Islam Was Spread By The Sword

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The stereotypical depiction of Islam involves an Arab arriving on a camel from the desert, holding a Qur’an in one hand and a scimitar (a curved sword) in the other, giving people the ultimatum of either converting to Islam or losing their heads!

As mentioned earlier, under the issue of apostasy, forcible conversion is prohibited in Islam. The religion did not spread by the sword. There were military confrontations between the Muslim state and the existing world powers of Rome and Persia.

However, the areas conquered were put under Muslim administration, and the populations were free to maintain their own beliefs.

Muslims ruled Egypt, Palestine, and Lebanon from the 8th century, and sizeable Christian communities continued to exist over the past 13 centuries.

Muslims ruled Spain for 700 years and India for 1000 years without the vast majority of the population converting to Islam.

The largest Muslim country in the world today is Indonesia, with over 200 million citizens. Interestingly, Islam spread to Indonesia, as well as Malaysia and the Philippines, through trade and not by the presence of Muslim soldiers. This was also the case for Islam’s expansion in West African countries such as Nigeria, Ghana, Senegal, Chad, and Niger.

The perception that Islam was forcibly spread is incorrect. Interestingly, Islam is currently the religion experiencing the most rapid growth in America, with an estimated 300 to 500 individuals converting daily. What’s remarkable is that this growth is occurring without the involvement of soldiers or traditional missionaries.

Islam Was Spread By The Sword

Islam Was Spread By The Sword

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