Islam_in_Focus_text

nomenon that some of the "conquered" people not only wel-
comed the "invading" Muslims but also fought on their side
against the oppressors? How would they conceive the pros-
perity, freedom and progress of the "invaded" regions under
Islam, in comparison to what had prevailed therein before?
We are not ascertaining any particular point of view on
the matter or making any hasty conclusions. We simply be-
lieve that the question is worth reconsidering and deserves
serious investigation. The findings will certainly be interest-
ing and significant. Perhaps a Western mind can understand
better, if the whole matter is eonsidered in the light of the
prevailing conditions in today's world.
The deep concern of the Western Allies over Berlin, the
appeals of the oppressed everywhere, the anxiety of the
South Koreans, the fears of the Laotians, the NATO busi-
ness, the SEATO affairs, the instability of the Communist
Satellites- all that niay help the Western mind to understand
the events of those remote centuries and the actual policies
of the Muslims of those days.
4. The idea that Muslim wars in the outside world were
motivated by economic needs of the Arabs is worth consid-
ering too. Although seemingly certain of their own assump-
tions, the upholders of such an idea have not really studied
the case seriously. Do they honestly think that the economic
needs were the reasons to urge Muslims to cross their Arabi-