)
In more recent times such as in the case of Indonesia, conversions to Islam happened in the absence of an Islamic state and where the rulers were Dutch Christians. Commentators and historians have to acknowledge the fact of Islam's peaceful spead even if they dislike it.

A classic example of such a grudging acknowledgment is in the book "The Legacy of Islam" edited by Joseph Schacht with C.E. Bosworth (1974) p145: "... the general picture of the spread of Islam so far as we know it. This is often said to resemble an oil stain: gradual yet effective. Many, too, have praised its peaceful nature. Again so far as we know, the acceptance of Islamic doctrine has been a gradual process, partly thanks to the practice of conversion prior to indoctrination"

The false allegations that Islam was spread by the sword is just part of unfounded propaganda. To which the best reply is perhaps the Qur'an itself. In particular this verse comes to mind: Their intention is to extinguish God's Light (by blowing) with their mouths: But God will complete (the revelation of) His Light, even though the Unbelievers may detest (it). (Surah 61 Verse 8)

Mahatma Gandhi wrote in Young India – 1920: ‘I became more than ever convinced that it was not the sword that won a place in Islam in those days in the scheme of life. It was the rigid simplicity, the utter self-effacement of the Prophet, the scrupulous regard for his pledges, his intense devotion to his friends and followers, his intrepidity, his fearlessness, his absolute trust in God and his own mission. These and not the sword carried everything before them and surmounted every trouble.’

Wasalam
 

BintMuhammad

New Member
Staff member
Assalamu alaikum,

Islam was spread by the sword huh? This reminded me of that funny guy Azhar Usman who said "..maybe they thought Islam was a synonym for cream cheese?" :D
 

OmarTheFrench

Junior Member
Better exemple, the more big Muslim country in the world is the Indonesia...never they encountered an Arab soldier but they are muslim(contact with Muslims Merchants) or an other exemple Chechenya who ever refused convert to christianism but has accepted Islam.
 

mahdi

Junior Member
salaam

you know guys if anybody believes that you can convert someone through power, than you are wrong, he will say he believes in allah and then go back to his old believes, most christians say the prophet used sword to spread islam, well to be honest that is a lie, the prophet used to do dawah(preach) and that is how islam spread,
i got to ask you these questions,
which islamic army came to east africa and made millions moslims?
which army went to asia and made them moslim?
what they are confused about is the moslims used to fight with other armies only to defend and protect their lands and people, they didn't fight to spread islam.
i am moslim and i chosed this religion no one forced me to be a moslim and that is how you will become a muslim, if someone forces you to islam , and you didn't believe because you wanted to, you are not muslim.
 
M

Moadeeb

Guest
Al Salam Alaikom,

If Islam was spread by the sword,Spain would have been totally Islamic by now since it was under muslim rule for about 800 years. Spain could be compared to Latin American countries that became totally Christian during the colonial periods, so whom do you think is doing the forcing here?If Islam was spread by the sword, Indonesia would have never had muslims since no army was ever sent there but now Indonesia has over a 100 million muslims.Also, what really makes a person a muslim is his belief that there is no god but Allah and that prophet Mohammad is his prophet, can anybody be forced to believe in something?You can force someone to do something but not believe in it. Lets also look at the world today. Islam is considered to be the fastest growing religion according to non muslim sources, no swords involved.And above all we can't do something against Quran the has a verse that states that there should be no oppression in religion.

Hope I added something

Moadeeb
 
jihad is often mentioned with "islam was spread by the sword".it is true that the muslim fought with other nations to spread islam but what we have to know is why did they have to fight??first we must know that islam is not just a simple religion like any other religion but rather it is a complete system of life which holds solutions to all our problems as compared to Capitalism which is a flawed system and has been regressing since many decades.so Islam was implemented completely as a state,the khilafah from the era of the Prophet(SAW) till 1924 when khilafah was abolished.Islam dominated two third of the world till the 1800's.but the islamic state started in a rather small territory namely Madina and then it expanded and it is true that "islam was spread by the sword" but we must be careful as sometimes it was not needed.here is an explanation:by its nature islam must always expand because it is the only true ideology.so it is a duty on the khaleefah to expand the khilafah.when the islamic state need to conquer a territory to spread its light,the governor of that territory is given three choices.the first one is to embrace islam and annex itself to the khilafah.if the governor accepts,the territory becomes part of the khilafah but if he refuses,he is given the second choice which is to pay the jizyah(a tax on non-muslims,jews and christians only,living in an islamic state) and annex itself to the khilafah.if the governor accepts,the territory annexes itself to the khilafah but if he still refuses,then the khaleefah declares jihad against him because he is becoming a threat to the light of islam as the people there need the justice of islam.so the khilafah goes to war against this territory and they fight only against those who are fighting against islam and this in a deserted place.so here is it.i hope this gives you a good understanding of this issue and i am sorry if it is too long.
 

ayoubbrs

New Member
the biggest number of ne muslims is in australie , how did islamic army reach australie
 

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