islamic-jihad-legacy-of-forced-conversion-imperialism-slavery

Islamic Jihadonly five years before Muhammad’s own mission, must have had impacted his inspiration and resolve forestablishing a monotheistic creed among the misguided idolaters of Mecca.Christian thoughts in IslamThe suggestion that Muhammad was strongly influenced by Christian theology, and that he was possiblytrained in it prior to his prophetic mission, is reflected in the fact that many concepts of Christianity were latercopied in the Quran as the divine verses from Allah. The Prophet had evidently copied the existing style ofprayer rituals of the Christian monks. When Muhammad sent away a number of his followers to settle inAbyssinia in 615, they were honorably received and protected by the Christian king there. According to Al-Tabari, the emigrants later said, ‘‘We came to Abyssinia and were hospitably lodged by the best of hosts. Wehad security to practice our religion’’ without being persecuted or hearing unpleasant words. 113 This eventhad evidently created a favorable impression of Christianity in Muhammad’s mind as judged from the factthat verses revealed by Allah from this time onwards started giving a very good appraisal of Christianity (alsoJudaism). This trend continued until the first year after Muhammad’s relocation to Medina.In the Quran, Allah addresses Jesus: ‘I will make those who follow thee superior to those who rejectfaith, to the Day of Resurrection’ [Quran 3:55]. The Quran also records that Christians are free from pride andmost inclined to entertain feelings of friendship toward Muslims [Quran 5:82], which clearly referred to theAbyssinia king’s hospitality to Muslim exiles. Following his triumphant entry into Mecca in January 630,Muhammad ordered the destruction of the idols and erasure of the paintings from the walls and pillars. Theeffigies of Abraham and Ishmael, as already noted, were also destroyed. But Muhammad protected the imageof Mary and infant Jesus by placing his hand over it.Parallel Biblical passages in the Quran: Muhammad did not only absorb Christian rituals and ideas,but he also copied many passages from the Bible almost as such or with minor modifications. A few suchinstances are listed here: 1141. ‘The righteous shall inherit the earth’ [Quran 21:105] was taken directly from the Bible [Ps37:29]2. A verse from Mark’s Gospel reads: ‘For the earth bringeth forth fruit of herself; first theblade, then the ear and after that the full corn of the ear’ [Mark 4:28]. The Quran renders itthus: ‘They are the seeds that putteth forth its stalk, then straighten it and its growth in theear and riseth upon its stem’ [Quran 48:29].3. Jesus said: ‘it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich manto enter the kingdom of heaven’ [Matt. 19:24]. According to the Quran, ‘Heaven’s gatesshall not open to those who charge us with falsehood, nor shall they enter paradise until acamel passeth through the eye of a needle’ [Quran 7:40].4. On the Day of Judgment, says the Bible, ‘the heavens shall roll together into a scroll’ [Isa.34:4]. The Quran says, ‘On that day will we roll up the heavens as one rolleth up writtenscrolls’ [Quran 21:104].5. ‘Where two or three person meet together in my name, there am I in the midst of them,’ saysthe Bible [Matt. 18:20]. The Quran puts it: ‘Three persons cannot meet together secretly butGod is the fourth’ [Quran 58:7].113. Al-Tabari, Vol. VI, p. 99.114. Ibid, p. 9343