Was Islam spread by the sword?
No.
For example:
Spread of
Islam in Burma:
[2]
Islam is a minority religion in Burma,[1] practiced by 4% of the population, according to the Myanmar official statistics.[2]
History[edit]
Muslim diaspora[edit]
The population of the Muslims increased during the British rule of Burma because of new waves of Indian Muslim Immigration.[30]This sharply declined in the years following 1941 as a result of the Indo-Burman Immigration agreement,[31] and was officially stopped following Burma's (Myanmar) independence on 4 January 1948.
Muslims arrived in Burma as travelers, adventurers, pioneers, sailors, traders,[32] Military Personals (voluntary and mercenary),[33] and a number of them as prisoners of wars.[34] Some were reported to have taken refuge from wars, Monsoon storms and weather, shipwreck [35] and for a number of other circumstances. Some are victims of forced slavery [36] but many of them are professionals and skilled personals such as advisors to the kings and at various ranks of administration whilst others are port-authorities and mayors and traditional medicine men.[37]
Pathi and Panthays[edit]
See also: Panlong Subtownship
Indian Muslims traveled over land, in search of China, and arrived northern Burma at Yunnan (China) border. Their colonies were recorded in Chronicles of China in 860 AD.[38][39] Myanmar Muslims were sometimes called Pathi, and Chinese Muslims are called Panthay.[40] It is widely believed that those names derived from Parsi (Persian). Bago Pegu), Dala, Thanlyin (Syriam), Taninthayi (Tenasserim), Mottama (Martaban), Myeik (Mergui) and Pathein (Bassein) were full of Burmese Muslim settlers and they outnumbered the local Burmese by many times.
In one record, Pathein was said to be populated with Pathis. Perhaps Pathein comes from Pathi.[41]And coincidentally, Pathein is still famous for Pathein halawa, a traditional Myanmar Muslim food inherited from northern Indian Muslim. In Kawzar 583 (13th Century), Bassein or Pathein was known as Pathi town under the three Indian Hindu Kings.[42][43][44] Arab merchants arrived Martaban, Margue. Arab settlement in the present Meik's mid-western quarters.[45]
Bagan (Pagan) period[edit]
Byat Wi and Byat Ta[edit]
The first evidence of Muslims landing in Burma's chronicle was recorded in the era of the first Burmese Empire of Pagan (Bagan) 1044 AD. Two Indian Muslim sailors of BYAT family, Byat Wi and Byat Ta, arrived Burmese shores, near Thaton.[46] There are people in Iraq, Arabia and some Surthi Northern Indian Muslim with the same sir name even at present. They took refuge and stayed at the monastery of the monk in Thaton. They were said to be tall, fair, swift, brave and very strong.
According to a chronicle of Burma related to the Indian Muslim brothers, they were said to have strength of the full-grown elephant after eating the magical meat of a (Zaw Gyi) or Fakir, a meal originally prepared for the monk who saved them. As a consequence, Thaton king became afraid of them and killed the elder brother while he was sleeping in his wife's house. The younger brother managed to escape to Bagan and took refuge to king Anawratha. He was kept near the king. He had to fetch flowers, ten times a day, from the Mont Popa, few dozens of miles away from Bagan. He married a girl from Popa and got two sons, Shwe Byin brothers.[47]
The semi-historical account of Burmese history, Glass Palace Chronicle, records the first Muslims in Burma in the first Burmese empire, circa 1050 AD. Two IndianMuslim brothers, Byat Wi and Byat Ta, arrived in Thaton.[3][7] When the Thaton king learned of them, he became afraid of their strength and killed Byat Wi.[48] Byat Ta managed to escape to Bagan and took refuge with King Anawratha.[48] He married a girl from Popa with whom he had two sons, the Shwe Byin brothers.[48]
Islam in Burma - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
I don't see any sword in spread of Islam in Burma.
Regards
