Means of Promulgating Islam

The Quran and Hadiths outline two primary means for promulgating (spreading) Islam: dawah (peaceful invitation and calling to faith) and jihad (struggle, which evolves from defensive to offensive efforts in later revelations). Dawah emphasizes wisdom, gentle persuasion, and moral example, while jihad involves exertion that can include armed conflict to remove barriers to Islam. Due to abrogation (naskh)—the Islamic doctrinal principle by which later-revealed verses of the Quran supersede, replace, or clarify earlier ones in cases of apparent contradiction (as established in Quran 2:106 itself)—early tolerant and invitational commands are overridden by later mandates for confrontation against resistance. This progression reflects the historical context: Meccan surahs (revealed 610–622 CE, when Muslims were weak) focus on invitation, while Medinan surahs (622–632 CE) emphasize enforcement as the community strengthened.

1. Dawah: Peaceful Invitation

Dawah is presented as the foundational method, urging believers to call others to Allah’s path through intellect, kindness, and example, without coercion. This is rooted in early revelations but remains a core duty.

• Quran 16:125 (Surah An-Nahl, Meccan, revelation order ~70; early period): “Invite to the way of your Lord with wisdom and good instruction, and argue with them in a way that is best. Indeed, your Lord is most knowing of who has strayed from His way, and He is most knowing of who is [rightly] guided.” Explanation: This is the primary verse on dawah methodology. “Wisdom” (hikmah) refers to using the Quran and Sunnah insightfully, tailored to the audience; “good instruction” (maw’izah hasanah) means compassionate counsel that softens hearts; “best argument” (jidal ahsan) involves gentle debate without insult, even with opponents like Pharaoh (Quran 20:44). The tafsir emphasizes starting with common ground, avoiding embarrassment, and persisting despite rejection, as prophets like Noah modeled (Quran 71:5–8). It is not abrogated, as it aligns with later calls to enjoin good.
• Quran 3:104 (Surah Aal-i-Imran, Medinan, revelation order ~89; mid-Medinan): “Let there be [arising] from you a nation inviting to [all that is] good, enjoining what is right and forbidding what is wrong, and those will be the successful.” Explanation: Commands a collective ummah (community) duty for dawah, linking invitation to moral reform. This supersedes individualistic Meccan calls by institutionalizing it as a societal obligation.
• Quran 41:33 (Surah Fussilat, Meccan, revelation order ~61; mid-Meccan): “And who is better in speech than one who invites to Allah and does righteousness and says, ‘Indeed, I am of the Muslims’?” Explanation: Elevates dawah as superior speech, combining invitation with personal piety as an example.

Hadiths reinforce dawah as a high-reward, non-violent effort accessible to all:

• Sahih al-Bukhari 3463 (narrated by Sahl ibn Sa’d): The Prophet Muhammad said, “By Allah, that Allah guides a man through you is better for you than a herd of expensive red camels.” Explanation: Highlights the immense reward for guiding one person to Islam via invitation, equating it to vast worldly wealth, emphasizing dawah’s priority over material pursuits.
• Sahih Muslim 2404 (narrated by Abu Hurairah): The Prophet said, “Whoever calls to guidance will have a reward like that of those who follow him, without that detracting from their reward in any way.” Explanation: Promises multiplied rewards for successful dawah, encouraging propagation through teaching and example.

2. Jihad: Struggle and Confrontation

Jihad begins as defensive self-protection but, per abrogation, later verses mandate offensive action to propagate Islam by subduing opposition. Early Meccan surahs lack explicit calls to arms, focusing on patience (e.g., 73:10, revelation order #3). Medinan verses introduce it, with Surah 9 (At-Tawbah, revelation order #113; latest) abrogating ~124 earlier peaceful verses.

