Islamic conquests and expansion from "summary" of History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire by Edward Gibbon
The rapid conquests of the Arabs were the effect of their religious zeal and martial spirit; the former was kindled by the preaching of Islam, the latter was encouraged by the taste of victory and plunder. The religion of Mahomet depended on the success of his arms: the Koran inculcates a belief in the virtue of holy war; the Moslems, in their turn, were persuaded of their own merit and the weakness of their enemies. The Arab tribes were united under the common interest of faith and plunder, and the training of the desert gave them the advantage of intrepid courage and patient hardiness. The conquests of the Arabs were not only extensive but lasting; the conquest of Persia, Syria, and Egypt were not the result of a single campaign, but of a series of wars. The Arabs gradually extended their dominion over the provinces of the Roman and Persian empires, until they established a vast empire that stretched from Spain to India. The conquered territories were not merely overrun, but permanently occupied; the Arabs settled in the countries they had conquered, and their language and religion gradually supplanted those of the conquered peoples. The Arabs were not content with mere conquest; they also sought to spread their religion among the conquered peoples. The spread of Islam was facilitated by the tolerant policy of the Arabs, who allowed the conquered peoples to retain their own religion and customs, provided they paid a tribute and acknowledged the supremacy of Islam. The Arabs also encouraged the conversion of the conquered peoples to Islam, offering them the benefits of the new religion and the promise of eternal salvation. The expansion of the Arab empire was not only the result of conquest and conversion, but also of trade and commerce. The Arabs established a vast network of trade routes that connected the various provinces of their empire, facilitating the exchange of goods and ideas. The prosperity of the Arab empire was based on the wealth generated by trade and commerce, as well as the tribute paid by the conquered peoples. The Islamic conquests and expansion were a turning point in the history of the world; the Arabs created a vast empire that united the East and the West, and spread the religion of Islam to distant lands. The conquests of the Arabs were the result of their religious zeal and martial spirit, as well as their tolerance and commercial acumen. The legacy of the Islamic conquests and expansion can still be seen in the culture, language, and religion of the peoples of the Middle East and beyond.
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