Was Islam spread by the sword?

[paarsurrey]

Was Islam spread by the sword?

No.

For example:

Spread of Islam in Circassians: [2]


The predominant religion amongst Circassians is Sunni Islam.

There remain about 700,000 Circassians in historical Circassia (the republics of Adygea, Kabardino-Balkaria,Karachay-Cherkessia, and the southern half of Krasnodar Krai), as well as a number in the Russian Federation outside these republics. The 2010 Russian Census recorded 718,727 Circassians, of which 516,826 are Kabardians, 124,835 are Adyghe proper, 73,184 are Cherkess and 3,882 Shapsugs.[6]

The Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization estimates that there are as many as 3.7 million "ethnic Circassians" in the diaspora outside the Circassian republics (meaning that only one in seven "ethnic Circassians" lives in the homeland), of whom about 2 million live in Turkey, 700,000 in the Russian Federation, about 150,000 in theLevant and Mesopotamia, and about 50,000 in Europe and the United States.

Names

In their own language the Circassians refer to themselves as Adyghe (also transliterated as Adyga, Adyge, Adygei,Adyghe, Attéghéi). The name is believed to derive from atté "height" to signify a mountaineer or a highlander, and ghéi"sea", signifying "a people dwelling and inhabiting a mountainous country near the sea coast", or "between two seas".[27][28]

A common name for the Adyghe is Circassians (ser-KASS-ee-uhnz), a name which is occasionally applied to Adyghe and Abaza from the North Caucasus.[29] The name Circassian represents a Latinisation of Cherkess, the Turkic name for the Adyghe, and originated in the 15th century with medieval Genoese merchants and travellers to Circassia.[29][30]But the earliest known form of the name "Cherkess" dates from the time of the Mongols who invaded the North Caucasusin medieval times, and who called the Adyghe "Serkesut", a term which appears in Mongol texts from the 12th century.

The Turkic peoples[31] and Russians call the Adyghe Cherkess,.[32] Folk etymology usually explains the name Cherkessas "warrior cutter" or "soldier cutter", from the Turkic words cheri (soldier) and kesmek (to cut), so that Cherkess would mean "soldier-cutter".

Despite a common self-designation and a common Russian name,[33] Soviet authorities applied four designations to Circassians:

• Kabardians, Circassians of Kabardino-Balkaria (Circassians speaking the Kabardian language[35]), one of two indigenous peoples of the republic.

• Cherkess (Adyghe: Шэрджэс Šărdžăs), Circassians of Karachay–Cherkessia (Circassians speaking the Cherkess, i.e. Circassian, language[36]), one of two indigenous peoples of the republic who are mostly Baslaney Kabardians. This name is the Russian form of "Circassian" and was used for all Circassians before Soviet times.

• Adyghes, the indigenous population of the Kuban including Adygea and Krasnodar Krai.[37]

• Shapsugs, the indigenous historical inhabitants of Shapsugia. They live in the Tuapse District and the Lazarevsky City District (formerly the Shapsug National Raion) of Sochi, both in Krasnodar Krai, as well as in Adygea.

Circassians - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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

Regards

 

[paarsurrey]

So you dont believe that Jesus' representation in the Christian Bible is correct. But you believe that the Jews and their clergy were out to get him of which we got exactly one written report, which is the Christian Bible.

Quran also mentions and confirms it.

Regards

 

[icehorse]

Quran also mentions and confirms it.

Regards

Oh well, why didn't you say that in the first place! Who could argue with that evidence?

(sorry paarsurrey, that's meant to be sarcastic.)

 

[Looncall]

There is no flaw in the religion.

Regards

Really? So why does it lead to such horrible outcomes?

 

[paarsurrey]

Really? So why does it lead to such horrible outcomes?

When they deviate from the teachings of the religions; why should the religion be blamed for their faults.

Regards

 

[icehorse]

When they deviate from the teachings of the religions; why should the religion be blamed for their faults.

My understanding is that Muslims claim the Quran to be the perfect, final, unalterable word of God.

We could view the Quran as a type of instruction manual. From that perspective, I'd have to say that it's a poorly written instruction manual, since apparently, so many people "get it wrong". Either that, or the Muslim God is cruel and capricious.

The author must take responsibility if the reader doesn't understand.

 

[YmirGF]

The author must take responsibility if the reader doesn't understand.

It is my belief that when a target audience woefully misunderstand a given message, then the audience cannot be blames entirely. Some fault must be laid at the feet of the message itself. In this case, since the message is considered to be "perfect", for some reason or other, there is an intellectual taboo in faulting that message. If that is not a recipe for disaster, I don't know what is.

 

[Looncall]

When they deviate from the teachings of the religions; why should the religion be blamed for their faults.

