Home > The Dark Fruit of Islam
The wars of Muhammad (peace be upon him) were justified and defensive—Allah permitted them to protect the faith and the weak. The Qur'an says, ‘Permission to fight has been given to those who are being fought, because they were wronged' (Surah Al-Hajj, 22:39). Battles like Badr and Uhud came after years of Mecca's attacks—torture, exile, plots to kill him. He fought to defend, not destroy, and offered peace when foes relented (Surah Al-Anfal, 8:61).
Jesus (peace be upon him) faced oppression too—‘We gave him the Injeel, in which was guidance and light' (Surah Al-Ma'idah, 5:46)—but his mission differed. The Qur'an says, ‘The Messiah, son of Mary, was no more than a messenger' (Surah Al-Ma'idah, 5:75). The Prophet's fights were mercy—‘We have not sent you except as a mercy to the worlds' (Surah Al-Anbiya, 21:107)—stopping tyranny so people could worship Allah alone, not aggression."
Surah Al-Ma'idah, 5:32
Christians contrast the expansionist geopolitical model of the 7th century with the sacrificial, non-violent model of Jesus Christ. The central question is: Does God’s mercy manifest through the sword of the conqueror or the wounds of the Savior?
While the script cites Surah 22:39 regarding "those who are being fought," the historical record shows a transition from defensive measures to offensive expansion.
The "defensive" argument holds some weight for the Medina period, but it fails to explain the Raid on Khaybar (where the Prophet initiated the attack) or the Expedition to Tabuk.
If Islam is a "mercy to the worlds," why was its spread primarily characterized by military campaigns? Jesus faced the same Roman and Pharisaical oppression Muhammad faced in Mecca, yet He never once commanded a military strike.
Sophronius of Jerusalem (c. 634–638 AD)
"Why are the troops of the Saracens attacking us? Why has there been so much destruction and looting? Why is there such incessant shedding of human blood?"Thomas the Presbyter (c. 640 AD)
He records the Battle of Gaza and the subsequent slaughter of the Byzantine peasantry. "There was a battle... and the Romans fled... and about 4,000 poor peasants of Palestine were killed there... and the Arabs ravaged the whole region".The Chronicle of Fredegar (c. 660 AD)
A Frankish source that provides a perspective from the Latin West as the news of the Eastern collapses reached Europe. It describes the "Hagarenes" (Arabs) as a people whose military success was built on the "excision of the populations" of the regions they conquered.
These battles hundreds of miles away from Medina. You do not "defend" yourself by conquering foreign nations. If these were wars of "liberation," the local Christians (Sophronius, Thomas) would have welcomed the Arabs.
The classical schools of Islamic jurisprudence (Fiqh) developed a doctrine of Offensive Jihad—attacking non-Muslim lands to establish Sharia, even if those lands had not attacked Muslims.
The "Triple Invitation" was given before an attack, non-Muslims were given three choices:
A "defensive" war ends when the threat is removed. A war that offers "The Sword or Subjugation" to people who have committed no crime is not defensive; it is religious coercion.
Jesus did not give an ultimatum of "Tax or Death." He gave an invitation: "If anyone desires to come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me." (Matthew 16:24).
A central feature of Muhammad’s wars was the acquisition of Ghanima (spoils of war) and Sabaya (female captives).
The Case of the Banu Qurayza: After the Battle of the Trench (627 CE), between 600 and 900 Jewish men of the Banu Qurayza tribe were beheaded in the marketplace of Medina, and their women and children were enslaved.
The Doctrina Jacobi (c. 634 CE): An early Christian text, expresses horror at the "prophet" who comes with "killing and cruelty".
How can beheading hundreds of surrendered captives be described as "mercy to the worlds"? Jesus, when faced with those who sought to kill Him, healed the ear of the soldier sent to arrest Him (Luke 22:51). Muhammad’s wars sought to fill the treasury and the household with captives; Jesus’ "war" was against sin and death, and His only "spoil" was the souls He redeemed.
The "mercy" of the Prophet was the mercy of The Conqueror—you are spared if you bow. The mercy of Jesus is the mercy of The Victim—you are saved because He bowed His head to death for you.
The script quotes Surah 5:32 about the sanctity of life. This verse is often quoted in isolation. However, the very next verse (Surah 5:33) commands: "The punishment of those who wage war against Allah and His Messenger... is execution, or crucifixion, or cutting off of hands and feet from opposite sides."
How can a system claim the sanctity of life in verse 32 while mandating horrific mutilation for "rebellion" in verse 33? The historical record of the 7th-century Futuhat (conquests) shows that this sanctity was only applied to those who were "innocent" by Islamic standards. In Christ, the standard is higher: even the "guilty" enemy is someone for whom Christ died.