Among the most widely believed myths about Islam in the West today is the myth of forcible conversion to Islam.
Many Westerners do believe that Islam is so widespread in the world today simply because of a "holy campaign of terror" carried out by the early Muslims to convert non-Muslims to Islam. Non-Muslims were offered the freedom to choose either Islam or death.
In a discussion with a Baptist Minister he said to me that "Muslims tend to kill non-Muslims and anyone who disagrees with them". In a syndicated column appearing in over 30 papers (on July 23rd, 1994) entitled, "Muslim persecution of Christians increasing" the author blames many Muslims countries for persecuting Christians then he quotes the Qur'an, "There is no compulsion in Religion" and ends the quote by rudely writing "Really?".
How to confront such misconceptions? First, there is no need for us to be apologetic. We Muslims should search for the truth and present it as it is. This is how we have been instructed by Allah (SWT)
"Say: the truth from your Lord and let him who will believe and let him who will reject" (Holy Qur'an, 18:29)
Islam is the religion of the Truth. The Qur'an is the book of the Truth.
"We sent down the Qur'an in Truth and in Truth has it descended" (Holy Qur'an, 17:105)
"Put your trust in Allah for you are on the path of the manifest Truth" (Holy Qur'an, 27:79)
Therefore, we should ask ourselves first, before we are asked by anyone else, what is the truth? Did Muslims really force others to convert to Islam? Is there any evidence for consistent forcible conversion throughout Islamic history? As a matter of fact, there is no such evidence anywhere in the history of Islam. Many distinguished Western historians have attested this fact-- foremost among whom is Sir Thomas W. Arnold in his book, "The Preaching of Islam". Also there is Marshall G. Hodgson in his book, "The Venture of Islam", Albert Hourani in his book, "A History of the Arab People", Ira Lapidus in his book, "History of Islamic Societies", L.S. Starorianos in his book, "A Global Hisotry, the Human Heritage" and many others.
In fact, there is substantial evidence to the contrary, that Muslims were often seen as liberators of the oppressed people everywhere.
The unambiguous and uncompromising belief in the Unity, the Greatness, the Wisdom of God, the Creator of the universe, is unparalleled among other religions. The French professor Edouard Montet said:
"The dogma of the unity of God...has always been proclaimed in the Qur'an with a grandeur, a majesty, an invariable purity and with a note of pure conviction which is hard to find surpassed outside the pale of Islam. A creed so precise, so stripped of all theological complexities and so accessible to the ordinary understanding might be expected to possess and does indeed possess a marvelous power of winning its way into the consciences of men."
Besides its simple and rational creed, Islam offers an impressive set of rituals which has gained the admiration and, subsequently, the conversion of many non-Muslims
2006-10-17 03:43:17 · 20 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
First lets get a basic understanding of Islam and Muslims.
Islam means submitting to Allaah, worshipping Him alone and obeying Him, and shunning shirk (polytheism, associating others with Allaah) and those who believe in that. This is the religion which Allaah approves for His slaves. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“Truly, the religion with Allaah is Islam”
[Aal- ‘Imraan 3:19]
“And whoever seeks a religion other than Islam, it will never be accepted of him, and in the Hereafter he will be one of the losers”
[Aal ‘Imraan 3:85]
The person who enters this religion is called a Muslim (one who submits), because he has submitted (aslama) to all the rulings that have come from Allaah and from the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“And who turns away from the religion of Ibraaheem (Abraham) (i.e. Islamic Monotheism) except him who befools himself? Truly, We chose him in this world and verily, in the Hereafter he will be among the righteous.
When his Lord said to him, ‘Submit (i.e. be a Muslim)!’ He said, ‘I have submitted myself (as a Muslim) to the Lord of the ‘Aalameen (mankind, jinn and all that exists).’” [al-Baqarah 2:130-131]
“Yes, but whoever submits his face (himself) to Allaah (i.e. follows Allaah’s religion of Islamic Monotheism) and he is a Muhsin ( a doer of good who does good deeds solely for the sake of Allaah) then his reward is with his Lord (Allaah), on such shall be no fear, nor shall they grieve”
[al-Baqarah 2:112].
Question:
Some enemies (non-believers) of the religion claim that Islam was spread by the sword?
Answer:
Praise be to Allaah.
Islam was spread by proof and evidence, in the case of those who listened to the message and responded to it. And it was spread by strength and the sword in the case of those who stubbornly resisted, until they had no choice and had to submit to the new reality.
And Allaah is the source of strength. May Allaah bless our Prophet Muhammad and his family and companions, and grant them peace.
For a detailed answer please visit this website:
http://islamqa.com/index.php?ref=43087&ln=eng&txt=islam%20spread%20by%20the%20sword
Like I have mentioned before to others, you people are IGNORANT! You just go what some any next person has said about the religion Islaam. You take anything they say. Don't go by what others say, go by what Islaam says. If you think Islaam is a bad religion, and was spread by the sword and was forced upon others throughout more than 14 centuries, well your wrong.
You don't know nothing at all. Read the Qur'aan, and find out the truth yourself, what the true meaning of Islaam is, what does Islaam incourages us to do. It doesn't tell us to go to the market with bombs and explode yourself and everyone elese. Thats against Islaam, not with Islaam. Thats suicide, mass murder, and damage to other things around you.
So you ignorant, confused people, read this and just pretend that the questioner is you!
http://islamqa.com/index.php?ref=4028&ln=eng
This site www.prophetofdoom.net never go there, it will corrupt you even more, it's a waste of time, gives false information on Islaam. the person who made that site should be killed. It's lies and slanders against Islaam and the Prophet Muhammad. We should not pay any attention to it, go here and find out more about the truth of Islaam
http://islamqa.com/index.php?pg=tree&ln=eng
Also read the English translation of the Qur'aan:
http://www.searchtruth.com/chapter_display.php?chapter=1&translator=5
If you dont want to,why? What are you afraid of? What are you going to lose? Your only gaining information about Islaam, and God the All Mighty.