Regards

Yet the trouble arises when the teachings are followed too closely.

 

[Nakosis]

I have read before that in a Muslim society they are supposed to allow other religions to exist but they have to pay some sort of tax. Personally I that seems like oppression if not compulsion.

From what I'm reading Mohammad started off thing diplomatic. He had to leave Mecca because his belief were not well received. So having no power his idealism was towards diplomacy and compromise. Obviously he was in no position to enforce his monotheism.

His diplomacy gave him recognition and support among other tribes. He formed alliances. He alliances gave him the power he needed to conquer Mecca. Now having the resources to enforce his monotheism his ideology changed to one of expansion.

The tax you refer to was done publicly and in a humiliating fashion. The non-Muslim when they paid their taxes were struck on the nape of the neck with a stick.

Islam took over much of Europe. It was only military might which stopped them. Islamic rule has lost ground. Now it is beneficial to show Mohammad during his diplomatic phase. Peace, tolerance and acceptance. It's tactical.

Islam is both a religion of peace and conquest. It started as diplomatic and tolerant when it was unable to enforce it's beliefs. Became a Jihad by the sword when it had the power and resources to do so. Now has positioned itself as a religion of peace out of self-preservation.

ISIS is an evolution of Islam. Feeling they have the resources to enforce Islamic rule. I don't know whether to be impressed at Mohammad's ability to put this kind of flexibility into his religion or it was just his natural ability to adapt to the circumstances at hand.

 

[outhouse]

When they deviate from the teachings of the religions; why should the religion be blamed for their faults.

Bad book that guides them.


Imagine that! you have a book made by a stealing, illiterate pedophile, raping warrior.


And the people 1500 years LATER!

You have a group of people the most illiterate in the world, who are the most violent, and treat their women like garbage.


DUDE the writing is on the wall :slap: wake up from the brainwashing. :slap:

 

[paarsurrey]

Was Islam spread by the sword?

No.

For example:

Spread of Islam in Circassians: [3]

History

Origins

The Adyghe people originate in the North Caucasus region, an area they are believed[by whom?] to have occupied as early as the Stone Age period, with traces of them dating back as far as 8000 BC.[citation needed] In about 4000 BC the Maykop culture flourished in the North Caucasus region and influenced all subsequent cultures in the North Caucasus region as well as other parts of the region that would become southern Russia. Archaeological findings, mainly of dolmens in North-West Caucasus region, indicate a megalithic culture in the region.[38]

The Adyghe kingdom originated about 400 BC.[38] After 460 AD, reports of "Utige" begin to feature in connection to a state established around Phanagoria, which grew into Old Great Bulgaria (632–668). After the collapse of this state under pressure from the Khazars, the Adyghe people did not seem to unite politically. This reduced their influence in the area and their ability to withstand periodic invasions from groups like the Mongols, Avars, Pechenegs, Huns, and Khazars.

Genetically, the Adyghe population has shared ancestry mainly with neighboring peoples of the Caucasus, with some influence from other regions.[39]

Medieval period

Christianity reached and spread throughout the Caucasus between the 4th century[40] and the 6th century[41] under Greek Byzantineinfluence and later through the Georgians between the 10th century and the 13th century. During that period, the Circassians (referred to in the medieval period as Kassogs) began to accept Christianity as their national religion, but did not fully adopt Christianity as elements of their ancient indigenous religious beliefs still survived. In the 15th century, under the influence of Crimean Tatars andOttoman clerics, the Circassians adopted Islam.

Most of the Mamluks were originally Georgian, Adyghe and Turkish slaves who were gathered by the Arab sultans to serve their kingdoms as a military force.[citation needed] Others, however, say that the Mamluks were mostly Cumans and Kipchaks.[citation needed]During the 13th century, the Mamluks seized power in Cairo, and as a result the Mamluk kingdom became the most influential kingdom in the Muslim world. The majority of the leaders of the Mamluk kingdom were of Adyghe origin.[citation needed] Even after Egypt was conquered by the Ottoman Turks, the Adyghes continued to rule in Egypt until the 18th century.[citation needed]

With the rise of Muhammad Ali Pasha, almost all the senior Mamluks were killed and the remaining Mamluks fled to Sudan.

Today, several thousand Adyghes reside in Egypt and they are the descendants of these Mamluks.[citation needed] Until the rise of Gamal Abdel Nasser in Egypt, the Adyghes were an elite group in the country. The single remaining exception is the Egyptian Abaza family that holds to this day an elite place in Egyptian society. It constitutes Egypt's largest family and largest Abazin minority. (See Abaza family.)

