how did islam spread

The history of the spread of Islam spans approximately 1,446 years. The Islamic conquests following the death of the Prophet Muhammad led to the emergence of the Islamic Caliphate, which undertook the mission of spreading Islam across a vast geographic area through Islamic conquests.

Conversion to Islam was fostered by missionary activities, particularly those undertaken by imams, who mingled with the local population to disseminate religious teachings. This early Caliphate, coupled with the Islamic economy and trade, the Islamic Golden Age, and the era of Islamic conquests, led to the spread of Islam beyond Mecca toward the Indian, Atlantic, and Pacific Oceans, creating the Islamic world.

How Did Islam Spread?

The religion of Islam spread rapidly through the following methods:

Jihad with wisdom and good preaching

The Messenger, peace and blessings be upon him, began jihad in Mecca with preaching, kindness, and wisdom. He, peace and blessings be upon him, and his noble companions faced great harm from the polytheists during the jihad, which led them to migrate from Mecca to Medina.

There, a number of parties formed, including those with a treaty, hypocrites, and others. The Messenger, peace and blessings be upon him, treated these groups with kindness and wisdom. He respected the treaties with which he had made treaties and treated the hypocrites as they appeared. He only initiated war against those who persisted in their disbelief and stubbornness and who did not respect the treaty.

Commitment to Islamic Ethics

Good morals are enough to encourage non-Muslims to convert to Islam. When merchants traveled to many countries, they treated people with dignity and poise. Their behavior became noticeable to the people, who would ask them about the reason for this.

They would respond by saying that it was Islamic behavior, which led to the conversion of many of them to Islam. Since good behavior played a major role in converting to Islam and calling to Allah, Muslims must possess good morals, have knowledge of the true religion.

And be well-versed in the matters of calling to Allah. Furthermore, the one calling to Allah must be a role model; he must not command what is right while doing the opposite, nor forbid what is wrong while doing it. Allah Almighty says:
(وَمَنْ أَحْسَنُ قَوْلاً مِّمَّن دَعَآ إِلَى الله وَعَمِلَ صَالِحاً وَقَالَ إِنَّنِي مِنَ المسلمين)

It contains rulings that bring happiness to humanity

Islam spread due to its organized rulings and regulations, which attracted people to embrace it. It did not spread by the strength of those who believed in it. It is worth noting that the laws contained in the Qur’an bring happiness to others, as they encompass all the rulings.

Furthermore, it is the only religion that Allah has accepted as a religion, as it eliminates all the principles of anxiety, fear, and control that capitalism, socialism, and others have perpetuated. Islam is the only religion that has eliminated all forms of discrimination based on ranks and classes.

It came and abolished these groups, due to their arrogance and haughtiness, which contradict Islamic law. This means that Islam considers a person’s intentions and actions, not their lineage and essence. Evidence of this is the Almighty’s statement:
(وَقُلِ اعْمَلُوا فَسَيَرَى اللَّهُ عَمَلَكُمْ وَرَسُولُهُ وَالْمُؤْمِنُونَ ۖ وَسَتُرَدُّونَ إِلَىٰ عَالِمِ الْغَيْبِ وَالشَّهَادَةِ فَيُنَبِّئُكُم بِمَا كُنتُمْ تَعْمَلُونَ)

There is no compulsion in religion

The general principle of Muslims is not to force others to convert to Islam by force or coercion. Rather, Islam is based on proof and evidence. Allah Almighty says: “لا إِكْراهَ فِي الدِّينِ.” The verse came to clarify that whoever embraces faith does so by his own free will, and whoever chooses disbelief does so also by his own choice.

However, Allah Almighty loves only faith and its people. It is worth noting that a disbelieving person is not met with threats of death if he does not convert to Islam. Rather, he pays the jizya and is left alone. Perhaps they will love Islam later and convert to it. However, if the disbeliever persists in his stubbornness and arrogance by confronting Muslims with killing, then they are then fought.

The Spread of Islam During the Era of the Prophet

Islam emerged with the beginning of the revelation to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). As soon as the revelation descended upon him (peace and blessings be upon him), and he went to Waraqa ibn Nawfal with his great wife Khadija (may Allah be pleased with her).

And he realized that he was the Prophet of this nation, he began, by the command of his Lord (Glory be to Him), to call people to the truth. His wife Khadija (may Allah be pleased with her), Abu Bakr al-Siddiq (may Allah be pleased with him), his cousin Ali (may Allah be pleased with him), and his freed slave Zayd (may Allah be pleased with him) all embraced Islam.

Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) tells us about the beginning of revelation: The first thing the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) experienced in his prophethood was true dreams. He would see dreams that would come true just as he saw them. Then, he became fond of seclusion. He would enjoy solitude in the Cave of Hira for several days each month. While he was in one of these seclusions, Gabriel (peace be upon him) descended upon him and said, “Read.” Gabriel replied, “I am not a reader,” and repeated it three times. Then he recited the first five verses of Surat Al-Alaq.

