Did Islam spread as a religion or as political/military invasion?

Question

Many Muslims say that Islam is purely a religion, but when I read history I found that Islam was spread as political invasion, just like any other emporium (Roman, Persian...etc.). My question is simply, what if people of some country accepted Islam and embraced it but they still wanted to maintain their independence? why should they accept a ruler who was foreigner from their country?

To give you an example, when Islam entered Algeria, it was an independent country by the time, so why people were supposed to accept to be ruled by a Muslim leader from another country? Some might say it is to teach them Islam, but I think a scholar can also teach them Islam much better. Please comment.

The same example also goes to Spain, Tunisia, and Iran (Persia). For Egypt, Syria, Lebanon, Palestine and other countries, Islam replaced a prior foreign ruler (did not grant independency though)

Dear Musician
I do not know why your reply remind me of what G. W. Bush is always saying about "freeing" Iraq. Are you sure that Muslims have never ruled the countries they opened? how about Tarik Ibn Zeyad, Amr Ibn Al ***, Abd El Malik Ibn Marwan...etc?

Answer 1

Islam originally charged out of Arabia out of a need for stuff. You're right. Islam gave the Arabs a means of semi-organization, a banner to carry when conquering the middle east.

Answer 2

When Catholic Spain conquered what now is known as Latin America and saved millions of souls by killing the people; was that in the name of religion or in the name of political/military invasion? I say both, and I say that it was also because of personal ambition and greed. Did Islam spread peacefully? of course not, I don't think there is a monoteistic religion that has spread without bloodshed.

Answer 3

According to the Quran, "There is no compulsion in religion" (2:256), thus, no one can be forced to become a Muslim. While it is true that in many places where Muslim armies went to liberate people or the land, they did carry the sword as that was the weapon used at that time. However, Islam did not spread by the sword because in many places where there are Muslims now, in the Far East like Indonesia, in China, and many parts of Africa, there are no records of any Muslim armies going there. To say that Islam was spread by the sword would be to say that Christianity was spread by guns, F-16's and atomic bombs, etc., which is not true. Christianity spread by the missionary works of Christians. Ten-percent of all Arabs are Christians. The "Sword of Islam" could not convert all the non-Muslim minorities in Muslim countries. In India, where Muslims ruled for 700 years, they are still a minority. In the U.S.A., Islam is the fastest growing religion and has 6 million followers without any sword around

Answer 4

Islam, is a religion. You cannot judge the Muslim imperials, because they were strong. Now, they aren't so strong, but what?.. Now, Muslims' percentage on the world is much higher than it was one hundred years ago(and this is just one hundred years, don't mention 500-600 years ago!)!..

And, if you really think it spread with just power, how can you explain why so much Americans and Europeans are converting today, or how Jews and Christians remained in Muslim countries ruled by Islam for hundreds of years, or Muhammed(S.A.V.) sent letters to invite emperors to convert into Islam?

Surely, Islam spread as a religion. Capturing lands just helped foreign people to hear and know more about Islam.(Needless to say, there were no TV, no internet conection etc.) But we cannot say Islam spread because of power, as no one forced to convert, or Muslim everyday life/social culture is not something which force foreigners to convert.

And if you talk about the "rulers", I can show you hundreds of the opposite, I mean newly captured cities/countries ruled by their own governors. And it shows that, your bets are not right, if they'd think that way, every city they govern should be governed by a Muslim leader. Saying "they ruled by Muslim governors, because of ............" is just your(or others') comment!

And comparing to Roman empire, is very very strange! I wonder, do you know Romans' wars?.. Or, what did they do in the countries they captured???

If you talk about the example, Algeria, I can say I never heard a "normal" Muslim country invaded another "normal" Muslim country. I really didn't understand which event you're referring to, but you should examine it, there must be another reason, I think...

Sorry, I mentioned too much different topics, but your question has many different sides...

Answer 5

Islam was Spread as a religon and was never spread due to politics and military actions... this is a common misconception which non-muslims have about Islam... my friend Islam literelly means " Peace Obtained By Submitting Ones Will To The Will Of God" and Islam is a religon of Peace... if u still have misconceptions just ask me or view Islam sited... There Is No Diety Worthy Of Worship Except Allah And Muhammad(PBUH) is the Messenger of Allah(GOD).

Answer 6

look my friend, Islam is life religion, how?
Islam have many aspects that covers the life of Muslims, or even the non-Muslims, it has commercial aspect, political one, social, and of course, the commands of Allah..
Islam first was spread as a religion, and then the non-believers of Arabia wanted to kill Muhammad (pbuh) and kill Islam, so all battles Islam been to, was self defense...
Allah commanded us to spread Islam, and one of those ways was conquer, but when Muslims go to a battle, they just fight the army, they never kill a child, a woman, or an elder, they never pull out a tree, nor burn a house... and Islam didn't only spread by conquer, south east Asia and Africa, Islam spread there by the good ethics of Islamic traders, if u don't believe me check out the net, i don't know sites right now...
ŞρгедĐ ĺőVΕ & Ťґυтн...

Answer 7

I noticed that you gave the list of the countries in which Islam was spread but you totally intentionally or unintentionally or naivelly forgot to list Indonisa.

FYI the largest Muslim population in the world is in Indonisa and Islam over there was spread not by invasion or by scholars but by people like you and me who changed there lives after converting to Islam.

Now tell me how is Islam the fastest growing religion in US and Europe? Why are Western Women converting to Islam in large number?


http://askmuslims.com

Answer 8

Islam spreads just like Christianity spreads...there's no way around it. Christianity spread in developing the world and Islam targeted those that Christianity or Judaism didn't. If you actually spend time learning about Islam, it won't be what the media projects it as...half my family is Muslim and I've spent time reading the Koran and the history of Islam as well as the Bible and the history of Christianity.

Answer 9

Can I use my Brain?,
I believe that they were war-like, they started that way and they will keep being that way. They have their own sense of rationale and I find it irrational.

Especially in the countrys of origin; they go deeper and deeper into confusion while the whole free world sets against them.

If I remember right, you are not a Christian. But oh the prophecy involved here! It's like clockwork. All the way back in Genesis too.
Simply amazing.

Answer 10

I think the best thing to do is that all the kafirs must give them the same medicine that they have been giving us since long. @kilo you are absolutely right very few of them want to kill anyone but most of them do want to kill. Jihad means struggle most of the muslim scholars will tell you that. But "Mein Kamf" (Hitler's work) also means My Struggle. But the question is Struggle from what? struggle from the Jews and Christians that is the struggle. @elliot and gastounet what you people fail to see is that the muslims practice what is mentioned in their books. Some people's ignorance is just shameful.