• Quran 2:190–193 (Surah Al-Baqarah, Medinan, revelation order #87; early Medinan): “Fight in the way of Allah those who fight you but do not transgress. Indeed, Allah does not like transgressors. And kill them wherever you overtake them and expel them from wherever they have expelled you, and persecution is worse than killing… Fight them until there is no [more] fitnah [persecution] and [until] worship is [acknowledged to be] for Allah.” Explanation: Permits defensive jihad against active aggressors, prohibiting excess, but allows expulsion and killing in response to persecution (fitnah). This is early Medinan and partially abrogated by later offensive commands.
• Quran 9:5 (Surah At-Tawbah, Medinan, revelation order #113; late Medinan, “Verse of the Sword”): “And when the sacred months have passed, then kill the polytheists wherever you find them and capture them and besiege them and sit in wait for them at every place of ambush. But if they should repent, establish prayer, and give zakah, then let them [go] on their way. Indeed, Allah is Forgiving and Merciful.” Explanation: Abrogates tolerance verses (e.g., 2:256, “no compulsion in religion,” Medinan but earlier), commanding offensive jihad against polytheists post-truce, offering conversion as an out. Classical scholars like al-Suyuti view it as universal for propagation until Islam prevails.
• Quran 9:29 (Surah At-Tawbah, same as above): “Fight those who do not believe in Allah or in the Last Day and who do not consider unlawful what Allah and His Messenger have made unlawful and who do not adopt the religion of truth from those who were given the Scripture—until they give the jizyah [poll tax] willingly while they are humbled.” Explanation: Targets People of the Book (Jews/Christians), mandating fight until they submit via jizyah (tax for protection) or convert, abrogating earlier amity (e.g., 60:8–9, Medinan mid-period). This enforces Islamic dominance through subjugation.

Hadiths frame jihad as a communal duty for expansion:

• Sahih al-Bukhari 2784 (narrated by Abu Hurairah): The Prophet said, “I have been ordered to fight against the people until they testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah…” Explanation: Ties jihad to spreading the shahada (testimony of faith), indicating armed propagation until verbal acceptance.
• Sahih Muslim 1910 (narrated by Abu Dharr): The Prophet said, “Jihad continues until the Day of Resurrection.” Explanation: Portrays jihad as ongoing struggle, including against barriers to Islam’s spread.

Why Islam Is to Be Promulgated

The texts explain promulgation as a divine command to establish tawhid (Allah’s oneness), rescue humanity from misguidance/fire, and foster justice/peace under Islamic rule. It benefits inviters (rewards) and invitees (guidance to paradise).

• Quran 3:110 (Medinan, revelation order #89): “You are the best nation produced [as an example] for mankind. You enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong and believe in Allah.” Explanation: Positions Muslims as exemplars to guide humanity, implying dawah/jihad to export this model globally.
• Quran 16:125 (as above): Invites to Allah’s path for right guidance, contrasting with paths to fire (e.g., 2:221).
• Hadith (Sahih al-Bukhari 3463, as above): Guiding others saves them from hell, earning eternal reward for the dawah practitioner.

Extent of Promulgation

Islam’s call is universal (to all mankind, Quran 34:28, Meccan but reinforced in Medinan 7:158), continuing until acceptance, submission, or elimination of resistance. No half-measures: conversion, jizyah, or conflict (Quran 9:5, 9:29). It aims for dominance (“religion is for Allah,” Quran 2:193), but post-submission, tolerance applies (no further compulsion, per residual 2:256 interpretation). Hadiths like Sahih Muslim 2404 extend rewards indefinitely, implying boundless effort. In summary, the texts leave no room for equal coexistence as end-states—Islam is positioned to prevail.

Ask yourself, “Is this a theocracy we want to replace our culture?” Haven’t you been better served by our Christian traditions historically, even if you yourself, are not a Christian? Western civilization cannot survive alongside islam. It will be destroyed, and replaced by it. The moderate muslim you know will be subdued by it as well. He only has the luxury of being moderate in a western, Christian, culture. We can not let islam spread. Convert to Christ! Repent of your sins, and trust in the Savior to justify you to God! Do it now! Read, and study the Bible.