It is true that after the death of the Prophet Muhammad (SAW), the forces of Islam under the Khulafa Rashidun spread to the former Byzantine Empire and into the Maghrib of North Africa (later crossing into Spain via the Straits of Gibraltar). The spread may have been done by conquest as was the practice of Empires in those days, but the staying power of Islam in these places was brought about by an understanding of cultures, with Islam accommodating the knowledge and culture of the conquered territories. The works of the Greek philosophers were translated into Arabic and preserved for Renaissance Europe to later put into positive use. Scientific inquiries, sometimes sourced from other civilizations, prospered. This demonstrates how Islam is monotheistic but never monolithic in character. Understanding and enlightenment, not force and violence, are the keys to lasting peace.
Posted on: Mon, 16 Sep 2013 02:54:17 +0000
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