Islam’s Takeover of Nations: A Historical Perspective & Its Relevance to the West

~ Islam has expanded primarily through conquest, ethnic cleansing, political dominance & demographic shifts, often leading to the Islamization of Christian regions. ~

Publisher’s note: I spent three years of my childhood growing up in India. My father was assistant Army attachè to the US Embassy. His job was to secretly scour the countryside looking for any signs of Muslim hostilities, aggression, or incursion. Later I would become a Spanish major and learn about the Muslim invasions and conquest of much of Spain and other parts of Europe. As a young missionary in Italy, I would discover even more about the invasion of Italy. I have been studying Islam off and on my whole life, and the picture is rarely pretty or benign.

Throughout history, Islam has expanded primarily through conquest, political dominance, and demographic shifts, often leading to the forced Islamization of previously Christian regions. Today, a similar pattern can be observed in Western countries experiencing large-scale Muslim immigration, raising concerns about cultural transformation, religious freedom, and national identity.

The Historical Expansion of Islam

Islam began its expansion in the 7th century under Muhammad and his successors, the Rashidun and Umayyad Caliphates. Through military conquest and political control, Islam spread across the Middle East, North Africa, and parts of Europe, leading to the gradual Islamization of many formerly Christian lands.

Key Phases of Islamic Expansion

1. The Conquest of the Middle East (7th Century)

The Byzantine (Eastern Roman) Empire, a stronghold of Christianity, lost Syria, Palestine, Egypt, and Mesopotamia to Muslim armies within a few decades of Muhammad’s death in 632 AD. These areas were predominantly Christian before Islam’s arrival. Over time, Christian majorities dwindled due to conversion, taxation on non-Muslims (jizya), and social pressure.

2. The Fall of North Africa (7th-8th Century)

North Africa, once a major center of Christianity with figures like St. Augustine, was rapidly Islamized following Arab conquests. The region’s Berber population initially resisted but was later assimilated into Islamic culture.

By the 10th century, Christianity had virtually disappeared from North Africa, except for small pockets in Egypt and Ethiopia.

3. Islam’s Advance into Spain and France (8th Century)

Muslim armies crossed into Spain in 711 AD, overthrowing the Visigothic Christian kingdom and ruling most of the Iberian Peninsula for centuries. Only through the Reconquista (711-1492) did Spain and Portugal reclaim their Christian identity.

Muslim forces were halted at the Battle of Tours in 732 AD by Charles Martel, preventing further expansion into Western Europe.

4. The Fall of the Byzantine Empire (15th Century)

Constantinople, the heart of Eastern Orthodox Christianity, fell to the Ottoman Turks in 1453. The Hagia Sophia, one of Christianity’s most significant churches, was turned into a mosque.

The Ottoman Empire expanded into the Balkans, where Islam spread through conquest and forced conversions.

5. Islamization of the Balkans and Eastern Europe (15th-17th Century)

Serbia, Bosnia, Albania, and parts of Greece came under Ottoman rule. Bosnia remains a majority Muslim country today, while Albania has a significant Muslim population.

Formerly Christian Countries That Are Now Muslim

1. Turkey (formerly the Byzantine Empire): Once the center of Eastern Orthodox Christianity, now over 99% Muslim. Turkey is also one of several countries where the “ethnic cleansing” of Christians took place during the Muslim takeover.

2. Egypt: A Christian-majority nation before the Arab conquests, now over 90% Muslim. Egypt also experienced the “ethnic cleansing” of some of its Christian population. See Western Media Ignores Slaughter of Coptic Woman and Men by Muslim Brotherhood.

3. Syria: Historically home to one of the oldest Christian communities, now majority Muslim, due in part to “ethnic cleansing.”

4. Iraq: Once a Christian heartland, now overwhelmingly Muslim, with a persecuted and sometimes “ethnically cleansed” Christian minority.

5. North African Nations (Libya, Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco): Formerly Christian under the Roman Empire, now predominantly Muslim, where “ethnic cleansing” has and continues to take place.

