Exposing Islam

Are there historical instances of forced conversion or religious violence in early Islam?

Historical Instances of Forced Conversion and Religious Violence in Early Islam

Yes, there are several well-documented historical instances of forced conversion and religious violence in early Islam, directly contradicting the common narrative that Islam spread solely through peaceful means. These instances are recorded in Islamic historical sources, including the Hadith, Sira (biography of Muhammad), and early Islamic chronicles.

1. Forced Conversions in the Time of Muhammad

A. The Forced Conversion of the Tribe of Banu Qurayza

Context: The Banu Qurayza were a Jewish tribe in Medina who initially allied with Muhammad.
Event: After the Battle of the Trench (627 CE), Muhammad accused the Banu Qurayza of treachery and besieged their fortress.
Outcome:
- The men of the tribe (estimates range between 600-900) were executed.
- The women and children were enslaved.
- Some Jewish members were given the option to convert to Islam to save their lives.
Source: Ibn Ishaq’s Sirat Rasul Allah (The Life of Muhammad) and Sahih Bukhari (Volume 4, Book 52, Hadith 280).

B. The Forced Conversion of the Polytheists of Mecca

Context: After years of conflict, Muhammad’s army conquered Mecca in 630 CE.
Event: Muhammad entered Mecca with a large army and issued a general amnesty — but with conditions.
Outcome:
- Idols in the Kaaba were destroyed.
- The inhabitants of Mecca were told to accept Islam or face death.
- Several Meccans who had opposed Muhammad were killed, even those who sought sanctuary at the Kaaba.
- "Whoever enters the Kaaba is safe, whoever stays in their home is safe, whoever goes to Abu Sufyan’s house is safe." — But the condition was that they had to accept Islam.
Source: Ibn Ishaq’s Sirat Rasul Allah, Sahih Muslim (Book 19, Hadith 4394).

C. The Forced Conversion of the Banu Mustaliq Tribe

Context: The Banu Mustaliq were an Arab tribe that initially resisted Muhammad.
Event: Muhammad led a surprise attack against them while they were unprepared.
Outcome:
- The men were killed, and the women and children were taken as slaves.
- One of the captives, Juwayriya bint al-Harith, was married to Muhammad, and her conversion to Islam led to the release of many captives.
- Many members of the tribe converted to Islam under the pressure of enslavement.
Source: Sahih Muslim (Book 19, Hadith 4292), Ibn Ishaq’s Sirat Rasul Allah.

2. Forced Conversions and Religious Violence in the Early Caliphate

A. The Ridda Wars (Wars of Apostasy) Under Abu Bakr (632–634 CE)

Context: After Muhammad’s death, several Arab tribes sought to abandon Islam, viewing it as a personal allegiance to Muhammad rather than a religion.
Event: Caliph Abu Bakr launched the Ridda Wars (Wars of Apostasy) to force these tribes to remain Muslim.
Outcome:
- Thousands of Arabs were killed.
- Entire tribes were forcibly reconverted to Islam.
- Abu Bakr declared, "By Allah! I will fight anyone who separates prayer from zakat (almsgiving)."
Source: Al-Tabari’s History (Tarikh al-Tabari), Sahih Bukhari (Volume 9, Book 84, Hadith 64).

B. The Conquest of Persia (636–651 CE)

Context: After defeating the Sassanian Empire, the early Muslim armies imposed Islamic rule on the Persian population.
Event: Zoroastrianism, the main religion of Persia, was heavily suppressed.
Outcome:
- Zoroastrians were given the choice of conversion, payment of the jizya tax (as dhimmis), or death.
- Temples were destroyed, and the Zoroastrian priestly class was marginalized.
- Many Persians converted to Islam under economic and social pressure.
Source: Al-Tabari’s History, Baladhuri’s Futuh al-Buldan (The Book of Conquests).

C. The Forced Conversion of Egypt’s Copts (640–642 CE)

Context: The Muslim general Amr ibn al-As led the conquest of Egypt.
Event: Coptic Christians were given three choices:
- Convert to Islam.
- Pay the jizya tax (as dhimmis).
- Face death.
Outcome:
- Many Copts accepted dhimmi status, but over time, economic and social pressure led to mass conversions to Islam.
- Coptic churches were taxed, and conversions were incentivized by exemption from the jizya.
Source: Al-Tabari’s History, Baladhuri’s Futuh al-Buldan.

3. The Jizya Tax: Conversion by Economic Pressure

Even in cases where outright forced conversion did not occur, the jizya (protection tax) placed heavy financial pressure on non-Muslims:

Quran 9:29: “Fight those who do not believe in Allah… until they pay the jizya with willing submission and feel themselves subdued.”
Non-Muslims who could not pay the jizya faced:
- Imprisonment or execution.
- Confiscation of property.
Over time, many non-Muslims converted to Islam to escape the heavy burden of the jizya.
Source: Quran 9:29, Ibn Kathir’s Tafsir, Al-Tabari’s History.

4. The Pact of Umar: Institutionalized Discrimination

The Pact of Umar (a document attributed to Caliph Umar) laid out the conditions for non-Muslims living under Muslim rule:

Non-Muslims (dhimmis) were required to:
- Wear distinctive clothing.
- Not build new churches or repair old ones.
- Not display religious symbols in public.
- Not teach their scriptures to Muslims.
The purpose of these conditions was to pressure non-Muslims to convert by making their status humiliating and burdensome.
Source: Ibn Kathir’s Tafsir, Al-Tabari’s History.

5. Conclusion: Forced Conversion and Religious Violence Were Integral to Early Islam

The evidence is clear: forced conversion and religious violence were not isolated incidents in early Islamic history — they were part of the religious and political expansion of Islam.
From Muhammad’s campaigns to the Ridda Wars, the conquest of Persia, and the subjugation of Egypt, conversion to Islam was often achieved through a combination of violence, coercion, and economic pressure.
This historical reality directly contradicts the narrative of peaceful Islamic expansion.