Was Islam spread by the sword?

[paarsurrey]

Was Islam spread by the sword?

No.

For example:

Spread of Islam in Burma: [9]

Islam is a minority religion in Burma,[1] practiced by 4% of the population, according to the Myanmar official statistics.[2]

History[edit]

Persecution[edit]

The first instance of persecution that can be shown to have resulted from religious reasons occurred during the reign of King Bayinnaung, 1550-1589 AD.[13] After conquering Bago in 1559, he prohibited the practice of halal, specifically, killing food animals in the name of God. He was religiously intolerant, forcing some of his subjects to listen to Buddhist sermons, possibly converting by force. He also disallowed the official Islamic feast Eid al-Adha, which is associated with the sacrifice of cattle.[13] The halal practice was also forbidden by King Alaungpaya in the 18th century.

King Bodawpaya (1782–1819) arrested four famous Myanmar Muslims Moulvis (Imams) from Myedu and killed them in Ava, the capital, after they refused to eat pork.[119] According to the Myedu Muslims and Burmese Muslims version there were seven dark days after that execution and the king later apologized and recognized them as saints.[120]

Religious and race riots[edit]

Under the British rule, economic pressures and xenophobia contributed to the rise of anti-Indian, and later anti-Muslim sentiment. Following an anti-Indian riot in 1930,[121] racial tensions flared between the ethnic Burmese, Indian immigrants, and British rulers. Burmese sentiment turned against those viewed as foreigners, including Muslims of all ethnic groups.[121] Following this, an anti-Muslim riot occurred in 1938, strongly influenced by newspapers.[122][123]

Burma for Burmese Campaign[edit]

These events led to the creation of the Burma for Burmese only Campaign, which staged a march to a Muslim Bazaar.[124] While the Indian police broke the violent demonstration, three monks were hurt. Burmese newspapers used the pictures of Indian police attacking the Buddhist monks to further incite the spread of riots.[125]Muslim shops, houses, and mosques were looted, destroyed, or burnt to ashes. Muslims were also assaulted and killed. The violence spread throughout Burma, with a total of 113 mosques damaged.[126]

Inquiry Committee by British[edit]

On 22 September 1938, the British Governor set up the Inquiry Committee.[127] This committee determined that the real cause of the discontent toward the government was deterioration of socio-political and economic conditions in Burma.[127] This report was also used by Burmese newspapers to incite hatred against the British, Indians, and Muslims.[127] The Simon Commission, which had been established to inquire into the effects of the Dyarchy system of ruling India and Burma in 1927, recommended that special places be assigned to the Burmese Muslims in the Legislative Council.

It also recommended that full rights of citizenship should be guaranteed to all minorities: the right of free worship, the right to follow their own customs, the right to own property and to receive a share of the public revenues for the maintenance of their own educational and charitable institutions. It further recommended Home Rule or independent government separate from India or the status of dominion.

Anti-Fascist People's Freedom League[edit]

The BMC, Burma Muslim Congress was founded almost at the same time as the AFPFL, Anti-Fascist People's Freedom League of General Aung San and U Nu before World War Two.[128] U Nu became the first Prime Minister of Burma in 1948, following Burmese independence. Shortly after, he requested that the Burma Muslim Congress resign its membership from AFPFL. In response, U Khin Maung Lat, the new President of BMC, decided to discontinue the religious practices of the BMC and rejoin the AFPFL. U Nu asked the BMC to dissolve in 1955, and removed it from AFPFL on 30 September 1956. Later U Nu decreed Buddhism as the state religion of Burma, angering religious minorities.

Ne Win's coup d'état[edit]

After the coup d'état of General Ne Win in 1962, the status of Muslims changed for the worse. Muslims were expelled from the army and were rapidly marginalized.[129] The generic racist slur of "kala" (black) used against perceived "foreigners" gained especially negative connotations when referring to Burmese Muslims during this time.[129] Accusations of "terrorism" were made against Muslim organizations such as the All Burma Muslim Union,[129] (causing Muslims to join armed resistance groups to fight for greater freedoms.[130]

Islam in Burma - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

I don't see any sword in spread of Islam in Burma.

Regards

 

[outhouse]

so What was the result human casualty in WW2 ,espacially in Europe ?

You are to desperate to debate


How many million more would have died if we were not there?


Do you know what math actually is? And understand more than and less???

 

[Godobeyer]

You are to desperate to debate


How many million more would have died if we were not there?


Do you know what math actually is? And understand more than and less???

why you avoid to answser to my direct question ?

that's was not my point , I did not discuss the American help to the allies

I am discuss the casualty in that war

how many westerns killed in that war , what your "credible" historian told about the casualty in Europe for exemple ?

