Islam, in the tenth century, was the main religion, or at least, the religion of the majority of peoples in an area covering more than half of the civilized world stretching over three continents from the Pyrenees and Siberia in West and North Europe to the farthest end of Asia, up to China and New Guinea in the East; from Morocco in North Africa to the southern tip of Africa, covering two-thirds of the African continent. It is one of the most striking facts of human history that the spread of Islam over such a vast area took place within three centuries.
Most striking of all, within half a century after the Hijra, Islam had already conquered the whole of North Africa from Egypt to Morocco, all the Middle Eastern lands from Yemen to Caucasia and from Egypt to the lands beyond Transoxiana. It was during the reign of the third Caliph Usman, that the Muslim envoys reached the Chinese Palace where they were welcomed enthusiastically, an important event marking, according to the historians, the beginning of Islam’s entry into this country. There are many reasons why peoples have been, from past to the present, so ready to embrace Islam, those pointed out by Muhammad Asad, a Jewish convert to Islam, probably being the foremost:
1:- Perfect Architecture
‘Islam appears to me like a perfect work of architecture. All its parts are harmoniously conceived to complement and support each other, nothing lacking, with the result of an absolute balance and solid composure. Everything in the teaching and, postulates of Islam is in its proper place. Islam gave women the right to getting an education.
2:- Tolerance of Islam
The tolerance of Islam is another factor in the spread of Islam. Toynbee praises this tolerance towards the People of the Book after comparing it with the attitude of the Christians towards Muslims and Jews in their lands. (A Historian’s Approach to Religion, p.246).
3:- Muslims Behavior
The Muslims’ attitude towards the people they conquered is quite clear in the instructions given by the rightly-guided Caliphs: ‘Always keep fear of God in your mind; remember that you cannot afford to do anything without His grace. Do not forget that Islam is a mission of peace and love. Keep the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) before you as a model of bravery and piety. Do not destroy fruit-trees nor fertile fields in your paths. Be just, and spare the feelings of the vanquished.
Respect all religious persons who live in hermitages or convents and spare their edifices. Do not kill civilians. Do not outrage the chastity of women and the honor of the conquered. Do not harm old people and children. Do not accept any gifts from the civil population of any place. Do not billet your soldiers or officers in the houses of civilians. Do not forget to perform your daily prayers. Fear of God. Remember that death will inevitably come to every one of you some time or other, even if you are thousands of miles away from a battlefield; therefore be always ready to face death.
4:- Other Religious Qualities
The main religious qualities which attracted people to Islam were:
(i) The simplicity of the theological doctrines of Islam based on the Divine Unity.
(ii) The rationalism of the Islamic teachings.
(iii) The complete harmony of the Islamic ideals and values with human conscience.
(iv) The inclusiveness and comprehensives of Islam, covering all aspects of the physical, mental, and spiritual life of individuals and societies, hence the harmony of religion and life which it established.
(v) the lack of formalism and mediation;
(vi) the vividness, dynamism, and resilience of the Islamic theology, and its creativity, and its compatibility with established scientific facts;
(vii) the cohesion and harmony of the Islamic principles, and
(viii) the shortcomings of other theological systems.
Noorani Travel Ltd is a Hajj & Umrah travel agent in the United Kingdom. We take pride in presenting the true face of Islam before our readers. Moreover, we also educate Muslims on how to perform Umrah & how to perform other Ibadah. So, if you are looking for any information regarding Islam, you can definitely find something in our archives.
source: fountainmagazine.com
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