During the life of Muhammad, Islam plunged into a state where the call to embrace Islam was not only done by persuasion, but by threats and violence. “If you would not convert to Islam by persuasion then with a sword to your throat you will embrace the true religion from allah and only then would your life and properties be saved from me” Muhammad said (S..B. 2:2:24).
His strategy worked! and with an army ready to kill and be killed behind him (S 9:111), he quickly engulfed his neighbours. As Ibn Kathir said, He (Muhammad) started fighting the Arabians and people entered Islam in large crowds (Tafsir Ibn Kathir, 9:123).
Out of fear of death and torture, so many people converted to Islam. For the survival of their sons and daughters, they submitted to Muhammad and Islam. But this conversion lasted for as long as Muhammad was alive. Muhammad couldn’t live forever, and soon his years of tyranny was over. Shortly after his death, those he forcefully converted to Islam began to leave. Since the one who forced them into his religion was dead, they felt it was the right moment to leave the religion. Their oppressor was gone and the time of redemption was nigh. Man! Were they wrong!
Abu Bakr succeeded Muhammad after his death and he with the Muslim army waged war against the apostates (S.B. 2:23:483) under the simple command of their dead prophet “KILL ANYONE WHO ABANDONS HIS ISLAMIC FAITH” (S.B. 4, 52:260) and also those who refuse to pay the Zakat. The apostates fight back hard against the mighty Muslim army. There were heavy casualties on both sides, but soon the apostates either found themselves in the grave or back into Islam.
Islam is a one way ticket religion. You may enter, either through deceptive persuasion or by compulsion. But the only way out is when you are dead. Either you die by being a Muslim or you are killed as an apostate. Violent subjugation of non-Muslims was the final stage of Jihad practiced by Muhammad (Tafsir Ibn Kathir 9:123). It was within this stage that Muhammad sent assassins to kill his critics (Sahih Bukhari. 3:45:687), torturing people to get their money and ordering the slaughter of apostates. It is within this stage that radical Islamic groups still operate.
And they do this with zeal and pride since according to the Quran, Muhammad is the best example for Muslims to follow (Sura 33:21). [Shutout to all the Muslim apostates out there, living under the dictate of Sharia and death penalty for apostates, yet are brave enough to leave this hell inclined religion called Islam.]
_“I have been command to fight these people until they become Muslims. Only then will their lives and properties be safe from me”_—Muhammad, the prophet of Islam
Paul Jake Awey
