Islam was NOT spread by sword !
Many people say: “Islam was spread by sword”
but if we analyze that claim,
What does it mean though ?
It means that any land where Muslims ruled , there was “forced conversion into Islam”
But historically, that is for the most part proven to be untrue.
First of all ,
The Islamic law prohibits forced conversions, following the Quranic principle that there is "no compulsion in religion" (Quran 2:256)
That is why there is jizya taxes for non Muslims living in Muslim lands and enjoying the rights and protection (likewise Muslims also pitch in in society but they pay what is called “Zakah alms” and by the way , it’s higher than jizya!) the sole existence of jizya contradicts the claim that Islam allows forced conversions of people.
Moreover;
After the time of prophet Mohammed ,
When the Muslims took control of Egypt
No church was destroyed or jew or Christian was forced into Islam
A great population of Egypt today is still Christian dating all the way back from the time where Muslims got control of Egypt.
Similar thing when Muslims got control of Jerusalem
Not only no Jew or Christian were forced into Islam but church key was given to a Muslim man to protect it from any harm!
And the same thing when Muslims got control of
Spain (Andalus )
Not only no Jew or Christian etc were forced into Islam
But the Muslims were the minority for many decades and centuries !
Imagine a Muslim kingdom yet Muslims being the minority ! It took centuries for the Muslim population to increase in al Andalus and it’s all in historical records with numbers.
If there was forced conversions , the whole nation would have been Muslim overnight.
To prove this ,
when the Christians took control of Spain from the Muslims , the Christian Spaniards
They killed and tortured every Jew and Muslim who refused to become Christian
And kicked out many
(Spanish equestian)
The Muslim and Jew population decreased dramatically with the blink of an eye.
Similer thing if we look at the crusaders and forced conversions in South America and America etc..
Last but not least,
Many lands became Muslim with no Muslim ruler coming to rule it
Best example is Indonesia !
it has the largest Muslim population in the world yet it was never conquered. the Indonesians converted to Islam by Muslim traders and their morals.
Also the people of Maldives are almost 100% Muslim yet no Muslim army ever went there.
and many other endless lands have the same story.
Im not saying that there weren’t minor forced conversions in history done by Muslims
But doesn’t mean it’s the law of Islam nor what was practiced in the big picture. Just like not everyone follow traffic lights that doesn’t mean there is something wrong with the traffic lights themselves.
So someone who goes around and says “Islam was spread by sword/force “ seems to me like a Parrot repeating what they hear with no understanding.
but if we analyze that claim,
What does it mean though ?
It means that any land where Muslims ruled , there was “forced conversion into Islam”
But historically, that is for the most part proven to be untrue.
First of all ,
The Islamic law prohibits forced conversions, following the Quranic principle that there is "no compulsion in religion" (Quran 2:256)
That is why there is jizya taxes for non Muslims living in Muslim lands and enjoying the rights and protection (likewise Muslims also pitch in in society but they pay what is called “Zakah alms” and by the way , it’s higher than jizya!) the sole existence of jizya contradicts the claim that Islam allows forced conversions of people.
Moreover;
After the time of prophet Mohammed ,
When the Muslims took control of Egypt
No church was destroyed or jew or Christian was forced into Islam
A great population of Egypt today is still Christian dating all the way back from the time where Muslims got control of Egypt.
Similar thing when Muslims got control of Jerusalem
Not only no Jew or Christian were forced into Islam but church key was given to a Muslim man to protect it from any harm!
And the same thing when Muslims got control of
Spain (Andalus )
Not only no Jew or Christian etc were forced into Islam
But the Muslims were the minority for many decades and centuries !
Imagine a Muslim kingdom yet Muslims being the minority ! It took centuries for the Muslim population to increase in al Andalus and it’s all in historical records with numbers.
If there was forced conversions , the whole nation would have been Muslim overnight.
To prove this ,
when the Christians took control of Spain from the Muslims , the Christian Spaniards
They killed and tortured every Jew and Muslim who refused to become Christian
And kicked out many
(Spanish equestian)
The Muslim and Jew population decreased dramatically with the blink of an eye.
Similer thing if we look at the crusaders and forced conversions in South America and America etc..
Last but not least,
Many lands became Muslim with no Muslim ruler coming to rule it
Best example is Indonesia !
it has the largest Muslim population in the world yet it was never conquered. the Indonesians converted to Islam by Muslim traders and their morals.
Also the people of Maldives are almost 100% Muslim yet no Muslim army ever went there.
and many other endless lands have the same story.
Im not saying that there weren’t minor forced conversions in history done by Muslims
But doesn’t mean it’s the law of Islam nor what was practiced in the big picture. Just like not everyone follow traffic lights that doesn’t mean there is something wrong with the traffic lights themselves.
So someone who goes around and says “Islam was spread by sword/force “ seems to me like a Parrot repeating what they hear with no understanding.
