Muslims Achieved Exceptional Progress During a Time of Peace

This question may be analysed from another perspective as well and that is to determine whether Islām achieved more progress during a time of peace or in a time of war. If it is proven that in comparison to war time, Islām progressed at an extraordinary speed during a time of peace, this would furnish practical evidence to substantiate that the wars of Islām were not for the purpose of forceful propagation. History identifies that war practically began in the second year of migration, and the Treaty of Ḥudaibiyyah took place in the sixth year of migration. In other words, prior to the Treaty of Ḥudaibiyyah, the Muslims underwent a five-year period of war. The number of Muslims in the span of these five years can be estimated by the number of warriors who participated in these wars on behalf of the Muslim army. War was announced in Ṣafar 2 A.H., and the first battle of the Muslims against the Quraish took place in Ramaḍān 2 A.H., at the occasion of Badr, where the Muslims numbered just over 300. The second battle took place in Shawwāl1 3 A.H., at the occasion of Uḥud, where the Muslims were 700 in number. The third battle was in Shawwāl 5 A.H., which is known as the Ghazwah2 of the Confederates or the Ghazwah of the Ditch. In this war the Muslims were 3,000 in number. However, it should be remembered that since this battle took place in Madīnah, a larger number of Muslims were able to participate. For if this had been a distant journey, perhaps so many Muslims would not have been able to participate, because the weak, old and destitute would have been left behind in large numbers. In any case, 3,000 Muslims participated in this war. After this, in Dhū Qa‘dah 6 A.H., the Ghazwah of the Treaty of Ḥudaibiyyah took place, in which 1,500 Muslims participated. Thus, in the last Ghazwah of this four to five year period of war, the Muslim population went from 300 to 1,500, and if the number at the Ghazwah of the Ditch is made a basis, it can be said that this population touched 3,000. After this, an era of peace began, which lasted for approximately a year and three quarters. However, the astonishing speed at which Islām progressed in this era of peace can be discerned from the number of Muslims present at the Ghazwah of the Victory of Makkah, which took place in Ramaḍān 8 A.H. Historians agree that the number of the Muslim army in this Ghazwah comprised of 10,000 souls. Hence, in a four to five year period of war, the number of Muslims who were able to partake in Jihād had reached 1,500, or at most 3,000, but in an era of peace spanning a year and three quarters, this number reached 10,000. This proves that these wars were not for the purpose of forceful propagation, rather, they were actually a hindrance in the progress of Islām. The reason being that as soon as this war came to an end, Islām began to spread rapidly. In actuality, during a state of war, many people were unable to pay due attention to Islām. Many people of weaker dispositions feared the opposition of the disbelievers as well, and even Muslims themselves found very little opportunity for actual preaching, due to their engagement in war. However, when war ceased, on the one hand, people received an opportunity to reflect upon Islām and the fear of weaker dispositions, was relieved. On the other hand, preaching efforts took on pace, and the result of this is before us.