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Was
Islam Spread By The Sword In China ? May.15, 2009 in History Have you ever heard the statement that Islam was
spread by the sword ? No doubt if your a Muslim many a time such a comment has
been hurled in your general direction. The notion that Islam was spread by the
sword has become embedded into the very essence of the western discourse
surrounding Islam. Even great personalities have fallen into the misconception.
Pope Benedict XVI is a fine example of someone falling prey to such an error.
He quoted the Byzantine Emperor Manuel II Palaiologos in a speech. The Emperor
had made the assertion that Islam was spread by the sword. So how far is this
contention that Islam was spread by the sword true ? Ask any anti-Islam bigot whether Islam was spread by
the sword and the answer usually comes back you betcha ! In reality a great
deal of the spread of Islam was not done through military conquest but rather
through the interaction of Muslims with non-Muslims. As the following article
proves in the case of China. An Elderly Hui Man In China Islam entered China by way of Arab and Persian
merchants. These merchants were given permission by successive Chinese ruling
dynasties to establish communities in which Islam thrived : “It was in the mid 7th century, not long after
Mohammed died, that Arabic envoys and merchants began to bring Islam to the
Middle Kingdom. Arabic and Persian merchants reached Southern and Southwestern
China by sea, and reached Chang’an, today’s Xi’an through the Silk Road. With the permission of the Tang (AD 618-907) and
Song (960-1127) dynasties, Arabs and Persians established communities in the
cities of Guangzhou, Yangzhou, Quanzhou, Hangzhou, Chang’an, Kaifeng, and
Luoyang. Abiding by Chinese laws, they kept their religion but intermarried with
Chinese.” [Source: About Xinjiang] In truth historically this was the manner in which a
great many people converted to Islam.
Such a reality does not play well with the bigots prejudices,
sensibilities nor their political
goals, as a result they either cover it
up or belittle it. This done in an effort to stoke the flames of fear and
hatred between non-Muslims and Muslims. Image by Wlodek Cieciura http://islam-west.com/2009/05/islam-spread-by-sword-china.html |
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