Islam spread through sword and coercion.

[Sam_777]

If you think that Islam was spread by the sword then I would like to know which muslim army invaded the east coast of Africa? Or Indonesia?. Yet all these lands are muslim majority.

Islam indeed spread through the sword from early Muhammad’ days till the Ottoman empire, however, in early days, for certain parts of India, Indonesia, etc, Islam spread through the merchandisers and not the sword, and nowadays the spread of Islam in the west (US, UK, etc) is not through the sword but through what it claims to offer “a direct path to God and salvation” as explained below, but as Muslims we really have to investigate our religion, is it really from God The Most High!, we shouldn’t rely on our ancestors words, there are many unanswered questions in Islam that need to be addressed.

“The successful spread of Islam and Muslim rule was based on several factors. One was the decline of the Byzantine and Persian empires. Years of warfare had left these empires weak and vulnerable. A second factor in the Muslims’ success was the skill of Arab armies. They were expert in the use of soldiers on horseback. They struck quickly and with deadly force in harsh desert environments. A third factor was the energy and religious zeal of Arab warriors. They fought under the banner of jihad or “holy struggle.” In Arabic, jihad refers to striving hard in God’s cause. Sometimes it means a person’s internal struggle to live by Muslim principles. But it can also mean waging war to spread the Islamic faith. Another factor helping the Arabs was their tolerance for other religions. A final factor in the Muslim’s success was the rapid appeal of Islam itself. Islam offered followers a direct path to God and salvation.”

Muslim expansion in the time of Muhammad:
http://ccat.sas.upenn.edu/~bvon/images/map2.gif
The growth of Muslim power: first 25 years:


The late Abbasid caliphate c.A.D.900:
http://ccat.sas.upenn.edu/~rs143/map3.jpg

Sources:
historytextbooks.org/islamreport.pdf
fordham.edu/halsall/islam/islamsbook.html

 

[Charlie_Zeaiter]

Islam indeed spread through the sword from early Muhammad’ days till the Ottoman empire…

What else would you expect from a religion that specifically denies the crucifixion (see Qur’an 4:157)?

 

[iaskquestions]

Even today they are trying to encroach. They have been invading Kashmir constantly and want to capture Delhi, the capital of India. Recently Islamic terrorists caused a lot of bomb blasts in India. Religion of peace???

 

[Isambard]

What else would you expect from a religion that specifically denies the crucifixion (see Qur’an 4:157)?

I dont see the correlation as christians believe in the crusifixtion, yet they to spread through the sowrd

 

[Harris]

The thread can equally well speaks for Christianity which was spread through the sword and coercion too. No honest Christians can deny this fact.

 

[Charlie_Zeaiter]

I dont see the correlation as christians believe in the crusifixtion, yet they to spread through the sowrd

Ok, so we all live by sword (except for athiests and agnostics ).

But at least christians are true to history and don’t deny the crucifixion.

 

[Isambard]

Ok, so we all live by sword (except for athiests and agnostics ).

But at least christians are true to history and don’t deny the crucifixion.

Well, the buddhists and janists never spread by the sword (as far as Im aware).

 

[Harris]

Most Christian countries today were won by the sword and coercion. There was much darkness in the history of how this was achieved. Where they relied solely on the persuasion of their evangelists, they didn’t do too well, did they? I am wondering what’s the OP trying to prove with this thread.

 

[inJESUS]

Most Christian countries today were won by the sword and coercion. There was much darkness in the history of how this was achieved. Where they relied solely on the persuasion of their evangelists, they didn’t do too well, did they? I am wondering what’s the OP trying to prove with this thread.

maybe if we compare the first 300 years of Christianity to the first 20 years of Islam after Muhammad’s death, we can understand what the OP means. You see, there is nothing called wars of conquest in Jesus’ words and the earliest Christians for hundreds of years are a fine example.

 

[Isambard]

maybe if we compare the first 300 years of Christianity to the first 20 years of Islam after Muhammad’s death, we can understand what the OP means. You see, there is nothing called wars of conquest in Jesus’ words and the earliest Christians for hundreds of years are a fine example.

They also had no real political power. Once the early christians got it however…

 

[MugenOne]

So, give us a list of Christian countries that conquered others in the name of Jesus.

