Lives of Sahaba 8 - Abu Bakr As-Siddiq 8 - Purpose behind the Conquests - Dr. Yasir Qadhi

Dr. Yasir Qadhi reviews the life of Abu Bakr (ʾ) and examines the political and military conquests that followed the Prophet’s death. He explains that Abu Bakr focused on expanding into Iraq and the Levant, and discusses the reasons behind these campaigns. While some view them as defensive, Qadhi notes that the early battles were largely defensive to protect Muslim rights, with a few offensive ones such as Tabuk. He contrasts this with the caliphs’ later conquests, which were political and offensive, driven by the common practice of the time, the desire to spread political Islam, and the hope that people would accept Islam through interaction and incentives rather than force. He cites an example of Rabi Ibn Amir’s meeting with the Persian king Rustum to illustrate the pure motivation of spreading truth. Qadhi stresses that modern Muslims reject offensive jihad and that contemporary wars are justified differently. The presentation was delivered on August 26, 2015 at the Memphis Islamic Center.