Islamic History
6 items across 3 content types
Debate Excerpts (2)
Individual points from debates discussing this topic
“Where are Kedar and Sala and what do they reveal about the identity of the coming prophet?”
According to Smith's Bible Dictionary — a Christian source — Kedar is the name given to the second son of Ishmael, from whom the Arab tribes descended. These Arab tribes gathered collectively in Mecca and were called Kedar. Sal'a (Sela) is a mountain in Medina. Uthman states he has physically visited Sal'a and confirmed that the Jewish community that once lived in Medina had a graveyard and a place of worship at this location because they understood it to be a biblical site. Sal'a is verifiable on Google Maps today. When Isaiah says the villages of Kedar will sing and the people of Sela will shout from mountaintops, this points to Arabia — specifically Mecca and Medina.
“Does Islam have a proselytizing component? How does Islamic dawah differ from forced conversion?”
Mary asks whether Muslims actively try to convert people, given the history of Christian proselytizing. Uthman confirms: yes, in Islam we share the message — this is called dawah. But nobody can be forced to become Muslim. The Quran states: there is no compulsion in religion. Uthman gives the historical example: Muslims ruled India for many hundreds of years and ruled Spain (Al-Andalus) for centuries. During all of this time, Christians, Jews, and Hindus lived there freely under Islamic rule — because forced conversion is not permitted. This is in contrast to what happened during the Spanish Inquisition, where religious coercion was practiced. Islamic dawah is an invitation, not a compulsion.
Questions (3)
How can Islam be called the religion of peace when it was spread by the sword?
The claim that Islam was spread by the sword is historically false. The word 'Islam' itself comes from 'salaam' (peace). Historian De Lacy O'Leary called this 'one of the most fantastically absurd myths.' Muslims ruled Spain for 800 years without forced conversions, over 80% of India remained non-Muslim after centuries of Muslim rule, and Indonesia — the world's largest Muslim country — was never invaded by a Muslim army.
Why are Muslims divided into sects?
Islam itself commands Muslims to be united and not to create divisions. The Qur'an explicitly warns against sectarianism. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ predicted that his ummah would divide into 73 sects, with only one following the correct path — those who follow the Qur'an and authentic Sunnah. Muslims should identify themselves simply as 'Muslims' and use the Qur'an and authentic hadith as the criteria to judge any group's claims.
Why did the Iranian Revolution happen in 1979?
The 1979 Iranian Revolution overthrew the US-backed Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi after decades of foreign interference, political repression, and economic inequality. Led by Ayatollah Khomeini, the revolution transformed Iran from a secular monarchy into an Islamic Republic — the first state in modern history governed by a Shia cleric.
Articles (1)
Iran, America, and Israel: The History Behind the Conflict and the Islamic Prophetic Lens
From the 1941 Anglo-Soviet Invasion to the 2025 War — and What Islamic Prophecy Says About the Region
TheOpenQuran
The conflict between Iran, America, and Israel is not a product of the post-9/11 world. Its roots stretch back to World War II, when Britain and the Soviet Union invaded Iran in 1941 and installed a compliant Shah. What followed — revolution, war, sanctions, nuclear brinkmanship, and assassination — unfolded over eight decades of geopolitical entanglement. This article traces that history in full: from the forced abdication of Reza Shah to the Islamic Revolution of 1979, through the Iran-Iraq War and the nuclear standoff, to the collapse of the JCPOA and the June 2025 Israeli airstrikes on Iran. The second part examines what authentic Islamic prophetic traditions say about Iraq, Syria, Persia, and the region now at the centre of global conflict — and what those narrations mean for Muslims navigating an age of fitna.