Was Islam spread by the sword? 2 of 5

In response to Pope Benedicts comments on Islam and Prophet Muhammad PBUH

Allah (God) says in the Glorious Quran:
"Let there be no compulsion in religion: Truth stands out clear from error" [Al-Qur'an, Surah 2 Ayah 256].

Traditionally Muslims have treated other religions with respect, even when they were in a position to use force.

Muslims ruled Spain for about 800 years. During these 800 years, until Muslims were finally forced out by the crusaders, non-Muslims flourished in Spain. Muslims have ruled Arabia for 1400 years, except for brief periods of British and French rule. Yet there are today 14 million Arabs who are Coptic Christians whose families have been Christians going back several generations.

The Muslims ruled India for about a thousand years. They had the power to forcibly convert each and every non-Muslim of India to Islam. Today more than 80% of the population of India is non-Muslim. All these non-Muslim Indians are bearing witness to the fact that Islam was not spread by the sword.

An article in Reader's Digest Almanac', year book 1986, gave the statistics of the increase of percentage of the major religions of the world in half a century from 1934 to 1984. This article also appeared in The Plain Truth' magazine. At the top was Islam, which increased by 235%, and Christianity had increased only by 47%. May one ask, Which war took place in this century which converted millions of people to Islam?

Indonesia is a country that has the maximum number of Muslims in the world. The majority of people in Malaysia are Muslims. Similarly, Islam has spread rapidly on the East Coast of Africa. May one ask, "Which Muslim army went to Indonesia and Malaysia, and to the East coast of Africa?"

Today the fastest growing religion in America and in Europe is Islam. Which sword is forcing people in the West to accept Islam in such large numbers?

It seems that the people who dont understand Islam dont understand Islam is the truth which clearly explains the rapid growth, however they dont want to admit that so they try to attack with falsehood and blow out of proportion.

Allah (God) says in the Glorious Quran:
And say: "Truth has come and falsehood has vanished. Surely falsehood is ever bound to vanish." [Al-Qur'an, Surah 17 Ayah 81].

http://www.whyislam.org/SocialOrder/Jihad/WasIslamSpreadBytheSword/tabid/116/...

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