A third and related accusation is that the swift Islamic conquests, which startled the known world and by which the Muslim faith was able to spread East and West, were primarily only for war booty, worldly pleasures, fame and glory.

Let us present some facts about the biography of the Prophet (pbuh) and about Islamic principles from the historical record. The Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) at the beginning of his mission as the Prophet and Messenger of Allah was approached by his people in every possible way and by every possible means to back off and abandon his Call to Islam besides their other attempts by open persecution and oppression to thwart his mission mentioned earlier. The Prophet (pbuh) was asked by the Quraish leaders: If you need possession and dominion over all the Arabian Peninsula, we ensure this for you. If you need marriage, we offer you, freely, to marry the most beautiful virgin girl in the Arabian Peninsula.. The Prophet (pbuh) was offered excesses of wealth that no one ever dreamed of in the Arabian Peninsula, but he denied this offer as well. The Arab leaders Quraish made all their offers with the condition that he ceases calling to his religion of Islam and ceases castigating and exposing as foolish their Pagan beliefs in idols and superstitions.

The 30 Prophet’s (pbuh) simple, direct and honest reply to all their tempting and lucrative deals was full and final rejection. One famous narration of the words of the Prophet (pbuh) is recorded as follows:

By Allah! If they were able to place the sun in my right hand and the moon in my left hand in order to pressure me to abandon the call for this mission, I would not. I will never surrender, nor accept their requests, (but will continue on my mission) until either this Call (of the religion of Islam) becomes predominant and widely accepted and practiced in the Arabian Peninsula, or my head is removed of my body.. [Ibn Hisham, The Biography of Muhammad (pbuh) vol.1, p.170] Another fact worthy noting is that the letters that the Prophet (pbuh) sent to the prominent kings, governors and rulers of neighboring countries were very clear in allowing them to keep their positions of leadership, dominations, and possessions if they accepted Islam and preserved peace and justice.

For instance, the following famous letter to Heraclius, Emperor of Roman & Byzantine Empire reads as follows.I begin with the name of Allah, the Compassionate and Merciful.

From: Muhammad, the slave of Allah and His Prophet to Heraclius (the ruler at that time). Peace be on him, who follows the right path. I invite you to accept the Message of Islam. If you desire security, accept Islam. If you accept Islam, Allah shall reward you doubly and if you refuse to do so, the responsibility for the transgression of the entire nation shall be yours. [Allah the Almighty says]:31

(Say: O People of the Book! Come to common terms as between us and you: that we worship none but Allah; that we associate no partners with Him; that we erect not, from among ourselves, Lords and patrons other than Allah. If then they turn back, say: Bear witness that we are Muslims (who submit to Allah’s Will).) (3:64). (Bukhari & Muslim)

The companion Anas  reported that:

Allah’s Messenger (pbuh) was never approached to give a reward to a person who accepted Islam, but condoned Once, a man came and asked for something if he accepted Islam. The Prophet (pbuh) offered him (from the Islamic treasury) a herd of sheep that was grazing in a valley between two mountains (at Madinah). As such, the man who received the reward went back to his people and told them, O My people! Accept Islam, as Muhammad (pbuh) gives such rewards that the recipient will never fear poverty. [All the people related to this man accepted Islam and joined the Muslims]. Anas  continued in his report saying: .A man would accept Islam only for materialistic gains, but as soon as he would feel the sweetness of Islam, the faith would become dearer to the heart of such person, more than the entire world and its possessions… (Bukhari & Muslim) Let’s also examine the amount of wealth that the Prophet (pbuh) left behind as inheritance after his death. Amr bin al Harith  reported:

The Prophet (pbuh) upon his death left no dirham or dinar (denominations of money), slave, maid or anything 32 else, other than his white mule, his weapon, and a piece of land which he had declared as a charity for Muslims.. (Muslim)

In fact the Prophet’s personal armor was bonded to a Jew as a pawn against a measurement of barley for his family’s food at the time of his death. How could any sensible person, then, accuse a man like the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) of being infatuated with materialistic gains and possessions, ephemeral status and glory? Emperors, nationalistic leaders, their generals and warriors seek after glory, land and booty, but the facts above prove that the aim of the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) was to spread the religion of Islam to mankind by peaceful means for their benefit, and leave them alone in earning their livelihood and fulfill their material needs as they please within the boundaries of Islam.

The companions of the Prophet (pbuh) and the followers in truth, show by example of their righteous, upright and ascetic way of life, that they were not after worldly possessions and the fleeting pleasures of this life.

During the Battle of Uhud, the Prophet (pbuh) commented: .Get up to gain Paradise which is as spacious as all the heavens and earth put together!. A man named Omair bin alHemam () heard the Prophet’s (pbuh) statement. As such, this man raised the question to Allah’s Messenger (pbuh): .O Prophet of Allah! Did you say the reward is Paradise, which is as wide as the heavens and earth put together! The Prophet (pbuh) answered positively. The Companion said: ’Bakhin, Bakhin!’1 The Prophet (pbuh) asked the man: .What urged you to say what you said?. The man replied: .O Prophet of 1 This is a statement said when one is amazed, happy, or wants to praise something.

Allah! The only hope I entertain is to be one of the dwellers of this Paradise!. The Prophet (pbuh) said: .Surely, you are one of the dwellers of this Paradise.. Upon hearing such a word from the Prophet (pbuh), the man got few dates out of his bag to eat before the fight began. But, the man threw the dates in the air and uttered, By Allah! If I lived to finish eating these dates it would be a very long life! He rushed to fight the enemies of Islam with all his might until he was killed..

These and many more examples show that accumulation of the spoils of war and self-aggrandizement were not the objectives of early Muslims, rather the zeal of the mission of Islam to guide mankind propelled them from their native homeland to the surrounding areas, carrying with them the universal message of Islam.