Large numbers of Circassians converted to Islam from Christianity in the 17th century.[42]

In Safavid and Qajar Persia,large numbers of Circassians were imported to Persia, where many enjoyed prestige in the Harems, the elite armies (the so-calledghulams), while others were deployed as craftsmen, labourers, farmers and regular soldiers. Many members of the Safavid nobility and elite had Circassian ancestry and Circassian dignitaries, such as Shah Abbas II and Shah Suleiman I.While traces of Circassian settlements remained in Persia/Iran up to the early 20th century, virtually all Circassians got absorbed into the population.[43]

However, there are still small communities of Circassians living in particular cities in Iran, like Tabriz and Tehran, and in the northern provinces of Gilan and Mazandaran.[44][45]

It has been estimated that some 200,000 slaves—mainly Circassians—were imported into the Ottoman Empire between 1800 and 1909.[46] The Circassian beautieswere desirable as concubines.[47]

Circassians - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


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

Regards

 

[Sees]

Was Islam spread by the sword?

No.

For example:

Spread of Islam in Circassians: [3]

History

Origins

The Adyghe people originate in the North Caucasus region, an area they are believed[by whom?] to have occupied as early as the Stone Age period, with traces of them dating back as far as 8000 BC.[citation needed] In about 4000 BC the Maykop culture flourished in the North Caucasus region and influenced all subsequent cultures in the North Caucasus region as well as other parts of the region that would become southern Russia. Archaeological findings, mainly of dolmens in North-West Caucasus region, indicate a megalithic culture in the region.[38]

The Adyghe kingdom originated about 400 BC.[38] After 460 AD, reports of "Utige" begin to feature in connection to a state established around Phanagoria, which grew into Old Great Bulgaria (632–668). After the collapse of this state under pressure from the Khazars, the Adyghe people did not seem to unite politically. This reduced their influence in the area and their ability to withstand periodic invasions from groups like the Mongols, Avars, Pechenegs, Huns, and Khazars.

Genetically, the Adyghe population has shared ancestry mainly with neighboring peoples of the Caucasus, with some influence from other regions.[39]

Medieval period

Christianity reached and spread throughout the Caucasus between the 4th century[40] and the 6th century[41] under Greek Byzantineinfluence and later through the Georgians between the 10th century and the 13th century. During that period, the Circassians (referred to in the medieval period as Kassogs) began to accept Christianity as their national religion, but did not fully adopt Christianity as elements of their ancient indigenous religious beliefs still survived. In the 15th century, under the influence of Crimean Tatars andOttoman clerics, the Circassians adopted Islam.

Most of the Mamluks were originally Georgian, Adyghe and Turkish slaves who were gathered by the Arab sultans to serve their kingdoms as a military force.[citation needed] Others, however, say that the Mamluks were mostly Cumans and Kipchaks.[citation needed]During the 13th century, the Mamluks seized power in Cairo, and as a result the Mamluk kingdom became the most influential kingdom in the Muslim world. The majority of the leaders of the Mamluk kingdom were of Adyghe origin.[citation needed] Even after Egypt was conquered by the Ottoman Turks, the Adyghes continued to rule in Egypt until the 18th century.[citation needed]

With the rise of Muhammad Ali Pasha, almost all the senior Mamluks were killed and the remaining Mamluks fled to Sudan.

Today, several thousand Adyghes reside in Egypt and they are the descendants of these Mamluks.[citation needed] Until the rise of Gamal Abdel Nasser in Egypt, the Adyghes were an elite group in the country. The single remaining exception is the Egyptian Abaza family that holds to this day an elite place in Egyptian society. It constitutes Egypt's largest family and largest Abazin minority. (See Abaza family.)

Large numbers of Circassians converted to Islam from Christianity in the 17th century.[42]

In Safavid and Qajar Persia,large numbers of Circassians were imported to Persia, where many enjoyed prestige in the Harems, the elite armies (the so-calledghulams), while others were deployed as craftsmen, labourers, farmers and regular soldiers. Many members of the Safavid nobility and elite had Circassian ancestry and Circassian dignitaries, such as Shah Abbas II and Shah Suleiman I.While traces of Circassian settlements remained in Persia/Iran up to the early 20th century, virtually all Circassians got absorbed into the population.[43]

However, there are still small communities of Circassians living in particular cities in Iran, like Tabriz and Tehran, and in the northern provinces of Gilan and Mazandaran.[44][45]

It has been estimated that some 200,000 slaves—mainly Circassians—were imported into the Ottoman Empire between 1800 and 1909.[46] The Circassian beautieswere desirable as concubines.[47]

Circassians - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


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

Regards

The mentioned Muslim kingdoms, military forces, etc. seizing power had nothing to do with it?! :areyoucra

Much sword is suggested - life and status being suboptimal by not submitting to or joining up with the ruling and dominating group is hardly a compulsion-free atmosphere.

