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

Islamic Jihadthere. Having revived from its effect, Muhammad became suspicious of what he had been made to drink andordered all the women in the chamber to take the same medicine. In his presence, the medicine was pouredinto each woman’s mouth.The conversation on the Abyssinian remedy moved to Abyssinia itself. Two of his wives, UmmSalama and Umm Habiba, both having been exiles in that country, spoke of the beautiful cathedral of Mariathere and the wonderful pictures on its walls. Overhearing this, an exasperated Muhammad cried out: ‘‘TheLord, destroy the Jews and Christians. Let the Lord’s anger be kindled against them. Let there remainthroughout Arabia no faith except Islam.’’ 119 This dying wish of the Prophet was carried out to conclusion byhis immediate successors by expelling the Jews and Christians from Arabia.Muhammad’s threatening missives to Christian rulersIn 628, when Muhammad was not strong enough even to capture Mecca, he sent emissaries proclaiming hisprophethood to the distant Arab kings of Yamama, Oman and Bahrain, summoning them to embrace Islam.Responses from Oman and Bahrain were non-committal. Hauda ibn Ali, the Christian head of Yamama, themost powerful man in Arabia, sought a share in Muhammad’s prophethood. On receiving the reply,Muhammad cursed him and Hauda died after a year. Missives, demanding conversion to Islam, were also sentto powerful foreign Christian rulers: Emperor Heraclius of Rome (Constantinople), Ghassanid Prince HarithVII and the Christian governor of Egypt. His missives at Rome and Ghassan were received with scorn and asan "emissary of a madman". The Roman governor of Egypt did not embrace Islam but returned a friendlyreply along with two beautiful slave-girls (sisters) as a gift to Muhammad. The Prophet added the younger,beautiful Maria the Copt to his harem as a sex-slave.Muhammad’s expeditions against ChristiansLater on, when Muslims achieved power, Muhammad launched military campaigns against all those kingswho had rejected his missives. But satisfied with the prized gift, Maria the Copt, he never launched an attackagainst Egypt, although his successors did after his death.In September 629, Muhammad sent a strong force of 3,000 Jihadis to Muta, a Christian borderdistrictin Syria. Muhammad instructed his commanders to summon the Christians to embrace Islam, and ifthey refused, to draw the sword against them in the name of Allah. The Christians had assembled a large forceto confront the Muslim aggressors. In the battle, Muslims suffered severe losses: two leading Muslimgenerals, Zayd and Jafar, were slain. Only Khalid ibn Walid’s brilliant maneuvres saved the life of the rest. 120In February 630, Muhammad sent a force under Amr ibn al-As to the Christian tribes of Oman,summoning the ruler to embrace Islam and pay taxes. Some of the tribes accepted Islam, whilst the Mazunatribe were forced to surrender half of their land and property in order to keep their Christian faith. In the samemonth, a missive was sent to the Christian prince of Himyar, demanding submission to Islam and payment ofrequired tithes, taxes and tributes. They were also ordered to speak the Arabic, instead of Himyar. If refused,they were to be regarded as the enemies of Allah. In order to save lives, the prince replied back acceptingIslam. 121 In October 630, Muhammad assembled 30,000 horses and foots to launch an expedition against theByzantine frontier in Syria. Two years earlier, Emperor Heraclius and the Ghassanid prince of Syria hadrejected Muhammad’s missives summoning them to embrace Islam. After arriving at Tabuk near the Syrianborder, Muhammad stopped and set up tents. He sent out missives to various principalities, demanding thatthey embrace Islam or pay jizyah tax. Yohana (John) ibn Ruba, the Christian prince of the Ayla tribe, made a119. Ibid, p. 142; also Ibn Ishaq, p. 523120. Ibn Ishaq, p. 532–40; Muir, p. 393–95121. Walker, p. 204–0547