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Was Islam Spread With The Sword?
In the early period of Islam, we find that Islamic rule was extended by the Companions (rta) of the Prophet (sws) to a large part of the world. In an astounding series of conquests, country after country fell to the sword of Islam. It was not long before the Muslim empire stretched from the shores of the Mediterranean in the West to as far as Indonesia in the East. Some people ask the question: “Why did they impose Islam on these countries? Is this not Arab Imperialism?”
The fact that all these conquests took place is established history and hence cannot be denied in any way. However, the thesis that it was “Arab Imperialism” that accounted for these conquests is something which cannot be condoned. While looking at the spread of Islam in the early period, one must resort to the basis which the Quran itself offers for these conquests:
According to the Quran, the Almighty through His messengers punishes in this world the direct and immediate addressees of these messengers who deny the truth in spite of being convinced about it. This punishment called a divine practice by the Quran and must not be undertaken by human beings on their own. It is God’s retribution carried out by God Himself. The purpose of this worldly retribution is to make mankind mindful of the most important reality that it tends to forget: reward and punishment in the Hereafter on the basis of a person’s deeds. This reward and punishment which is to take place in the Hereafter is substantiated visually by the Almighty through the agency of His messengers so that mankind may always remain heedful to this reality. The court of justice which will be set up for every person on the Day of Judgement was set up for the nations of messengers in this world so that the latter could become a visual testimony to the former. To put it another way: before the advent of the greater Day of Judgement, several lesser days of Judgement were brought about in this world in which people were rewarded and punished on the basis of their deeds so that they could become a visual evidence to the judgement that will take place in the Hereafter. The Quranic words used are:(4:165)لِأَلَّا يَكُونَ لِلنَّاسِ عَلَى اللَّهِ حُجَّةٌ بَعْدَ الرُّسُلِ(so that mankind after the coming of these messengers is left with no excuse against the Almighty, (4:165)).
Consequently, the conquests of the followers of the Prophet (sws) at that time were basically not aimed at spreading Islam as such. Their primary objective was to subjugate and punish people who had deliberately denied the truth. Moreover, Muhammad (sws) himself initiated the task by writing letters to eight heads of state and thereby demarcated the areas where the Companions (rta) could go.
Summing up, it can be said that it is erroneous to conclude that Islam was spread by the sword. The whole exercise of the Companions (rta) was a continuation of the mission of Muhammad(sws) and no independent endeavor. This mission is governed by a specific practice of the Almighty according to which He punishes people who deny the truth even though they are fully convinced about it.
v. Regarding the Basis for Jihad
In this regard, it needs to be understood that, after the departure of the Prophet (sws) and his Companions (rta), apart from self-defense, the only legitimate reason for an Islamic state to undertake jihad is to curb oppression and persecution in some other country, whether Muslim or Non-Muslim. The Quran says:
وَمَا لَكُمْ لَا تُقَاتِلُونَ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ وَالْمُسْتَضْعَفِينَ مِنْ الرِّجَالِ وَالنِّسَاءِ وَالْوِلْدَانِ الَّذِينَ يَقُولُونَ رَبَّنَا أَخْرِجْنَا مِنْ هَذِهِ الْقَرْيَةِ الظَّالِمِ أَهْلُهَا وَاجْعَل لَنَا مِنْ لَدُنْكَ وَلِيًّا وَاجْعَل لَنَا مِنْ لَدُنْكَ نَصِيرًا (4 :75)
And why is it that you not fight in the cause of God and of those who, being weak, are ill-treated and oppressed – men, women, and children, whose cry is: “Our Lord! rescue us from this town, whose people are oppressors; and raise for us from Yourself one who will protect and raise for us from Yourself one who will help!” (4:75)
Again, this should be resorted to when all diplomatic means fail. Moreover, Muslims should be in a position to successfully combat the enemy, otherwise the whole venture would be no more than suicide. Again whether or not a country is in a position to wage war is a decision that should be taken by the elected representatives of the state and of course for human beings the possibility of error is always there.
The guideline to give due consideration to one’s military might is found in the life of the Prophet (sws) also. According to the Quran, it was necessary in those times that the believers should be in a certain number before they launch an attack. Initially, the believer to enemy ratio was 1:10 (The Quran, 8:66). However, later, after large scale conversions to Islam in later years of the Prophet (sws), this was reduced to 1:2 (The Quran, 8:66). It seems that in both these situations, the Almighty would be providing the remaining support Himself for this noble cause of curbing oppression. The above ratios were meant for the time of the Prophet (sws) and his Companions (rta). Today, of course, the overall extent of faith that Muslims have cannot be compared to that found in the days of the Prophet (sws). Therefore, an Islamic State should realize that if it wants to wage jihad, its military might should never be less than half of the enemy’s military might even if it wants to expect Divine help.
Consequently, Muslim countries of today should keep consolidating and developing their military might to check any aggression from its enemies. The Quran says:
وَأَعِدُّوا لَهُمْ مَا اسْتَطَعْتُمْ مِنْ قُوَّةٍ وَمِنْ رِبَاطِ الْخَيْلِ تُرْهِبُونَ بِهِ عَدُوَّ اللَّهِ وَعَدُوَّكُمْ وَآخَرِينَ مِنْ دُونِهِمْ لَا تَعْلَمُونَهُمْ اللَّهُ يَعْلَمُهُمْ وَمَا تُنفِقُوا مِنْ شَيْءٍ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ يُوَفَّ إِلَيْكُمْ وَأَنْتُمْ لَا تُظْلَمُونَ (8 :60)
And muster against them all the men and cavalry at your disposal so that you can strike terror into the enemies of Allah and of the believers and others beside them who may be unknown to you, though Allah knows them. And remember whatever you spend for the cause of Allah shall be repaid to you. You shall not be wronged. (8:60)
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4 Replies
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Was Islam Spread With The Sword?
updated 4 years, 3 months ago
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Replies
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If you write letters to other kingdoms and they refuse to accept Islam, is it justified to attack and kill them ?
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Please refer to the video below from 31:51 to 39:06
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I agree with the anchor here.. here Ghamidi saab is not answering his question .. he asked a very good question…
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Now what prevents the people of today to kill those who don’t accept Muhammad ? He wrote letters and companions went to those kingdoms and killed them, when they didn’t accept it.
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