 

[outhouse]

why you avoid to answser to my direct question ?

that's was not my point , I did not discuss the American help to the allies

I am discuss the casualty in that war

how many westerns killed in that war , what your "credible" historian told about the casualty in Europe for exemple ?

Who cares?

More innocent people would have died without our help.

 

[Godobeyer]

Who cares?

More innocent people would have died without our help.

ah the historian fan ,don't care ?


you care about innocent , wow !!!
how about innocent people whom killed in Japan by nuclear bombs and by drone in Afghanistan ?

 

[outhouse]

how about

the ignore function? you want to go there?


Either start using some reason and logic or your going there.

 

[Godobeyer]

the ignore function? you want to go there?


Either start using some reason and logic or your going there.

lol

I bet my post was not "How about" ,where my question go ? you ate my words

 

[Shad]

I am not happy that western killed western or muslims killed muslims , i ma just compared between the two history , to tell that the western history is worst if we count .

if i post a fact of history (not lie)about the west,I become automaticaly anti-Westerns ?

The issue is you are looking at number and speculating. Go over the number of deaths for Russia. According to Russian propaganda it's whole population were atheists. Look at the number in China which did not have a Christian majority at all. Look at the numbers of Japan which again was not Christian. Already half of these numbers are non-Christian. Look at British numbers which include their colonial troops which are Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist, etc. France also had a fair number of colonial troops in France at the start of the wars. The Free French troops after the fall of France were made up colonial troops more than natives of France.

 

[Flankerl]

since you are fan of historians :
so What was the result human casualty in WW2 ,espacially in Europe ?

Peace in one half and terror in the other.

Though i dont get why it would matter.

 

[Godobeyer]

The issue is you are looking at number and speculating. Go over the number of deaths for Russia. According to Russian propaganda it's whole population were atheists. Look at the number in China which did not have a Christian majority at all. Look at the numbers of Japan which again was not Christian. Already half of these numbers are non-Christian. Look at British numbers which include their colonial troops which are Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist, etc. France also had a fair number of colonial troops in France at the start of the wars. The Free French troops after the fall of France were made up colonial troops more than natives of France.

Iam talking about Europe area , when the most tragedy happened between the westerns with each other .

I know the most deaths in WW2 were Germans and Russians and Polonians , they were Christains , not athiest .

is there a credible historian site support your post , or it's just an opinion ?

 

[paarsurrey]

Was Islam spread by the sword?

No.

For example:

Spread of Islam in Burma: [10]

Islam is a minority religion in Burma,[1] practiced by 4% of the population, according to the Myanmar official statistics.[2]

History[edit]

Anti-Muslim riots in Mandalay (1997)[edit]

On 16 March 1997 beginning at about 3:30 p.m., following reports of an attempted rape by Muslim men, a mob of about 1,000-1,500 Buddhist monks and others gathered in Mandalay. They targeted the mosques first for attack, followed by Muslim shop-houses and transportation vehicles in the vicinity of mosques. Looting, destruction of property, assault, and religious desecration all were reported.[131] At least three people were killed and around 100 monks arrested.[132]

Anti-Muslim riots in Sittwe and Taungoo (2001)[edit]

Tension between Buddhists and Muslims was also high in Sittwe. The resentments are deeply rooted, and result from both communities feeling that they are under siege from the other. The violence in February 2001 flared up after an incident in which seven young Muslims refused to pay a Rakhine stall holder for cakes they had just eaten. The Rakhine seller, a woman, retaliated by beating one of the Muslims, according to a Muslim witness.

He attested that several Muslims then came to protest and a brawl ensued. One monk nearby tried to solve that problem but was hit over the head by the angry Muslim men and started to bleed and killed. Riots then broke out. A full-scale riot erupted after dusk and carried on for several hours. Buddhists poured gasoline on Muslim homes and properties and set them alight. Four homes and a Muslim guest house were burned down.

Police and soldiers reportedly stood by and did nothing to stop the violence initially. There are no reliable estimates of the death toll or the number of injuries. No one died according to some Muslim activists but one monk was killed. The fighting took place in the predominantly Muslim part of town and so it was predominantly Muslim property that was damaged.[133]

In 2001,Myo Pyauk Hmar Soe Kyauk Hla Tai , The Fear of Losing One's Race, and many other anti-Muslim pamphlets were widely distributed by monks. Distribution of the pamphlets was also facilitated by the Union Solidarity and Development Association (USDA),[134] a civilian organization instituted by the ruling junta, the State Peace and Development Council (SPDC). Many Muslims feel that this exacerbated the anti-Muslim feelings that had been provoked by the destruction of theBuddhas of Bamiyan in the Bamyan Province of Afghanistan.[133]

Human Rights Watch reports that there was mounting tension between the Buddhist and Muslim communities in Taungoo for weeks before it erupted into violence in the middle of May 2001. Buddhist monks demanded that the Hantha Mosque in Taungoo be destroyed in "retaliation" for the destruction of the Buddhas of Bamiyan.[135] Mobs of Buddhists, led by monks, vandalized Muslim-owned businesses and property and attacked and killed Muslims in Muslim communities.[136] On May 15, 2001, anti-Muslim riots broke out in Taungoo, Bago division, resulting in the deaths of about 200 Muslims, in the destruction of 11 mosques, and setting ablaze of over 400 houses. On this day also, about 20 Muslims praying in the Han Tha mosque were beaten, some to death, by the pro-junta forces.

