The document argues that while Western colonialism of Islamic nations occurred over 130 years, Muslim conquests in Europe spanned over 1,300 years, driven by the doctrine of jihad. It critiques the portrayal of the Crusades as aggressive actions against peaceful Muslims, emphasizing they were responses to centuries of Islamic aggression towards Christians. The author suggests that modern apologies for the Crusades by Christians may embolden Muslim radicalism and contribute to ongoing violence against Christians, particularly in the Middle East.

1. by Dr. Peter Hammond

4. by Dr. Peter Hammond

5. A Common tactic used by many Muslims, and their apologists,
is to accuse the West of having subjected Islamic nations
to European colonialism.

6. However, while Western colonialism and conquests of Muslim lands
lasted for approximately 130 years, from the 1830s to the 1960s,
Muslim colonisation of European lands lasted over 1,300 years.

7. Inspired by Muhammad’s doctrine of Jihad, the Saudi Arabians launched
the first major colonial enterprise in history.

8. Arabs invaded and colonised Palestine in 633, Syria in 637,
Jerusalem in 638, Egypt in 641, Persia beginning in 642,
Spain in 711, Sicily in 827,
and Rome was conquered and sacked in 846.

9. The Muslims invaded and colonised Spain for 800 years,
Portugal for 600 years, Greece for 500 years, Bulgaria for 500 years,
Romania for 400 years, Serbia for 400 years, Sicily for 300 years,
Hungary for over 150 years.

10. Muslims struggled, but failed, to conquer Malta

11. Muslims struggled, but failed, to conquer Austria

12. Muslims struggled, but failed, to conquer Italy,

13. Muslims struggled, but failed, to conquer Cyprus

14. Muslims also struggled, but failed, to conquer Armenia, Poland,
Georgia, Ukraine and Russia. Bosnia, Kosovo and Albania,
which were Muslim colonies for hundreds of years,
continue to be areas of intense violence and destabilisation, to this day.

15. One wonders why so much more attention has been given to the
Crusades which lasted less than 200 years than to Islamic Jihad,
which has continued for 1,400 years,
and in some places is intensifying at this time.

16. The portrayal of the Crusades as
imperialistic and colonial
enterprises against “peace-loving
and tolerant” Muslims who were
minding their own business in the
Middle East is imaginative fiction.

17. While the Encyclopaedia Britannica could publish
many pages on the Crusades, it was silent on Jihad.

18. Yet, the Crusades were only a belated reaction
to centuries of Islamic Jihad.

19. Seldom do modern
historians or journalists
recognise that the crusades
were a military response of
Christian Europe to
five centuries
of Muslim aggression
against Christian lands.

20. The Crusades reacted to
the systematic abuse
and persecution
of indigenous
Christian populations
in these lands
which the Muslims
had invaded.

21. Professor Thomas Madden has written: “The Crusades are quite possibly
the most misunderstood event in European history.”

22. The Christians who took part in the 1999 “Reconciliation Walk”
travelled to Turkey, Syria, Lebanon and Israel asking for forgiveness for
what their ancestors may have done during the Crusades,
some 900 years before.

23. Had these individuals known their history, they would have realised that
these were previously Christian lands which Muslims had invaded.

24. Muslims massacred tens of thousands of Christians,

25. Desecrated and destroyed over 30,000 churches

26. and demolished some of the most important churches in
Christendom, such as the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.

27. Muslims seem obsessed
with the Christian
Crusades, but have
forgotten their own
pervasive Jihad.

28. The unintended consequences of such well-meaning,
but obviously misinformed, Christians apologising for the Crusades,
is that it encourages Muslim radicalism.
It shows them that Western Christians are weak.

29. There is nothing Muslims respect more than strength;

30. there is nothing they despise more than weakness.

31. Christian apologies for the
Crusades encourages the
self-righteousness endemic in
Islam and encourages millions of
Muslims in their hatred of the
West in general and Christianity in
particular.

32. There is no doubt that Islamic violence against Christians has
exponentially increased throughout the Middle East and worldwide
since 1999.

40. In fact, the number of Christians in the Middle East has decreased
dramatically from 15 million in 2000, to barely 13 million today.

41. Ignorance of history makes one vulnerable to guilt manipulation
and exploitation. Those who forget the lessons of history
are doomed to repeat its mistakes.

42. REFORMATION SOCIETY
PO Box 74
Newlands, 7725
Cape Town
South Africa
E-mail: info@ReformationSA.org
Web: www.ReformationSA.org

58. Frontline Fellowship
PO Box 74
Newlands
7725
Cape Town
South Africa
E-mail: admin@frontline.org.za
Web: www.frontline.org.za