Spreading of Islam through war and violence

Question

Why does Islam promote the spreading of the faith through war? This verse in the Quran also states the same.

Why doesn't Islam promote the spreading of faith peacefully like Buddhism and Jainism?

Answer 1

Islam cannot be spread through war and violence because core of Islam is belief and if someone is forced to become Muslim by force and he does not have belief inside his heart, then he only become a hypocrite. There are lot of verses in Quran that states no one should be compelled to become Muslim.

Had your Lord pleased, all the people on earth would have believed in Him, without exception. So will you compel people to become believers? Quran 10:99

Let there be no compulsion in religion, for the truth stands out clearly from falsehood. Quran 2:256

The verse you mentioned is about collecting Jizya (non muslim tax), this is collected to make sure they accept the Muslim rule and do not revolt against ruler. You can read more about this in my answer here https://politics.stackexchange.com/a/7806/5209

Answer 2

The answer to your question is given in the verse:

كتب عليكم القتال وهو كره لكم وعسى أن تكرهوا شيئا وهو خير لكم وعسى أن تحبوا شيئا وهو شر لكم والله يعلم وأنتم لا تعلمون

Fighting has been enjoined upon you while it is hateful to you. But perhaps you hate a thing and it is good for you; and perhaps you love a thing and it is bad for you. And Allah Knows, while you know not.

^{— Quran 2:216}

Islam has war because that is better in the knowledge of Allah. And Islam follows Allah's knowledge rather than what you personally like or dislike because of your social conditioning. You might prefer passiveness and peace like Buddhism or want a religion of peace, but that does not mean that these values or approach are correct in reality.

As for the Hikmah behind Jihad and Jizyah:

• Being peaceful or passive does not guarantee that others will act the same with you. Rather human nature is such that sooner or later someone else will try to conquer you either to subjugate you to their values or to profit at your expense.

  ولا يزالون يقاتلونكم حتى يردوكم عن دينكم إن استطاعوا

  And they will continue to fight you until they turn you back from your religion if they are able.

  ^{— Quran 2:217}

  The best defense is an offense. Wars are usually won by proactively taking advantage of opportunities and weaknesses. They are rarely won by merely defending or reacting to the enemy's assaults. Hence Jihad is waged to preemptively occupy and subjugate potential enemies when it is more likely to be successful.

  And when it is successful it eliminates the enemies or removes them from resources which they could have used against the Muslims. And it provides more resources and experience to the Muslims which strengthens them.

• Jihad leads to spreading of Islam. Either directly or indirectly by spreading Islamic rule. Spreading of Islam means that the people who accept Islam will go to paradise and be saved from eternal damnation in the hereafter. Attempting to save the people from eternal damnation is more important and more kind than being peaceful with them for the brief period of this life.

  كنتم خير أمة أخرجت للناس‏ قال خير الناس للناس، تأتون بهم في السلاسل في أعناقهم حتى يدخلوا في الإسلام‏.

  "You are the best of peoples ever raised up for mankind." means, the best of peoples for the people, as you bring them with chains on their necks till they embrace Islam.

  ^{— Bukhari 4557 and Bukhari 3010}

  معناه أنهم أسروا وقيدوا، فلما عرفوا صحة الإسلام دخلوا طوعا، فدخلوا الجنة

  Meaning that they are captured and imprisoned. And then they realize the truthfulness of Islam and so they enter it willingly and hence enter paradise

  ^{— Fath al-Bari}

• It is a punishment for Kufr. Allah created mankind to worship him. And He punishes them for disbelief. And this is not just in the afterlife but He also punishes them in this life such as what happened with the people of Noah, Aad, Thamud, Lot etc. And Jihad and its constituents are a way of effecting that punishment:

  فأما الذين كفروا فأعذبهم عذابا شديدا في الدنيا والآخرة وما لهم من ناصرين

  And as for those who disbelieved, I will punish them with a severe punishment in this world and the Hereafter, and they will have no helpers.

  ^{— Quran 3:56}

  في الدنيا بالقتل والسبي والجزية والذلة

  In this world by killing and captivity\enslavement and jizyah and subjugation

  ^{— Tafsir al-Baghawy, Tafsir Ibn Kathir, Tafsir al-Qurtubi, Tafsir al-Tabary}

  أن يصيبكم الله بعذاب من عنده أو بأيدينا

  Allah will afflict you with punishment from Himself or at our hands?

  ^{— Quran 9:52}

Ref: Mawsoo’ah al-Fiqhiyyah 15/158 , Mawsoo’ah al-Fiqhiyyah 16/132