| Islam was spread by the sword. Facts v/s fiction This statement for some reason puts most Muslims in a state of confusion, because they have heard about the history of Islam very lightly. They know that the prophet, peace be upon him went for many battles, sent his sahaba to raid caravans and to execute prisoners of war in certain cases such as the beheading of almost 900 jewish men after they were conquered. The Muslims also know about the conquest of Makkah which ended up in peace and forgiveness except for a few people. They heard about the expeditions of the rightly guided Khalifs to conquer eastern Europe, northern Africa and Persia. And yet, they do not want to mention these facts because they are afraid they might be called 'terrorists'. They say that jihaad is only self-defence. These are called the defeatist Muslims who live in denial of their own history. However, this topic needs to be examined in more details. It is a fact that the early Muslims went with their swords into the lands of the enemies, but it is fiction that the ennemies were made to accept Islaam by the sword. Instead they came by themselves. It is known from the Qur'an that there is no compulsion in religion and that the jizyah (tax) should be payed by non-Muslims who live in Muslim lands. Muslim (3261) narrated that Buraydah said: When the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) appointed a commander to lead an army or a raiding party, he would advise him to fear Allaah with regard to himself and the Muslims with him, then he said: �Fight in the name of Allaah and for the sake of Allaah. Fight those who disbelieve in Allaah, fight but do not steal from the war booty (before it is shared out), betray, or mutilate. Do not kill children. If you meet your enemy of the mushrikeen, call them to three things, and whichever one of them they respond to, accept that from them and leave them alone. Then call them to Islam and if they respond, accept that from them and leave them alone. If they refuse but they pay the jizyah, then they have responded to you, so accept that from them and leave them alone. If they refuse then seek the help of Allaah and fight them�� Our purpose is to worship Allah alone and to make sure Allah alone is worshipped. Hence Islaam is not a joke or something of secondary importance or some kind past time. Islaam is serious and the disbelievers dont understand that seriousness until they see the Muslim army on the horizon. This has been proven again and again throughout history. Narrated by Ahmad: "I have been sent ahead if the hour with the sword so that Allah is worshipped alone, and my provision has been placed under the shade of my spear, and humiliation has been decreed for those who go against my command, and whoever imitates a people is one of them" Hence the fact that jihaad was a means of spreading the message of Islaam is not a source of shame, rather it is one of its strengths and virtues, because it makes people adhere to that which will benefit them in this world and in the Hereafter. It is narrated from Bukhari and Muslim: that Sahl ibn Sa�d (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said on the day of Khaybar: �Tomorrow I will give the banner to a man at whose hands victory will come, one who loves Allaah and His Messenger, and Allaah and His Messenger love him.� The people spent that night wondering which of them would be given the banner and all of them were hoping for it. Then he (the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)) said, �Where is �Ali?� It was said, �His eye is hurting.� So he spat in his eyes and made du�aa� for him, and he was healed, as if there had not been anything wrong with him. Then he gave him the flag and he [�Ali] said: �Shall I fight them so that they will be like us?� He said: �Go ahead, until you reach their encampment, then call them to Islam and tell them what they are obliged to do, for by Allaah if Allaah were to guide a man at your hands that would be better for you than having red camels [the best kind].� And so, this call to Islaam was accompanied by the sword. Now, Jihaad remains obligatory as it was 1400 years ago because the Quran and hadeeth is our Guide until the day of Judgement and will never be outdated.These past centuries, the Muslims neglected Islaam because they assumed that they will always remain a power. Instead of continuing with the ways of the salaf, they started to indulge in activities which on the surface looks like Islaam, but when carefully examined is only their invention and desires. But it is clear from the hadeeth that Islaam will go up again. In fact, it already is, when at this moment itself Muslims are regrouping and learning the authentic teachings of Islaam. This Islaamic revival is a sign of the Last hour. And the ahadeeths mention that Muslims will conquer the lands again by the sword. Nowadays, young and old are realizing the true meaning and importance of Jihaad. In the past, non-muslims have made us believe that Jihaad meant going around with a sword looking for disbelievers to kill. And we fell in the trap. But now we understand that it is to bring peace and justice to the world. It is not to kill people but to bring the message of Islaam into their lands by force. And Islaam is peace. There is no doubt about the great battles against the Jews and then the Christians as proven by authentic hadeeth. These will take place in the presence of the mahdi and Esa, peace be upon him. Now, if you choose to be one of the defeatist Muslims, you have to reconsider your Islaam. You have 2 choices: to be on the side of the dajjal or to be in the group of the mahdi and Esa, 'alaihi salaam. There won't be any middle (or neutral) path anymore. If you choose to be in the group of Muslims, then sharpen your swords now because you will have to fight the disbelieving armies. But Esa, 'alaihi salaam will be the one to kill the dajjal. If you want to know where the Muslims army will come from, know that it is mentionned in authentic hadeeth of Ibn Majah, Al-Hakim and Ahmad that "if you see the black banners coming from khurasaan (Afghanistan), go to them immediately because the Caliph, Al-Mahdi is amongst them. It is only a matter of time now because the black banners are non other than the mujaahideen and inshaa-Allah, Russian communists, Western crusaders and Jewish state zionists will not be able to defeat them. It says in Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daa�imah (12/14): Islam spread by means of proof and evidence to those who listened to the message and responded to it, and it spread by means of force and the sword to those who were stubborn and arrogant, until they were overwhelmed and became no longer stubborn, and submitted to that reality. www.geocities.com/revivislam |