After that, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) returned fearfully to his home. His wife, Khadija (may Allah be pleased with her), calmed him down and took him to her cousin, Waraqa ibn Nawfal, who had converted to Christianity during the pre-Islamic period. Waraqa informed him that he was the prophet of this nation and that his people would oppose him because of this.

1.The Secret Call

It was wise to begin the call to the nascent religion away from the paganism that dominated Mecca. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) began spreading the true religion among those closest to him, as mentioned earlier. His Companions, who responded to the call, did the same, led by Abu Bakr al-Siddiq (may Allah be pleased with him), who embraced Islam along with a group of early converts. Due to his beloved qualities, this phase lasted for three years.

2.The Public Call Phase

After a nucleus of early Muslims had formed during the first three years of the call, Allah Almighty commanded His Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) to proclaim the call publicly. The call began to spread among the people, despite the enormous difficulties that hindered the spread of the truth.

3.The Migration to Medina

The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) migrated with his friend, Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him), to Yathrib, after most of his noble companions (may Allah be pleased with them) had already migrated. When he arrived in Yathrib, it was renamed Medina. He began to establish the greatest state across time and space, including the following:
He began by building the mosque, establishing brotherhood between the Muhajireen and Ansar, and drafting a document detailing the duties and rights of the city’s inhabitants.
The conquest of Hudaybiyyah and the conquest of Mecca had the greatest impact on this, with the Muslim influence extending to the borders of Persia and Rome.
Confrontations with the Romans occurred, in which the Muslims proved themselves to be a force to be reckoned with.
Several armed confrontations took place between the Islamic State, led by the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), and the infidel Quraysh. The most prominent of these were the Battles of Badr, Uhud, the Trench, and Hudaybiyyah, leading up to the conquest of Mecca.
Confrontations also took place between Muslims and neighboring powers, particularly the Jews.

The Spread of Islam During the Era of the Companions

After his death, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) left behind a vast empire that encompassed the entire Arabian Peninsula. He left it to men who carried it out in the best possible way. The first Caliph, Abu Bakr al-Siddiq, began by bringing people back to the truth, after most of those who had converted to Islam during the time of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) had apostatized.

He then set about conquering lands that had not yet been touched by the religion. With rare skill, he (may Allah be pleased with him) was able to completely sweep away the Persian Empire in Iraq, while simultaneously purging most of the Levant of the Roman presence.

Then came Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) to launch conquests east and west, finally eliminating the Persians, until the horses of the conquerors reached Egypt, North Africa, and elsewhere. The conquerors freed the people from their oppressive rulers and left them to learn about the true religion. Thus, people entered the religion of Allah in droves.

Factors in the Spread of Islam

Speaking of How did islam spread?There are many factors that helped in the spread of Islam, including the following:

Individual Call to Islam

Individual call to Islam occurs through personal contact with the target audience. Whoever wants to spread Islam and finds it within themselves to do so, there is nothing wrong with taking the initiative to invite others to Islam by meeting with them in their homes, forums, or gatherings, and conveying to them the message of Islam and the monotheism, virtues, and morals it calls for.

Spreading Islam through leaflets

Leaflets and brochures that introduce the religion of Islam contribute significantly to spreading Islam by introducing others to it. There is no doubt that this method is one of the most beneficial, easiest, and fastest ways to reach those targeted.

A Good Role Model in Life

A Muslim who sets an example and model of good morals in his life and dealings contributes to the spread of Islam. This method proved effective, especially in the early centuries of Islam, when Muslim merchants contributed to the conversion of many non-Muslims to Islam when they learned about the tolerance of the religion and the ethics of Muslims in dealing and trade, far removed from deception and fraud.

Islamic Conquests

Islamic conquests in the past contributed significantly to the spread of Islam. Undoubtedly, this approach is currently impossible due to the state of the Islamic nation. It is possible in situations of strength and empowerment, where Muslims possess the power and strength to intimidate their enemies.

Summary

Islam spread among people through various means, including calling to Allah with wisdom and good preaching, as the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) did when he stayed in Mecca for thirteen years calling people to Islam. Islam also spread through persuasion. Tribal leaders in Medina were convinced of Islam and pledged allegiance to the Prophet in the First and Second Pledges of Aqaba.

This also occurred when the Tatars, who had been victorious over the Muslims, converted to Islam in a precedent unprecedented in history, when the victorious embraced the religion of the defeated.

Good examples contributed to people’s response to the call to Islam and their conversion to it in droves. People looked at the character of Muslims, the character of the state, and the integrity of its systems, and were influenced by them and accepted them willingly.