On May 17, 2001, Lt. General Win Myint, Secretary No. 3 of the SPDC and deputy Home and Religious ministerarrived and curfew was imposed there in Taungoo. All communication lines were disconnected.[137] On May 18, the Han Tha mosque and Taungoo Railway station mosque were razed by bulldozers owned by the SPDC .[133] The mosques in Taungoo remained closed until May 2002, with Muslims forced to worship in their homes. After two days of violence the military stepped in and the violence immediately ended.[133]

There also were reports that local government authorities alerted Muslim elders in advance of the attacks and warned them not to retaliate to avoid escalating the violence. While the details of how the attacks began and who carried them out were unclear by year's end, the violence significantly heightened tensions between the Buddhist and Muslim communities.[138]

Islam in Burma - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

I don't see any sword in spread of Islam in Burma.

Regards

 

[Scimitar]

Famous historian, De Lacy O'Leary

The best reply to the misconception that Islam was spread by the sword is given by the noted historian De Lacy O’Leary in the book “Islam at the cross roads” (Page 8 ): “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.”


Muslims ruled Spain for 800 years.

Muslims ruled Spain for about 800 years. The Muslims in Spain never used the sword to force the people to convert. Later the Christian Crusaders came to Spain and wiped out the Muslims. There was not a single Muslim in Spain who could openly give the adhan, that is the call for prayers.


14 million Arabs are Coptic Christians.

Muslims were the lords of Arabia for 1400 years. For a few years the British ruled, and for a few years the French ruled. Overall, the Muslims ruled Arabia for 1400 years. Yet today, there are 14 million Arabs who are Coptic Christians i.e. Christians since generations. If the Muslims had used the sword there would not have been a single Arab who would have remained a Christian.


More than 80% non-Muslims in India.

The Muslims ruled India for about a thousand years. If they wanted, they had the power of converting each and every non- Muslim of India to Islam. Today more than 80% of the population of India are non-Muslims. All these non-Muslim Indians are bearing witness today that Islam was not spread by the sword.


Indonesia and Malaysia.

Indonesia is a country that has the maximum number of Muslims in the world. The majority of people in Malaysia are Muslims. May one ask, “Which Muslim army went to Indonesia and Malaysia?”


East Coast of Africa.

Similarly, Islam has spread rapidly on the East Coast of Africa. One may again ask, if Islam was spread by the sword, “Which Muslim army went to the East Coast of Africa?”


Famous Historian, Thomas Carlyle.

The famous historian, Thomas Carlyle, in his book “Heroes and Hero worship”, refers to this misconception about the spread of Islam: “The sword indeed, but where will you get your sword? Every new opinion, at its starting is precisely in a minority of one. In one man’s head alone. There it dwells as yet. One man alone of the whole world believes it, there is one man against all men. That he takes a sword and try to propagate with that, will do little for him. You must get your sword! On the whole, a thing will propagate itself as it can.”


No compulsion in religion.

With which sword was Islam spread? Even if Muslims had it they could not use it to spread Islam because the Quran says in the following verse:


“Let there be no compulsion in religion: Truth stands out clear from error”
[Quran 2:256]



Syrian archaeological dig reveals myth of Islam spreading by the sword

by Mike Addelman
Source: The University of Manchester

An archaeologist working in Syria has solved the mystery of why one of Islam’s earliest fortresses dropped out of the historical record around 1,100 years ago.

Senior Lecturer Dr Emma Loosley from The University of Manchester was one of an international team of experts invited into the world-renowned Khanuqa Gap by the Syrian Department of Antiquities before its secrets – and 11,000 years of human history – may be lost to a controversial dam project.

Dr Loosley, who has been unable to return to Syria because of the current conflict, found that 1,100 years ago a fire raged through what was regarded as an impregnable fortress.

Her work has also helped show that, contrary to popular understanding, the earliest Muslim expansion across the Middle East was largely peaceful and typified by coexistence with Christians.

Like Jerusalem’s Dome of the Rock, the citadel – called Zalabiyeh – was one of the first buildings to be inhabited by Muslims as they spread across the Syrian desert.

