To conclude this section, these data can be drawn from Sura 48:28 and its historical and literary contexts and interpretation: (1) The verse itself says that Islam would triumph over all other religions, notably polytheism, Judaism, and Christianity. Allah promises Muhammad and his fledgling religion more victories in Sura 48. For example, v. 22 says that if anyone fights with Muhammad, the enemy will turn his back and run, finding no protector or helper. More specifically, he is referring to a hadith passage that says jihadists should fight to make Islam superior, and this hadith is based on these three verses analyzed in this article (Bukhari, vol. Suppose you fast forward to the book of Revelation, specifically Revelation 12:9. In that case, there’s a scene where John sees people gathered around a throne and says there were people from every nation standing before the throne wearing white robes and holding palm branches.

“This was something that was really powerful for people, making people even willing to sacrifice their lives and believe it was worth doing,” Mayer said. Yet even at that time, such social activism provoked controversy. Most importantly, vv. 24-26 predicts that the sacred Mosque (the Kabah shrine housing the sacred black stone in Mecca) has been granted to Muhammad even before he actually takes possession of it. Thus, Sura 48:28 indicates that Muhammad is so confident that he predicts that his religion would spread out beyond Arabia and be exalted above other religions. The historical context of Sura 48 takes place during the Treaty of Hudaybiyah in 628. Muhammad has a dream (48:27), to take a pilgrimage to Mecca, but the Meccans block his way. The historical context of Sura 9 occurs late in Muhammads career, and scholars believe that this section where v. 33 is found reflects Muhammads northward expansion—without real and material provocation, as reputable scholars agree, so Muhammad is acting aggressively. To interpret Sura 48:28, the third step in our exegetical method, we let a variety of Muslims explain the intent of the verse. Be that as it may, Muhammad conquered the city and allowed the Jews to cultivate their land, but they had to turn over half the produce to the 1600 Muslims who fought and took part in the attempted pilgrimage in 628 that resulted in the Treaty.

In other words, he did not bring this Religion so that it might survive in a limited compartment of life which is allowed it by the dominant religion, while the rest of the spheres of life, by and large, should remain under the relentless control of some false religion. Specifically, in October to December 630, after the conquest of Mecca in January 630, Muhammad launches a Crusade to Tabuk, a city in the north of Saudi Arabia today, but in the seventh century it was under the control of northern tribes. Another 10th-century sun temple ruin is in Bahraich, Uttar Pradesh named Balarka Surya Mandir, which was destroyed in the 14th century during the Turkish invasions. Once the Muslims reach Tabuk, however, the Byzantine army fails to materialize, so Muhammad and his large army return to their homes. Muslims believe that it best expresses the will of Allah, so it must prevail. Emperors chaired church councils, and their will was decisive in appointing of patriarchs and deciding the territory they would have authority over.

This shift begins with the recognition that all we have ultimately belongs to God. Light comes about because of the spoken word of God. Christianity is a religion which worships a single God and his son, Jesus Christ of Nazareth. The Restoration saw the attempt to re-establish a single church to provide cement and stability for a deeply disunited and unsettled society. A central tenet in Christian ethics is promoting love and respect for others as a reflection of self-love. On his way north, Muhammad extracts (or extorts) “agreements”—without provocation—from smaller Christian Arab tribes to pay the jizyah tax, instead of being attacked and killed. The practice is seen as a way of giving the person spiritual food as they make their way into the afterlife. But it is difficult to treat the possibility of an afterlife as entirely irrelevant. 48:28 He it is Who has sent His Messenger (Muhammad) with guidance and the religion of truth (Islam), that He may make it (Islam) superior to all religions.