Should Islam be spread "By Sword"?

Society Religion & Philosophy
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Islam spread by the sword?

In India , Islam was spread by “sword”. “Convert to Islam or Die”, but that was few hundred years ago. But A group of Christians in northwest Pakistan have been ordered to convert to Islam or face “serious consequences,” a minority community leader said Wednesday.

http://www.spcm.org/Journal/spip.php?article10968

ISLAMABAD – A group of Christians in northwest Pakistan have been ordered to convert to Islam or face “serious consequences,” a minority community leader said Wednesday.

A Christian in the area received a letter setting a 10-day deadline for his small community to convert, the head of a minority communities group said.

Shahbaz Bhatti said the letter had triggered fears among some 50 families living in Charsada, 35 kilometers (21 miles) from Peshawar, the capital of North West Frontier Province bordering Afghanistan.

Bhatti said he feared attacks by “religious extremists” as the deadline ends Thursday.

“We do not really know who dispatched this letter to a local Christian, Micheal Masih, May 7,” he added.

The alliance has written to President Pervez Musharraf and the interior ministry about security concerns in the community, he said.

“The growing Talibanization and extremism is against the spirit of Islam and hampers efforts to promote inter-faith harmony,” he added.

Suspected Islamic militants attacked music shops in Charsada early this month.

Earlier, 24 people were killed and interior minister Aftab Sherpao was wounded in a powerful suicide blast in Charsada April 28.

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Re: Should Islam be spread "By Sword"?

[QUOTE]
In India , Islam was spread by "sword".
[/QUOTE]

says who ... a Hindu... like its a fact. If that was the case there will be no hindustan/india today. So pick another line and keep this propganda for the indian boards where it will be well received.

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Re: Should Islam be spread "By Sword"?

Peace denada

Only if the slice of bread was the size of a bed and Islam was like butter. Otherwise a knife would do!

Or perhaps the sharpness of my tongue is good enough?

Ab keya hoga :(
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Re: Should Islam be spread "By Sword"?

Muslims ruled India with all their might for 300 years and If sword was used to convert there would be no hindus left in that country. This statement is totally false and untrue. Islam was spread by the sufis and saints in India and even to this day there are millions of hindus who go to their shrines for holy blessings. Please dont try to distort history. Actually from pure Islamic point of view rulers like Akbar and Jahangir harmed islam by marrying hindu ranis and accommodating their customs and practices.

Ab keya hoga :(
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Re: Should Islam be spread "By Sword"?

Denada,
Your opening comment is a bit biased, lets say its your personal opinion...

As for the article, its not right.
Non-Muslims living in a muslim state are granted all rights, according to islamic law. Anyone terrorizing them or forcing them to leave their faith, is not doing any service to the Islamic cause.

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Re: Should Islam be spread "By Sword"?

Inaccurate, foolish and biased. I expected better.

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Re: Should Islam be spread "By Sword"?

Not true. No Islamic country allow Non Muslims to practice their religion. In Saudi you cannot bring Christian or Hindu books. Even a country like Maldives doesnt allow Buddha idols or statues to be brought by SriLankan workers. Every Muslim country with a overwhelming Islamic population is not accomodating for Non Muslims. You cannot build a Hindu temple or church in Saudi.

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Re: Should Islam be spread "By Sword"?

In India , Islam was spread by "sword". "Convert to Islam or Die"

If that was true how come your forefathers were spared or did they refuse to die? You are a living proof that it was not forced otherwise either you would have been a muslim or you were non-existent.

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Re: Should Islam be spread "By Sword"?

  1. Who the hell uses swords these days? That's so last century. Unless you do fencing for sport. Even then...

So, no, Islam wont be spread by a sword. Maybe by a gun to the head. But not a sword.

  1. Converting people by force is not Islamic. Unless you WANT to go to hell. So again, it shouldn't be spread by a "sword" or "gun" or anything that can cause you to bleed.

Anyway, its all political crap.

On the other hand, you have Christian missionaries going around the world, setting up hospitals, delivering humanitarian care, and thereby gaining lots of converts.

If only muslims were educated enough to do the same. But given the fact that we don't even produce enough health care workers to take care of the needs of our own population, its no wonder they need to resort to pathetic methods like a threatening letter to get people to convert. That shows me even more how uneducated our muslims are, and how utterly UNCREATIVE we've become as a mass population.