6. Bosnia and Herzegovina: Formerly part of Christian Eastern Europe, now about 50% Muslim where “mass violence” against Christians took place.

7. Albania: Converted to Islam under Ottoman rule, remains largely Muslim today.

8. Azerbaijan: Before the Islamic conquests, Azerbaijan was a predominantly Christian region, influenced by the Persian Empire and the Byzantine Empire. Now it is 97% Muslim.

Parallels to Modern Muslim Immigration in the West

The historical pattern of Islamization through conquest and demographic shifts has implications for Western nations experiencing high levels of Muslim immigration today. While contemporary migration is not military conquest, the long-term effects of cultural transformation and demographic change could mirror historical trends.

Key Concerns:

1. Demographic Shifts and Declining Christian Populations

As seen in history, Muslim-majority nations did not begin as such; they became Muslim through gradual changes.

Western nations with declining birthrates and growing Muslim populations may face a similar transformation over time.

2. Cultural and Religious Influence

In many Western countries, Muslim communities have pushed for Sharia law accommodations, Islamic education in public schools, and changes to free speech laws to criminalize “Islamophobia.”

In the UK, parts of cities like Birmingham and London have significant Muslim majorities, influencing local governance and policies.

3. Suppression of Christianity in Islamic-Dominated Societies

The fate of Christian minorities in countries like Egypt and Iraq, where they are persecuted, marginalized, or forced to flee, raises questions about the future of religious freedom in the West if Muslim populations become dominant.

4. Political and Legal Changes

In Muslim-majority countries, Islamic law often becomes part of the legal system.

Advocates for mass immigration as well as much of the European media downplay the potential for political changes, but history shows that once Muslims reach a majority, Islamic governance typically follows. See Government & Media Hide Problems with Muslim Immigration to the West.

Conclusion

History demonstrates that Islam does not simply coexist with other cultures when it achieves dominance; rather, it replaces them. The Islamization of formerly Christian nations was not an overnight process but a gradual shift through migration, conquest, and social pressure. Today, Western nations must consider the lessons of history as they grapple with the consequences of large-scale Muslim immigration. The decline of Christianity in its historic homelands serves as a warning: cultural transformation is often irreversible.

The West must ask itself: will history repeat itself?

Looking at the UK, the answer might well be yes. According to this site, there are currently between 30 and 85 Shariah councils in the UK. The website muslimsinbritain.org estimates there are 2,122 mosques and prayer rooms in the UK. And several cities in the UK have or recently have had Muslim mayors. London, which has a Muslim mayor, holds a month-long celebration for Ramadan. For at least the past 10 years, Muslim groomer gangs that recruited, raped, and sometimes even killed little girls, were covered up, and some of the (mostly Pakistani) perpetrators were released, according to the BBC.

With the Islamic community so deeply entrenched, in power and protected, it won’t be easy to make Great Britain a Western power again.

Originally published February 21, 2025

Sources:

Bat Yeor, The Decline of Eastern Christianity Under Islam

Raymond Ibrahim, Sword and Scimitar: Fourteen Centuries of War Between Islam and the West

Robert Spencer, The History of Jihad

Hugh Kennedy, The Great Arab Conquests

Samuel Huntington, The Clash of Civilizations

Pew Research Center, The Future of World Religions: Population Growth Projections

Related:

• Sharia Law vs. American Freedom: Former Muslim Isik Abla Exposes Threat to Western Values
• 70 Christians Beheaded in DRC Church Attack
• Recent Deadly Attacks on Christians in Africa
• Genocide: Islamic State’s Mass Killings of ‘Unbelievers’
• India Intensifies Persecution of Christians
• What Conflict Led to the Crusades?
• How the Inquisition Targeted Protestants
• Expert Links Recent Bomb Blasts to History of Jihad in India

About the Publisher

Share on Facebook

Tweet

Follow us

Save