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There is a misconception that Islam was spread by the sword. This is a false statement. This fabrication has been made up by Christian polemicists and the media. If you look at some of the verses in the Quran it contradicts what they are alleging.
“Invite to the way of your Lord with wisdom and good instruction, and discuss with them
in a way that is best. Indeed, your Lord is most knowing of who has strayed from His way, and He is most knowing of who is [rightly] guided.” Quran 16:125
Say: "O People of the Book! Let us come to common terms as between us and you: That we worship none but God; that we associate no partners with him; and that none of us take others for Lords, apart from God." If then they turn away, say ye: ‘Bear witness that we (at least) are Muslims (submitted to Him exclusively)’”. Quran 3:64
“There shall be no compulsion in [acceptance of] the religion: true guidance has become distinct from error. Whoever disbelieves in idols (and false gods) and believes in God, then he has grasped the most trustworthy handhold that will never break. And God is All-Hearer, All-Knower.” Quran 2:256
Historian De Lacy O’Leary states “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.” 429
Scholar Dr. R Curtis states “But where does the Qur’an advocate violent conversion? Virtually all the standard textbooks on Islam in English agree with Wain’s assertion, ‘Islamic scripture and law forbids forced conversion.
… Most Islamic scholars through history have agreed that forced conversions of ‘People of the Book’ (Jews and Christians) would violate the Qur’anic principle of ‘no compulsion in religion’… Today, the vast majority of Muslims accept that their faith bans forced conversions, period.” 430
There are 14 million Arab Christians living in the Arab world. Muslims ruled India for over a thousand years, 80% of the Indians are non-Muslims. This is a testimony that Islam was not spread by the sword. 415 It is a historical fact that no Muslim army entered Indonesia (the largest Muslim population in the world), Malaysia (50% Muslims), and the East coast of Africa, to name a few. 415
Christianity was mostly spread by the sword and this is a historical fact. Look at the Inquisitions and the crusades.
G Bailey & J Peoples states in the Essentials of Cultural Anthropology. “Forced conversion, the use of force or the threat of force, characterised the early Spanish policy in the Americas. Temples were destroyed together with sacred manuscripts and/or ritual items. Priests of the old religion were forbidden to perform rituals and were frequently killed if they did.
Even after the initial conquest, priests were usually accompanied by soldiers who forced the native peoples to build churches and attend religious services. It was not just the indigenous peoples of the Americas who suffered from forced conversion. African slaves were also forced to convert to Christianity by the Spanish, Portuguese, English, French.” 431
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