American Muslim women protest gender apartheid at mosque.

[aymen amir]

How can Islam be called the religion of peace when it was spread by the sword?

WAS ISLAM SPREAD BY THE SWORD?

It is a common complaint among some non-Muslims that Islam would not have millions of adherents all over the world, if it had not been spread by the use of force. The following points will make it clear, that far from being spread by the sword, it was the inherent force of truth, reason and logic that was responsible for the rapid spread of Islam.

1. Islam means peace.

Islam comes from the root word ‘salaam’, which means peace. It also means submitting one’s will to Allah (swt). Thus Islam is a religion of peace, which is acquired by submitting one’s will to the will of the Supreme Creator, Allah (swt).

2. Sometimes force has to be used to maintain peace.

Each and every human being in this world is not in favour of maintaining peace and harmony. There are many, who would disrupt it for their own vested interests. Sometimes force has to be used to maintain peace. It is precisely for this reason that we have the police who use force against criminals and anti-social elements to maintain peace in the country. Islam promotes peace. At the same time, Islam exhort it followers to fight where there is oppression. The fight against oppression may, at times, require the use of force. In Islam force can only be used to promote peace and justice.

3. Opinion of historian De Lacy O’Leary.

The best reply to the misconception that Islam was spread by the sword is given by the noted historian De Lacy O’Leary in the book "Islam at the cross road" (Page 8):

"History makes it clear however, that the legend of fanatical Muslims sweeping through the world and forcing Islam at the point of the sword upon conquered races is one of the most fantastically absurd myth that historians have ever repeated."

4. Muslims ruled Spain for 800 years.

Muslims ruled Spain for about 800 years. The Muslims in Spain never used the sword to force the people to convert. Later the Christian Crusaders came to Spain and wiped out the Muslims. There was not a single Muslim in Spain who could openly give the adhan, that is the call for prayers.

5. 14 million Arabs are Coptic Christians.

Muslims were the lords of Arabia for 1400 years. For a few years the British ruled, and for a few years the French ruled. Overall, the Muslims ruled Arabia for 1400 years. Yet today, there are 14 million Arabs who are Coptic Christians i.e. Christians since generations. If the Muslims had used the sword there would not have been a single Arab who would have remained a Christian.

6. More than 80% non-Muslims in India.

The Muslims ruled India for about a thousand years. If they wanted, they had the power of converting each and every non-Muslim of India to Islam. Today more than 80% of the population of India are non-Muslims. All these non-Muslim Indians are bearing witness today that Islam was not spread by the sword.

7. Indonesia and Malaysia.

Indonesia is a country that has the maximum number of Muslims in the world. The majority of people in Malaysia are Muslims. May one ask, "Which Muslim army went to Indonesia and Malaysia?"

8. East Coast of Africa.

Similarly, Islam has spread rapidly on the East Coast of Africa. One may again ask, if Islam was spread by the sword, "Which Muslim army went to the East Coast of Africa?"

9. Thomas Carlyle.

The famous historian, Thomas Carlyle, in his book "Heroes and Hero worship", refers to this misconception about the spread of Islam: "The sword indeed, but where will you get your sword? Every new opinion, at its starting is precisely in a minority of one. In one man’s head alone. There it dwells as yet. One man alone of the whole world believes it, there is one man against all men. That he takes a sword and try to propagate with that, will do little for him. You must get your sword! On the whole, a thing will propagate itself as it can."

10. No compulsion in religion.

With which sword was Islam spread? Even if Muslims had it they could not use it to spread Islam because the Qur’an says in the following verse:
"Let there be no compulsion in religion:
Truth stands out clear from error"
[Al-Qur’an 2:256]

11. Sword of the Intellect.

It is the sword of intellect. The sword that conquers the hearts and minds of people. The Qur’an says in Surah Nahl, chapter 16 verse 125:
"Invite (all) to the way of thy Lord
with wisdom and beautiful preaching;
and argue with them in ways that are
best and most gracious."
[Al-Qur’an 16:125]

12. Increase in the world religions from 1934 to 1984.

An article in Reader’s Digest ‘Almanac’, year book 1986, gave the statistics of the increase of percentage of the major religions of the world in half a century from 1934 to 1984. This article also appeared in ‘The Plain Truth’ magazine. At the top was Islam, which increased by 235%, and Christianity had increased only by 47%. May one ask, which war took place in this century which converted millions of people to Islam?

13. Islam is the fastest growing religion in America and Europe.

Today the fastest growing religion in America is Islam. The fastest growing religion in Europe is Islam. Which sword is forcing people in the West to accept Islam in such large numbers?

14. Dr. Joseph Adam Pearson.

Dr. Joseph Adam Pearson rightly says, "People who worry that nuclear weaponry will one day fall in the hands of the Arabs, fail to realize that the Islamic bomb has been dropped already, it fell the day MUHAMMED (pbuh) was born".

