Contrary to media propaganda: 6. The Spread of Islam - Yale University yale.edu/yup/pdf/cim6.pdf The famous jihad, or holy war described by the prophet Muhammad, wa s mainly used for defense of the faith, not forced conve r s i o n, though there were ex c e pt i o n s. But the success of Muslim armies could create a context in which other people found it prudent to conve r t, or in which they were attracted to the religion simply because of its manifest power and triumph. In other instances, Islam spread through more spontaneous conversions as people learn e d of it through trade and missionary activity. The religion was clearly attractive, with an explicit set of beliefs about what to do and what not to do in order to win access to h e aven and avoid a lamentable eternity in h e l l. It appealed to lowe r-class groups because of its commitment to charity and spiritual equality; it also legitimated merchant activity more than did most belief systems at the time, and so could attract traders,The cultural and political achievements of Islam d r ew people eager to advance their societies in a variety of way s, including religious ones.....
Posted on: Sun, 05 Oct 2014 19:16:19 +0000
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