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Amazingly enough, we
have the marching orders given by Mohammed’s successors to the troops which
conducted these invasions:
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• They were strictly
forbidden to harm any vegetation or tree, any farm animal, etc.. These were booty; a scorched earth policy (like that of the
Goths) was forbidden.
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• The devoutly
religious -- especially those in monasteries, at a high point at that time --
were to be left entirely alone as long as they were peaceful. There are still monasteries in these lands
which date from these times.
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• The wars started in
AD 632, just after the death of Mohammed.
They ended with the start of peace negotiation in AD 782 -- exactly
150 years, or five prophetic months.
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• The power to
torment, but not to kill, was best expressed in the policy of “Islam, the
tribute, or the sword.” When they
approached a fortified city, the occupants were given three options:
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They could join the
faith of Islam, and the armies of Allah
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They could pay a
heavy tax, or
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They could be put to
the sword.
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The majority joined
Islam. Some did pay the tax, but the
sword was indeed rare for such a military campaign.
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You might want to
note one other thing, before we pass on to the Arab warrior. Locusts (Exodus 10:13) in the Bible came
from “east of Egypt” -- that is, Arabia.
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