[Autodidact]

Originally Posted by aymen amir

IMO cartoons are used to provoke Muslims because even before they were published, they know it very well Muslims would react.
.

I want to highlight this sentence. You and other Muslims want non-Muslims NOT to generalize about Muslims. Yet here you're saying they should have known that Muslims are so barbaric and vicious that merely publishing a cartoon in a newspaper would result in horrific riots in which innocent people would be killed. You are generalizing that Muslims are so irrationally violent.

If I don't generalize, and assume that Muslims are as peaceful and rational as the average human being, I would NOT assume that publishing some cartoons would incite violent uprisings around the Muslim world, would I?

Again, some images Christians are NOT rioting about:



They don't LIKE it, and they voice their offense, but they don't riot, and they don't kill people. Muslims do. Why? The Danish newspaper knew that Muslims would riot like this? Because it's common knowledge that Muslims are violent thugs?

[DallasApple]

Originally Posted by aymen amir

we have the right to be mad but that doesn't allow us to get all violent and irrational..
answer this ??? why do you thin they chose our prophet out of all the other prophets to draw this cartoon

Beccause..

Just like your kid can be "made fun of" because he's fat at school...

Thats what "they" do..

You arent "singled out"..

Do you understand that?

Love

Dallas

[.lava]

Originally Posted by JMorris

your getting out of line. there is no need to be this disrespectful, and especially not to .lava. do you want every muslim to hate us, because its **** like this that gives them reason to.

never mind for me. i would not hate you and i would not be provoked

.

[Gabethewiking]

Originally Posted by aymen amir

hahahahahahah
i don't know why your so happy about I PHONE and computers

What are you using to type the above words? You can use a Computer or a Phone.....

I am getting upset, I am going to silence myself, with respect Aymen, later but you need to open your mind and start listening to people and what you actually say, apologize for previous statement, was unnecessary, my bad.

[JMorris]

Originally Posted by .lava

do you want my opinion on "insulting Prophets" or simply what he says about it?

.

either or...... lol im not sure if your familiar with that phrase. uhmmm, i want your opinion of whichever you want to give, or both if you want.

[Autodidact]

Originally Posted by aymen amir

How can Islam be called the religion of peace when it was spread by the sword?

WAS ISLAM SPREAD BY THE SWORD?

It is a common complaint among some non-Muslims that Islam would not have millions of adherents all over the world, if it had not been spread by the use of force. The following points will make it clear, that far from being spread by the sword, it was the inherent force of truth, reason and logic that was responsible for the rapid spread of Islam.

1. Islam means peace.

Islam comes from the root word ‘salaam’, which means peace. It also means submitting one’s will to Allah (swt). Thus Islam is a religion of peace, which is acquired by submitting one’s will to the will of the Supreme Creator, Allah (swt).

2. Sometimes force has to be used to maintain peace.

Each and every human being in this world is not in favour of maintaining peace and harmony. There are many, who would disrupt it for their own vested interests. Sometimes force has to be used to maintain peace. It is precisely for this reason that we have the police who use force against criminals and anti-social elements to maintain peace in the country. Islam promotes peace. At the same time, Islam exhort it followers to fight where there is oppression. The fight against oppression may, at times, require the use of force. In Islam force can only be used to promote peace and justice.

3. Opinion of historian De Lacy O’Leary.

The best reply to the misconception that Islam was spread by the sword is given by the noted historian De Lacy O’Leary in the book "Islam at the cross road" (Page 8):

"History makes it clear however, that the legend of fanatical Muslims sweeping through the world and forcing Islam at the point of the sword upon conquered races is one of the most fantastically absurd myth that historians have ever repeated."

4. Muslims ruled Spain for 800 years.

Muslims ruled Spain for about 800 years. The Muslims in Spain never used the sword to force the people to convert. Later the Christian Crusaders came to Spain and wiped out the Muslims. There was not a single Muslim in Spain who could openly give the adhan, that is the call for prayers.

5. 14 million Arabs are Coptic Christians.

Muslims were the lords of Arabia for 1400 years. For a few years the British ruled, and for a few years the French ruled. Overall, the Muslims ruled Arabia for 1400 years. Yet today, there are 14 million Arabs who are Coptic Christians i.e. Christians since generations. If the Muslims had used the sword there would not have been a single Arab who would have remained a Christian.

6. More than 80% non-Muslims in India.

The Muslims ruled India for about a thousand years. If they wanted, they had the power of converting each and every non-Muslim of India to Islam. Today more than 80% of the population of India are non-Muslims. All these non-Muslim Indians are bearing witness today that Islam was not spread by the sword.

7. Indonesia and Malaysia.

Indonesia is a country that has the maximum number of Muslims in the world. The majority of people in Malaysia are Muslims. May one ask, "Which Muslim army went to Indonesia and Malaysia?"

