Re: The Prophet and “Jihad”
and left them be, the Muslims did if you study the 10 years of Caliphate during Hazrat Umar’s (RA) time.
The reason Muslims fought the Byzantine Empire also the Persian Empire was their laws i.e. in those Empires all conquered property was owned by the Emperor, and people were tenants and paid Taxes to the the Emperor especially the populations of conquered lands which Syria and Palestine and modern day Iraq were.
[Local populations of Jews and indigenous Christians, persecuted as religious minorities and taxed heavily to finance the Byzantine–Sassanid Wars, often aided Muslims to take over their lands from the Byzantines and Persians, resulting in exceptionally speedy conquests.[SUP][72]](Umar - Wikipedia)[/SUP][SUP][73]](Umar - Wikipedia)[/SUP] As new areas joining the Islamic State, they also benefited from free trade, while trading with other areas in the Islamic State, so as to encourage commerce, in Islam trade is not taxed, wealth is taxed.[SUP][74]](Umar - Wikipedia)[/SUP] The Muslims paid Zakat on their wealth to the poor. Since the Constitution of Medina, was drafted by the Islamic prophet Muhammad the Jews and the Christians continued to use their own laws in the Islamic State and had their own judges.[SUP][75]](Umar - Wikipedia)[/SUP][SUP][76]](Umar - Wikipedia)[/SUP][SUP][77]](Umar - Wikipedia)[/SUP] Therefore they only paid for policing for the protection of their property. To assist in the quick expansion of the state, the Byzantine and the Persian tax collection systems were maintained and the people paid a poll tax lower than the one imposed under the Byzantines and the Persians.]
So Muslims did not forcibly convert any of their populations, during the Syrian Campaign the Muslim Army drove the Byzantine/Roman Armies out with local Populations help. the local population mostly Christian and Jews gladly collected 10% Tax and gave it to the Muslim General. however the Muslim General and most of his Army were redirected to towards the Persian Campaign so he returned their money. the locals informed him that they were going to keep the Taxes collected safe for him when he returned from his campaign in Persia.
So Sister PCG the Muslim Armies were actually Liberators fighting the Tyrannical rulers of the time and never converted anyone by force like you may have been made to believe!