View all previous videos in this series here:    • Lives of the Sahaba - Series  

In this video, Shaykh Dr. Yasir Qadhi discusses:

a) A recap of the life of Abu Bakr (r) covered in the first 7 videos
b) An introduction into the political and military conquests of Abu Bakr (r).

-Abu Bakr (r) focused on 2 areas for political expansion. a) Iraq and b) As-Sham - to be covered in the next few videos.

-What were the reasons for these wars and expansions?

Some Muslims have claimed that these were defensive wars. On the flip side, some non Muslims claim that Islam was spread by the sword. Neither one is accurate.

During the life of the Prophet (s), most of the battles were defensive in nature to gain the rights of the Muslims. A few (ie, Tabuk), indeed, were offensive even then.

As for the Khalifas, however, these were political and offensive in nature.

The conquests happened for several reasons:

1) It was common practice of the times. This is how civilizations flourished.
2) One of their goals was to spread political Islam.
3) They hoped the masses would accept Islam [No, they did not force anyone to convert - it is not permissible in Islam to force anyone]

If not by force, how else would the masses accept Islam?

-By interacting with the Muslims
-By offering incentives, because the Muslims were confident that the truth would eventually win them over. Also their children would be Muslims too

Note, some of the Caliphs actually discouraged conversions or made it very difficult. But this was due to greed and wanting more taxes.

This pure motivation was captured and demonstrated in a later incident when Rabi Ibn Amir met the Persian king Rustum, stating: "Allah has sent us so that we can take mankind from worshiping others of mankind, to worshiping the Lord of mankind, and from the tyranny of all false religions to the justice and truth of Islam, and from the confinements of this world to the vastness of the next life"

Muslims should not be embarrassed by these political conquests of the past, since throughout time, this is what all civilizations have done. In fact, even today, many modern wars are fought with pride under the justification of "freedom."

Does this mean such understandings need to be resurrected in modern times? (ie, what extremist group are doing)

Scholars of Islam and the overwhelming majority of Muslims say no. We are living in different times, with treaties and pacts in place, where offensive Jihad is not valid.

Presentation details: August 26, 2015 at the Memphis Islamic Center

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