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Fatwa CenterIslam Was Not Spread by the Sword
Question
Assalaamu Alaykum. Many of my colleagues say that islam was spread by sword. Are there any instances where our prophet fought /attacked without being provoked? Please, give the reply as early as possible.
Answer
All perfect praise be to Allah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah, and that Muhammad 
is His slave and Messenger.
The saying that Islam spread with the sword is denied by the reality.
Indonesia is the largest Islamic country today in terms of the number of the population, yet Islam did not enter it and was not spread in it by fighting and by the sword.
Also, Islam did not enter the first capital city of Islam, Al-Medeenah, by the sword, rather it entered by sending callers to Islam (preachers), such as Mus’ab ibn ‘Umayr, who was the first ambassador of Islam. This was also the case in Africa and other places where Islam entered without fighting.
The Prophet fought and his companions fought with him, but fighting in Islam is not an objective in itself. Rather, it is only to pave the way for calling people to Allah and to remove all the obstacles that prevent people from choosing this religion, and so that the word would be for the religion of Allah on the earth.
If the Muslims are able to achieve this without fighting, then this is what is required. It is for this reason that Allah conferred His Favors upon the believers and reminded them that He spared them from fighting and its evils.
Allah Says (what means): {And it is He who withheld their hands from you and your hands from them within [the area of] Makkah.} [Quran 48:24]
However, if the Muslims were prevented from that (calling to Allah), and they have no other alternative, then fighting to remove these obstacles is inevitable. After that people are given the choice whether or not to enter into this religion.
Finally, dear questioner, we warn you against the danger of arguing with the enemies of Islam if you do not have a profound Islamic knowledge to refute their misconceptions and falsehood.
Allah knows best.
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