How did Islam spread beyond the Arabian peninsula?

Answer 1

Islam spread outside of Arabia due to a number of factors. It is notable that although there are a few occurrences of Muslims carrying out the "Convert or Die" scenario, this is not the most common reason for Islam's expansion both in terms of territory and belief.

1) Arabia - What's that?: Prior to Mohammed, Arabia had been seen as a cultural and political backwater barely worth notice and therefore Mohammed's consolidation of the Arab Tribes was not seriously considered by the Byzantine and Sassanian Empires. This lead to a very porous southern defense and miscalculation of the Islamic Armies.

2) Byzantine-Sassanian Wars: Since the Byzantines and Sassanians considered each other the only real civilizations in the region, they fought each other numerous times in the early 600s C.E. over control of what is today East Turkey and Iraq. These were intense religious wars (Christian vs. Zoroastrian) and greatly weakened both empires at just the wrong time.

3) Tribal Command Structure: Arab Tribes and warriors owed their loyalty to their Sheikhs and leaders without fault because the Sheikh provided each person with all of the amenities and protection necessary to live a full life. Whenever the Arabs went to war, the Sheikhs could count on the ability to muster their tribesmen as soldiers without issue.

4) Support of the Locals: Since the Byzantine Empire and Sassanian Empire were engaged in religious zealotry, it stands to reason that they did not tolerate their religious minorities very well. The Muslims professed to (and did) treat minorities far better than either of these Empires. This led to religious minorities (especially Jews) from within the conquered territories helping Muslims to secure outposts and positions, freeing the Muslims to continue to spread the religion.

5) Citizenship by Conversion: The Islamic Empire was interesting in that being the leader or a person of import in the Empire was not contingent on ethnicity or place of birth as was the case of most prior empires. All a person had to do to gain power and prestige was to convert to Islam. This simple integration mechanism resulted in massive number of Persians, Berbers, and Turks converting to Islam. In fact, the furthest expansions of Islam (Spain, India, West China, South Russia, the Balkans) were all accomplished by non-Arabs (respectively Berbers, Persians/Mughals, Turkmen, Azeris, and Ottomans).

6) Warfare: The leaders charged with expanding the influence of Islam were thoughtful and diligent military leaders. Caliph 'Omar, who conquered much of the Levant, Egypt, Persia, and Iraq was well-known as a strategist and a fighter. It was this knowledge of warfare that allowed Muslim forces to expand the territory's influence.

7) Universality: Islam, as a religion, claims salvation for all people in all places, making the religion very attractive, especially to people born into low castes and bad economic positions.

8) Commerce: Islam, like most religions, spread also through peaceful means of commerce and education whereby non-Muslims learned of the faith and adopted as their own amidst business dealings with Muslims.

Answer 2

By the Muslims concoring and expanding there borders and bring there religon with them.

Muslims conquered lands in Africa and further east. and spread their religion to eastern Asia and eastern Europe. mostly all of Africa is Muslim too. the Muslims had control of Spain and were going to expand farther in Europe. but they were stopped at the battle of tours in France. if they were not stopped they would have spread throughout all of Europe and Europe would probably be Muslim today.

Answer 3

The main force behind Islam spread was by conquest. For example, the Indian subcontinent (India, Pakistan and Bengladesh) was Islamiced by military. There was no option for the people of these lands but either to be killed or surrender to Islam. Islamic military might have used the Quran verses that refer ro fighting to advance their religion by force.

Answer 4

Through many ways. One of the main ways was trading.

Through trading ideas spread. And from there the Islams or Muslims intervened in wars and talked to the people involved.

The people they talked to in these religious wars could not pick a side. Christian or Jewish.

Overall they were sick of these wars and didn't want either. But they had to choose which or else.

So when the Muslims explained Islam the people converted to Islam. And due to the lack of people the wars between Jewish and Christians pretty much went on or caved in.

In a summary: Through traveling and trade and intervention in wars talking to troubled people.

Answer 5

Yes.

The Moghuls spread Islam from the Arabian peninsula to south Asia, including Afghanistan, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and India. Islam also spread to West Africa. The Moors brought Islam to southern Spain. Islam was also spread to Turkey after the time of Muhammad. The early Muslims were known as skilled sailors and spread their religion through trade routes to southeast Asia, in countries such as Malaysia, Singapore, and Indonesia.

In modern times, Muslims (like so many people do in this mobile world) are migrating while bringing their religion with them wherever in the world they happen to settle, and "western" people sometimes convert to Islam like they might convert to any other religion, each for his or her own reasons. There is no geographic restriction to most religions in most parts of the world.