It was constructed during the Byzantine Empire before being renovated under the Umayyad Dynasty during Islam’s first period of expansion from Mecca in the early seventh century.

The first of four Arab caliphates following the death of Muhammed, the Umayyad dynasty left Mecca to establish one of the largest empires the world had yet seen.

Zalabiyeh, its sister citadel Halabiyeh and dozens of other crucially important sites may be flooded as part of a major HEP project.

Dr Loosley’s undergraduate student Joshua Bryant, who worked with her, was able to date the citadel to c.500 AD by analysing the way its walls were constructed.

He received a University award for his dissertation which he hopes to publish in a journal – a rare feat for an undergraduate.

Dr Loosley excavated burned beams and roof tiles – alongside other finds -including a fully functioning barracks, a human tooth, copper belt buckle, plaster spinning wheel, fragments of an alabaster mirror, and painted wall plaster.

She also found some ovens still crammed with charred chicken bones and ash.

The evidence points to a fire which forced the soldiers to leave but also a peaceful takeover of the previously Byzantine controlled citadel by Umayyad soldiers.

The artefacts are in Syria awaiting further analysis by Dr Loosley once – or if – she is able to return.

She said: “There is little evidence of any violence in the years before the citadel burned down, but there is intriguingly so much more to learn.


“We don’t even know if the soldiers who took over control from the Byzantines were Muslims or Christians even though they were subjects of the Umayadd caliph.


“Coexistence typified those times: some even argue that one reason why so many Christians converted to Islam is because the major sources of tension and conflict were between Christian factions themselves.”

She added: “The Khanuqa Gap is a major crossing point on the River Euphrates and so has been politically, economically and socially important to human beings for 11,000 years.

“It contains evidence of continuous human settlement through many civilisations including Assyrian, Roman, Arab – an astonishing area to work in and one of the most important in the world.

“So our work to understand as much as we can before it disappears is hugely important and I hope to be able go back as soon as it is safe to do so.”

The work was funded by the British Academy and the Osmane Aidi foundation.

A version of Dr Loosley’s book, Christian Responses to Islam and Muslim-Christian Relations in the Modern World, edited with Anthony O’Mahony is published by Manchester University Press in January 2012.
___ ___ ___

Interesting stuff,


Scimi

 

[Flankerl]

The Muslims in Spain never used the sword to force the people to convert.

Pfahahahahaha.




Dont feed the troll.

 

[FearGod]

I have asked you on two different occasions to explain why you claim that the Koran tells Moslems that 'to take one life is like they have killed all of humanity'. In doing so you purposefully misquote your own book because when read in context we see that it is a commentary on a Jewish teaching. So I’d like to know why you did this please – if you cannot answer this then you have stripped yourself of any credibility.

When did you ask me such question in tow different occasions ?
This is the first time that you asked me this question.

 

[Chev Chelios]

When did you ask me such question in tow different occasions ?
This is the first time that you asked me this question.

You are right - looking back, I realise I put the question to one-answer. I confused my responses to both of you. My apologies.

 

[icehorse]

Hi Scimitar,

Would you agree that the OP has to do with whether Islam was "often" spread by the sword. And that the OP was NOT about whether Islam was "always" spread by the sword?

If so, then providing instances of Islam being peaceful is a distraction from the discussion.

Also, I didn't read through every detail in your post, but I will say that the history I'm aware of strongly disagrees with your post, at least when it comes to India and Spain. Are you claiming that 80 million Hindus were not killed by Muslims as Islam spread into the Pakistan - India region?

 

[paarsurrey]

Famous historian, De Lacy O'Leary

The best reply to the misconception that Islam was spread by the sword is given by the noted historian De Lacy O’Leary in the book “Islam at the cross roads” (Page 8 ): “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.”

I appreciate your post.

Thanks and regards

 

[paarsurrey]

Hi Scimitar,

Would you agree that the OP has to do with whether Islam was "often" spread by the sword. And that the OP was NOT about whether Islam was "always" spread by the sword?

If so, then providing instances of Islam being peaceful is a distraction from the discussion.

Also, I didn't read through every detail in your post, but I will say that the history I'm aware of strongly disagrees with your post, at least when it comes to India and Spain. Are you claiming that 80 million Hindus were not killed by Muslims as Islam spread into the Pakistan - India region?

Which biased person wrote that? Please
Regards

 

[Shad]

The biased person who wrote this is the same person you linked about a month ago. However you are probably unaware of this as you do not read what you link.

 

[1robin]

When did you ask me such question in tow different occasions ?
This is the first time that you asked me this question.

I guess it was the international Islamic Holy day of asking a question and ignoring the answer for post 1500. Pity, I thought that one was pretty down the middle and explanatory.