Did the idea of Jihad contribute significantly to the spread of Islam?

Question

If Jihad is the main contributor why is it so?

Answer 1

Rohak can’t be more wrong

Jihad never was to ask people to become Muslims and you have the prove, in Spain where Muslims stayed for 800 years and when they left you had Muslims, Christians and Jews living together. You have India where Muslims stayed for 500 years and when they left you could find Muslims, Hindu and Sheiks as well as other religions.

No conquest had a role to play in the spreading of Islam but it was not through forced conversions as others may try to imply and it was NOT THE ONLY MEAN.

When you look today at the largest Muslim country in the World Indonesia, you will find that no army was ever sent there it was merchants who were trading with the local people who brought Islam to that area.

If you look at the countries in central Asia, you will find that the only army involved was the Mongols who ransacked the Muslim capital Baghdad before they were defeated in modern day Palestine, they embraced Islam and helped spread it in their home lands.

God bless

Answer 2

The Jihad led to massive territories being conquered. In these areas people were required to become Muslim. So in that sense it contributed to the spread of Islam. Without the Jihad, the religion may have spread just as far as a faith, instead of as a dogma. But due to the territory taken, most of which is still predominantly Muslim, it was a significant influence.

Answer 3

Jihad happened in a darkness period. After empire Roman colapse, all north Africa and middleeast were lost without guide, like everywhere in Europe.

Jihad brought new public administration system, spread universities and make north Africa and Middeeast economy flow under unicity. After Mohamed death, its idea about equal rights, unique god and several other concepts quite close to standard Christian dogmas, spread through natural expansion.

Egypt, Tunis, South Spain.. all had Christian, Hebrews and Muslims working together into a Islamic Government. Arab becomes standard language and obligatory reading Coran in its original version were important to spread it. Religious structure and interpretation philosophers brought quite important ascention to the Islam empire. (Much more advance than Europe at that specific time).

Just after they colapsed under religious fanaticism.

You can compare Jihad like Crusades or
South America colonisation and its Priests.

Answer 4

Jihad is not just to fight. Jihad could mean living in a area where nobody knows or understands what Muslims are, the struggle you put up with everyday.

Answer 5

yes and no........like most religion it was spread through conquest . Mohammed is said to have fought and killed in some of these conquests ,that is why some of the extremists feel they can use violence today ,small minority though !!

Answer 6

Not in the slightest I think youve misunderstood what it means

Answer 7

i dont think so. the opposite happens in western world.

Answer 8

no.... never