Your apologist goggles are greatly interfering with your perception.

 

[outhouse]

... he's an idiot. Plain and simple.

Please don't use name calling.

While I may think your right or claim his age has something to do.

Your promoting others like me, to use the same tactic and it does not work or help anything here.

Im trying to stop this.

 

[YmirGF]

... he's an idiot. Plain and simple.

Intellectually challenged, perhaps, but an idiot? No. Not by a long short.

 

[YmirGF]

Yeah, I guess you're right. It takes some skill, at the very least that is, to continue spamming this thread by copying and pasting nonstop. By the way, what country is he on now?

It falls under the banner of "The lady doth protest too much, methinks!"

 

[paarsurrey]

Circassians are a community/ethnic group of people not a country now:

The Circassians are a North Caucasian ethnic group[20] native to Circassia, who were displaced in the course of the Russian conquest of the Caucasus in the 19th century, especially after the Russian–Circassian War in 1864. The term "Circassian" includes the Adyghe (Circassian: Адыгэ, Adyge) and Kabardian people.[21]

Circassians - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Circassia (Adyghe: Адыгэ Хэку,[1] Russian: Черке́сия, Georgian: ჩერქეზეთი, Arabic: شيركاسيا‎[2]) is a region and historical country in the North Caucasus and along the northeast shore of the Black Sea. It is the ancestral homeland of the Circassian people.
Name[edit]

The name Circassia is a Latinisation of Cherkess, the Turkic name for the Adyghe people, and originated in the 15th century with medieval Genoese merchants and travellers to Circassia.[3][4] The name Cherkess is traditionally applied to the Adyghe by neighbouring Turkic peoples (principally Crimean Tatars[5] and Ottoman Turks[6]).

Another historical name for the country was Zyx of the Zygii. The Zygii have been described by the ancient Greekintellectual Strabo as a nation to the north of Colchis but sources are contradictory and the name probably referred to western Chechen tribes.

At the end of the 15th century a detailed description of Circassia and of its inhabitants was made by Genoese traveler and ethnographer Giorgio Interiano.[7]

Circassia - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Regards

 

[gnostic]

When we speak off Islam being "spread by the sword", paarsurrey, we mean spread through conquests or invasions, and settling in lands don't belong to Muslim Arabs, Turks, Mameluks, etc.

It is strange how you keep quoting wiki articles in which they do invade other countries, but ignore them.

The Arab sultans took Circassian land (in Caucasus, which included Georgia), and took Circassians as slaves, and turning them into warrior caste - the Mamluks, which the same Mamluks later took Egypt.

But the Mamluks were the original Muslim invaders of Egypt, were they?

Umar was the caliph who sent Arabs to invade Egypt in 639. And Egypt had gone through several dynasties of Arab-Persian rulers, before the Mamluks (for the Abbasid caliphate) took Egypt (in 1252), which was then under the Ayyubid dynasty.

The successions of Muslim dynasties, showed that they fight among themselves, as well as against non-Muslims, like the crusaders. And when Egypt was under one caliph (or sultan) or another, Egypt was often governed by governors.

But whoever were in power, there were Copt rebellions against Muslim rules and taxations. Although the Copts accepted Arab rule, after the Byzantines were kicked out, the Copts clearly regretted having accept Arabs into their land. The 1st revolt by the Copts began in 725.

The Copts were native Egyptians who converted to Christianity during the 400s. But they became 2nd-citizens in their own country, since the 1st Islamic conquest.

Arabs, Persians, Mamluks, Ottoman Turks were invaders of Egypt. How are they any different to the Romans and Byzantines before the Muslims arrived?

 

[paarsurrey]

Yet the trouble arises when the teachings are followed too closely.

Not because of following the teachings too closely but taking them out of context for doing politics in the name of religion.


Regards

 

[icehorse]

Yet the trouble arises when the teachings are followed too closely.

From what I've been told, when reading this perfect book, you can't just read the words in front of your eyeballs... you must jump forwards and backwards, picking up the correct context, and of course you must never forget the culture of the day, AND whether this verse was revealed in Mecca or Medina, before or after some battle, and remember, IT'S ETERNAL, jeez, how hard can it be, it's perfect after all!

 

[Sees]

From what I've been told, when reading this perfect book, you can't just read the words in front of your eyeballs... you must jump forwards and backwards, picking up the correct context, and of course you must never forget the culture of the day, AND whether this verse was revealed in Mecca or Medina, before or after some battle, and remember, IT'S ETERNAL, jeez, how hard can it be, it's perfect after all!