Please feel free to contact me on epyon000@hotmail.co.uk
Thank you for reading, and brother Zahir, if you need me, just contact me, and keep it up.
2006-10-17 11:27:57 · answer #1 · answered by Mr Stick 4 · 4⤊ 5⤋
The truth is that it was Christianity that was spread by the sword. The people who talk about Islam never mention the treatment of the Spanish to the Inca, Mayan and Aztec Indians who were forced into Catholicism by their conquerors. And when the Muslims took over Jerusalem in 638 Jews were allowed back into Jerusalem which was not allowed under Roman rule. And what about the Crusades which were sanctioned by the Pope?
During the Crusades Muslim which were captured were either given the option of conversion or death. The truth is that Islam does not need the sword to be spread. It's message is one of peace and truth and when man really studies it, it speaks to his heart. The Koran is the only "holy book" that can be proven by science. The Koran has many things in it which we now know today to be true, like how a baby is formed in the womb and the role of the mountains in stabilizing the earth's surface. But these things were not known in the time of the Prophet Muhammed(pbuh). It is only in the last century that we understand these things and that we understand what a miracle the Koran really is. Maybe this is why many Christians are afraid of it and therefore seek to discredit it. They know the truth about it. Islam is the fastest growing religion in the world, it is the second largest religion in both the U.K. and France and the fastest growing in the USA.
And it isn't being spread at the point of any sword now!
2006-10-17 04:37:00 · answer #2 · answered by brendagho 4 · 1⤊ 1⤋
I agree.
But....
That was then...and this is now. The repressive nature of the regimes in many Islamic countries cannot all be blamed on Western interference. I read a quote recently about an Egyptian (can't remember his name, he was an Islamic scholar of the late ninteenth century) who went to France; when he returned he observed that "In France I saw Islam without Muslims & in Egypt see Muslims without Islam."
Local politics has perverted all of the world's major religions at one time or another & at the moment it seems to be Muslim countries that are producing the biggest threats to what many would call world stability. This is not necessarily due to those states being Muslim though.
Mind you, we should also all be wary that people who talk about world stability are not not just vested interests seeking to maintain the status quo, but that's an answer to a different question.
2006-10-17 04:01:01 · answer #3 · answered by Well, said Alberto 6 · 2⤊ 1⤋
What's the question already?
And anyway, the spread of islam has been much more insidious than that...
a) Conquer a region by the sword. (classic conquest by war).
b) Set up a muslim government, making sure that shari'a is made the law of the land and that only muslims get into the elite of society
c) reduce all non muslims into dhimmi (tolerated/protected as in protection racket) status. reducing their religious and other freedoms as compared to muslims and subjecting them to extra taxes.
d) wait for them to realise that it's much easier to submit.
2006-10-17 04:00:19 · answer #4 · answered by Svartalf 6 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Thank you for educating us with your long write up. Whether there were forcible conversion or not? This is highly debatable not only for Islam. It is so for Christianity and other religions too. The bottom line is we do not achieve any thing by debating this point now. Our current problem world over is how do we stop killing of innocents is suicide bombings and the like.All thinking people should try to solve the current problems and not quarrel over past which is history any way.
2006-10-17 04:00:23 · answer #5 · answered by openpsychy 6 · 2⤊ 1⤋
U know Hindukush mountains in Pakistan/Afghanistan ? Hindu + kush (kush means butchering)...it is on this mountains that thousands of hindus were butchered for not accepting Islam, during islmic invasion on India (Hence the name Hindu Kush)
If there are more hindus left in India, it is not becoz of mercy of Muslims....it is becoz of many brave kings (sikhs & Shivaji etc), that many hindus were saved from conversion.
I personally have no hatered towards muslims...but i hate the hypocricy...accept your follies and progress forward !!
2006-10-17 21:24:07 · answer #6 · answered by ۞Aum۞ 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Myth
2006-10-17 03:52:36 · answer #7 · answered by Blair Waldorf 5 · 3⤊ 4⤋
Islam was never spread by the sword.Today it is the fastest growing religion and the reason for that is for those who get to know Islam recognise the love and purity of the faith.
2006-10-17 06:06:22 · answer #8 · answered by Sherzade 5 · 1⤊ 4⤋
Tell that to all the people who died because they wouldn't convert. Now days, they MAY use a gun instead of a sword, but it is the same thing. How about the video of the reporter who was beheaded because he refused to renounce Jesus and convert to Islam? I am sorry, I cannot hear your words, your actions speak TOO loudly.
2006-10-17 03:53:18 · answer #9 · answered by Spirit Walker 5 · 3⤊ 4⤋
Google Islam in Sudan, 400,000 innocent people killed mostly by the Muslim Government or the Muslim Militia.
Yes that is 400,000 so far! They are killing the native Africans and driving them out of their homes. 2.4 Million displaced.
I don't care for the Muslim version of "Peace"
Sad that many of the "Peaceful" Muslims do not believe that their brothers in faith can do this. They are.
Seek the real truth, not just what your Imam is telling you!
Peace!
2006-10-17 04:01:14 · answer #10 · answered by C 7 · 3⤊ 3⤋
Isn't it said a reign of fire on all non believers.
You can quote any religous book for any side of an arguement
Who gets treated wosre. Muslims here or christian in muslim countries?
2006-10-17 03:54:48 · answer #11 · answered by madnesscon 4 · 3⤊ 2⤋