Was Islam spread by the sword?
The Quran states,:
“There shall be no compulsion in [acceptance of] the religion.”
(Quran 2:256, Surah Al-Baqarah),
affirming that faith cannot be imposed.While Muslim armies engaged in battles, these were not to force conversions but often for defence or justice, as warfare was a reality of the time.
However, Islam did not spread by the sword because in many places where Islam thrives today, such as Indonesia, Malaysia, China, and vast parts of Africa, there are no records of any Muslim armies going there. Instead, Islam spread in these areas through trade and peaceful preaching. If Islam had been forced upon people, how do we explain the continued presence of religious minorities in Muslim-majority nations? Today, approximately 10% of the Arab world remains Christian.
In India, where Muslims ruled for 700 years, the vast majority of the population still follows Hinduism. Forced conversion would have left no room for such diversity.
If one assumes that religion spreads by force, then one might ask: Did Christianity spread through guns or bombs? Certainly not. Christianity expanded through missionary efforts. Similarly, Islam is spreading in the modern world through peaceful preaching. It is currently the fastest-growing religion in the United States, with over 6 million followers, without any military intervention.
Islam spread not by the sword, but by its truth, justice, and wisdom.
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