8. East Coast of Africa.

Similarly, Islam has spread rapidly on the East Coast of Africa. One may again ask, if Islam was spread by the sword, "Which Muslim army went to the East Coast of Africa?"

9. Thomas Carlyle.

The famous historian, Thomas Carlyle, in his book "Heroes and Hero worship", refers to this misconception about the spread of Islam: "The sword indeed, but where will you get your sword? Every new opinion, at its starting is precisely in a minority of one. In one man’s head alone. There it dwells as yet. One man alone of the whole world believes it, there is one man against all men. That he takes a sword and try to propagate with that, will do little for him. You must get your sword! On the whole, a thing will propagate itself as it can."

10. No compulsion in religion.

With which sword was Islam spread? Even if Muslims had it they could not use it to spread Islam because the Qur’an says in the following verse:
"Let there be no compulsion in religion:
Truth stands out clear from error"
[Al-Qur’an 2:256]

11. Sword of the Intellect.

It is the sword of intellect. The sword that conquers the hearts and minds of people. The Qur’an says in Surah Nahl, chapter 16 verse 125:
"Invite (all) to the way of thy Lord
with wisdom and beautiful preaching;
and argue with them in ways that are
best and most gracious."
[Al-Qur’an 16:125]

12. Increase in the world religions from 1934 to 1984.

An article in Reader’s Digest ‘Almanac’, year book 1986, gave the statistics of the increase of percentage of the major religions of the world in half a century from 1934 to 1984. This article also appeared in ‘The Plain Truth’ magazine. At the top was Islam, which increased by 235%, and Christianity had increased only by 47%. May one ask, which war took place in this century which converted millions of people to Islam?

13. Islam is the fastest growing religion in America and Europe.

Today the fastest growing religion in America is Islam. The fastest growing religion in Europe is Islam. Which sword is forcing people in the West to accept Islam in such large numbers?

14. Dr. Joseph Adam Pearson.

Dr. Joseph Adam Pearson rightly says, "People who worry that nuclear weaponry will one day fall in the hands of the Arabs, fail to realize that the Islamic bomb has been dropped already, it fell the day MUHAMMED (pbuh) was born".

aymen: You've already posted two lies without even bothering to Google. You have no credibility in this thread. I bet I can easily find sources to dispute this as well. Before you start posting more pseudo-facts, you need to repair your credibility by going back and retracting your earlier falsehood. Once someone lies to me twice in a short period, they have a credibility problem. I'm entitled to be skeptical of any "facts" you post until you address that problem.

If I ever post something that is not true, please show me. I will immediately retract and apologize. That's because I value my credibility.

[.lava]

Originally Posted by Autodidact

I want to highlight this sentence. You and other Muslims want non-Muslims NOT to generalize about Muslims. Yet here you're saying they should have known that Muslims are so barbaric and vicious that merely publishing a cartoon in a newspaper would result in horrific riots in which innocent people would be killed. You are generalizing that Muslims are so irrationally violent.

If I don't generalize, and assume that Muslims are as peaceful and rational as the average human being, I would NOT assume that publishing some cartoons would incite violent uprisings around the Muslim world, would I?

Again, some images Christians are NOT rioting about:

They don't LIKE it, and they voice their offense, but they don't riot, and they don't kill people. Muslims do. Why? The Danish newspaper knew that Muslims would riot like this? Because it's common knowledge that Muslims are violent thugs?

i already shared my opinion when you first asked me the same question a few pages back

.

[Smoke]

Originally Posted by aymen amir

i have said this a 100 times IF we follow Islam we would become better , but most of the Muslims have stopped practising Islam in its right forum

I understand what you mean, but at the same time, Islam as it is practiced is the only Islam non-Muslims see, and the only Islam non-Muslims can react to. You can't expect anybody to form an opinion of Islam based on what it could be or should be instead of what it is. Well, you might expect Christians to; since they make the same argument for their religion, they ought to accept it when Muslims do it.

Islam is what it is on the ground. So is Christianity. If there is a perfect Islam or a perfect Christianity in theory, but it's not actually being practiced, that might be a nice idea but it doesn't have anything to do with real life.

[Autodidact]

Originally Posted by .lava

what do you mean "interpret"? no need to interpret. take all the verses about war, you'd see no need to interpret. you just need correct TRANSLATION. verses that need interpretation are the ones that has hidden meanings or they are related to each other (they do not come one after another but they are related)

oh our problem is Islam....fine....i am tired of this

.

Different Muslims believe that the qur'an means different things, correct? Therefore, each one has interpreted the book differently. I'm sure that each of them, with their interpretation, believes that they are right, and you "only need correct TRANSLATION" to agree with them.

Yes, I'm sure it's tiring to defend the indefensible.