 

[Isambard]

So, give us a list of Christian countries that conquered others in the name of Jesus.

Well off the top of my head, Britain, Spain, America. Would you like just cultures/countries conquered, or in state “cleansings” as well?

 

[RobHom]

Well off the top of my head, Britain, Spain, America. Would you like just cultures/countries conquered, or in state “cleansings” as well?

Britain was invaded by the Romans… lots of fighting all the time. Seems the only time peace came was after it was Christian-ized, with the exception of the later internecine fighting after the Reformation. The English fought the Scots… seemed to be the norm of the day.

Spain was invaded by the Moors, shoved back by the Christians.

The two above countries were “Fuedal” and generally the Kings or Queens rule was enforced by the sword…it was the way of the world then.

America…founded as a haven for people claiming religious persecution…and strangely enough they invoked more discriminating rules than they fled from… But at the crux of the issue is that in so far as the western expansion of the territories of the US…little was done in the name of God… it was done in the name of the “King of England”…until the US became independent…then it was an issue of outright expansion for economic reasons… Not much regarding God in there…

So whats your issue? Lack of knowledge of “actual history” ?

 

[Isambard]

So whats your issue? Lack of knowledge of “actual history” ?

Quite the contrary, thought you seem to be suffering from historical amnesia

Spain
“The first conquests were made by the Spanish and the Portuguese. In the 1494 Treaty of Tordesillas, ratified by the Pope, these two kingdoms divided the entire non-European world between themselves, with a line drawn through South America. Based on this Treaty, and the claims by Spanish explorer Vasco Núñez de Balboa to all lands touching the Pacific Ocean, the Spanish rapidly conquered territory, overthrowing the Aztec and Inca Empires to gain control of much of western South America, Central America and Mexico by the mid-16th century, in addition to its earlier Caribbean conquests. Over this same timeframe, Portugal conquered much of eastern South America, naming it Brazil.”
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_colonization_of_the_Americas#Early_conquests.2C_claims.2C_and_colonies

“In 1513, Vasco Núñez de Balboa crossed the Isthmus of Panama, and led the first European expedition to see the Pacific Ocean from the west coast of the New World. In an action with enduring historical import, Balboa claimed the Pacific Ocean and all the lands adjoining it for the Spanish Crown. It was 1517 before another expedition from Cuba visited Central America, landing on the coast of the Yucatán in search of slaves. This was followed by a phase of conquest. The Spaniards, just having finished a war against the Muslim Moors in the Iberian peninsula, began toppling the local American civilizations, and attempted to impose Christianity.”
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spanish_colonization_of_the_Americas

America

“Manifest Destiny had serious consequences for Native Americans since continental expansion implicitly meant the occupation of Native American land. The United States continued the European practice of recognizing only limited land rights of indigenous peoples. In a policy formulated largely by Henry Knox, Secretary of War in the Washington Administration, the U.S. government sought to expand into the west through the legal purchase of Native American land in treaties. Indians were encouraged to sell their vast tribal lands and become “civilized”, which meant (among other things) for Native American men to abandon hunting and become farmers, and for their society to reorganize around the family unit rather than the clan or tribe. The United States therefore acquired lands by treaty from Indian nations, often under circumstances which suggest a lack of voluntary and knowing consent by the native signers”

"The nineteenth century belief that the United States would eventually encompass all of North America is known as “continentalism”. An early proponent of this idea was John Quincy Adams, a leading figure in U.S. expansion between the Louisiana Purchase in 1803 and the Polk administration in the 1840s. In 1811, Adams wrote to his father:

**The whole continent of North America appears to be destined by Divine Providence to be peopled by one nation, speaking one language, **professing one general system of religious and political principles, **]and accustomed to one general tenor of social usages and customs. For the common happiness of them all, for their peace and prosperity, I believe it is indispensable that they should be associated in one federal Union.[15]"

There’s also this for a greater list en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christianization

And for added fun (doesnt really fit anywhere) en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christianity_and_slavery#Enslaving_of_non-Christians_by_Christians**

 

[MugenOne]

Buddhists reacted violently to the peaceful teaching of missionary Christians. I’m talking about the Vietnamese, Chinese, Korean, and Japanese during the 18th century. They killed hundred of thousands of Christians under royal decrees. Don’t tell me that Buddhists are peace loving like some Hollywood celebrity think.