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Re: Should Islam be spread "By Sword"?

Was Islam spread by the sword? Hardly. Those lands that were conquered had the slowest adoption rates of the faith, especially under Imperial Islam. Yet, Indonesia, Malaysia, and indeed much of India (in particular the south) see large Muslim populations that never were associated with an army of any sort.

Even Persia did not become fully Muslim until well into the 8th century, possibly later.

Islam may have been secured by the sword, but it's spread doesn't correlate well to Imperial military campaigns.

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Re: Should Islam be spread "By Sword"?

But I thought faith was a personal thing? So we are told...what truly matters is what is in the heart..so we are told. Why look at us...we content ourselves with a compass, a mat, and a clean corner that can indeed be out of view if the need be....

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Re: Should Islam be spread "By Sword"?

yeah dendia my ancestor were made Muslim by force.
No more sword on my throat now. But I am so happy being a Muslim.. I wonder why????

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Re: Should Islam be spread “By Sword”?

^:hehe:

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Re: Should Islam be spread "By Sword"?

Then why bother about demolitions of a few masjids if that is all you care abuot !!!

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Re: Should Islam be spread “By Sword”?

^:smack: that is remarkable grasp you have on the argument there.

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Re: Should Islam be spread "By Sword"?

The truth is that both Christianity and Islam have been spread by "sword" at many instances in history. But, this doesn't necessarily mean that Jesus (PBUH) and Mohammed (PBUH) encouraged this method.

As far as the Hindus are concerned, yes there might have been some cases where Hindus were converted by force (different levels of force) by some Muslim rulers like Aurangzeb...but there were also rulers like Akbar and Jahangir who were a lot more tolerant towards the Hindus, Sikhs and Buddhists.

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Re: Should Islam be spread "By Sword"?

It is surprising that most of the posters here have refused to comment on the fact that a minority community is receiveing threats to convert.

One particular poster goes to the extent of saying that the sword cannot be used to convert but a gun could do. Why are we arguing about the semantics here. Imagine the hue and cry if the same had happened in India. Posters here would have generalised all Indians to be narrow minded etc.

My simple questions to the posters here

1) Do you condone what is happening

2) What is it that can be done to prevent these incidents from happening again...

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Re: Should Islam be spread "By Sword"?

No christian or jewish or hindu country would allow preaching of Islam in their countries either....................but there is no hindu, christian or jewish country in the whole world........most countries are secular and according to secularism you can practice your religion as long as you are not mixing it with the political affairs of the country.
So your arguments are false.

I cant see any sword spreading Islam in the west...........So why Islam is the most growing religion in the west today?

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Re: Should Islam be spread "By Sword"?

Respected GSians.
It is a historical fact that sword was taken up for defence and political reasons by many Muslim leaders, rulers and countries. But to say that it was taken up to spread Islam would be a historical injustice. Forceful conversion is forbidden in Islam. The use of force to convert was resorted to only by the fanatics like Kharijis and Nasibis.
Kharijis disliked both Hazrat Usman (RA) and Hazrat Ali (KAW). Hazart Usman was martyred by a group of Kharijis. Later they fought against Hazrat Ali (KAW) in the battle of Naharwan. Afterwards one of the Khariji martyred Hazrat Ali (KAW) as well.
Nasibis, likewise attacked Karbala in 1801 and destroyed the shrine of Hazart Imam Hussain (AS), looted its booty and killed its inhabitants. Later they attacked Makkah-tul-Mukkaramah in 1803 at the time of Hajj and expelled the Sharif of Makkah. And in 1804, they attacked Madina-tul-Munawarah, destroyed the magnificent domed structures over Holy Prophet's Shrine, mutilated its grills and looted all of its precious belongings.
Even today, only the groups inclined to these dogmas (Kharijis and Nasibis) speak of Force, Sword (nowadays Gun/Bombs) and Fanaticism. Mind you, whenever there is any threat to Islam, Muslims will again hold the sword firmly, but to say that they used it in past or need it in future to spread Islam is simply ridiculous.
Again, the fastest growing religion in the west nowadays is Islam. How the hell can a Muslim find a sword in west to spread Islam.
Regards.

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Re: Should Islam be spread "By Sword"?

Very good point indeed. In the Vatican City State, the only theocratic Christian State of Roman Catholics, even the Protestants are not welcomed what to talk of adherents of other religions.