 

[Isambard]

Buddhists reacted violently to the peaceful teaching of missionary Christians. I’m talking about the Vietnamese, Chinese, Korean, and Japanese during the 18th century. They killed hundred of thousands of Christians under royal decrees. Don’t tell me that Buddhists are peace loving like some Hollywood celebrity think.

Never one ever said they were. I mentioned they didnt spread their religion through the sword.

 

[rpp]

This thread has been hijacked.

 

[Harris]

This thread has been hijacked.

No, not really. The OP implies that coercion is strictly Islam’s character (if I undertsand correctly). This is not so however. Instead of looking at Islam, perhaps you guys should do a reality check on yourselves. I don’t blame you for not able to see what actually happening to Christianity history but it sure helps to look at it with less partisan eyes. And the truth is maybe things that you don’t quite like to accept.

The first 300 years? Christianity should thank Constantine for what it is today.

But surely this is not the issue, I believe. War is just war. Nations fall and nation rise. Empires fall and empires rise. Islamic empire is just like any other empires - Christian, Mongol, Communism, British, etc. Only the ideology different. Do you blame Christianity on what Christian nations did?

What more pertinent issue will be - what did the religion achieve based solely on peaceful means on spreading its influence and followers. Christianity does not impress surely on this count. Its best disciples did not show much in term of converting nations. St Francis of Assissi or Francis Xavier for example. China and Japan today are still largely non- Christians. As for Christian Europe, please tell us how many of them can truly, truly call themselves Christian today.

Islam may nor fare well either. But at least you have countries in East Asia that became Islamic despite being mastered by white Christians. Some food for thought for the originator of this thread.

And we are talking about the fruits, eh?

 

[inJESUS]

I don’t blame you for not able to see what actually happening to Christianity history but it sure helps to look at it with less partisan eyes. And the truth is maybe things that you don’t quite like to accept.

we accept everything. Here we are talking about the spread of a faith.

The first 300 years? Christianity should thank Constantine for what it is today.

 

[inJESUS]

Here is a quote:

Perhaps the most significant difference between the first two centuries of the expansion of Christianity and Islam was between the methods used to spread their messages. These methods stemmed from the beliefs of each religion. While Christians recognized the truth that God loves all people and wants them to have a personal relationship with Him, Muhammad taught that “Allah loveth not those who reject Faith.”7 These contrasting attitudes caused Christians and Muslims to go about conversion in different manners. During their first two centuries, Christians did not force their religion on others but relied on missionaries, preaching, and leading godly lives to draw people to the one true God.8 Muslims, on the other hand, did not rely solely on preaching to spread their faith—they turned also to the sword. While it is true that many did convert willingly to Islam, the Muslims also conquered vast areas of land in the Middle East and Northern Africa during the seventh and eighth centuries. When they attacked or occupied new territory, they gave its inhabitants three options: convert to Islam, pay a special tax, or die. Under these circumstances many chose to pay the tax, and many others chose to convert to Islam. Clearly, the Islamic method of expansion did not match the loving approach of Christianity.

The differing methods of expansion actually helped determine the area each religion would cover as it spread. Christians during the first two centuries traveled from city to city in the Roman Empire, taking advantage of the excellent Roman roads. As a result, the first two centuries saw the Gospel spread primarily in Roman territory,9 although it was also carried to some other areas, including Ethiopia and perhaps even India.10 By the year 200 A.D., Christian communities existed throughout the Middle East and Turkey, and there were several in Greece and Italy as well. Islam, however, spread from Saudi Arabia and conquered most of the Middle East and North Africa. Muslims even extended themselves into the Iberian Peninsula and pressed north, nearly reaching Paris before Charles Martel checked their advance by defeating them at the Battle of Tours in 732.11 Because Islam advanced by force, it met with hostility and resistance in Europe, where Christianity was already strong. But in other areas, such as Egypt and Syria, it was accepted readily by people who had been living under suppressive rule.12 As a result of its method of expansion, therefore, Islam could not spread far north into Europe—as Christianity had done during the Roman Empire—but remained in the territory south of Europe instead.