The mission of the Islamic Ummah in this life is to carry the Message of Islam to the whole of mankind. The Muslims had to be in touch with the world. The Islamic State was thus obliged to carry out this task which Islam has decreed in order to convey the Message. It was inevitable that the State would conquer other countries and achieve this with great success. These conquests were merely the implementation of an Islamic obligation, which is the conveying of Islam to people in a manner that would catch their imagination by implementing its rules on them and spreading its concepts among them.

Therefore, the Islamic conquests were not designed to exploit and colonize people, nor were they made to take advantage of the resources of their land. The only aim was to carry the Message of Islam to them in order to save them from the miserable lives that they were leading and the corrupt regimes that they were ruled by.

The Islamic State was established on a very strong basis, an establishment that saw it grow and expand, spread and conquer other countries. The seed of its establishment was destined to bear a universal State, not a local one, because its ‘Aqeedah is a universal one. It is an ‘Aqeedah for mankind and its system is global, designed, as it was, for all humans.

Therefore, it was only natural for it to spread and to liberate other countries, the nature of its establishment makes this inevitable. There was the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) taking the second Ba’yah of ‘Aqabah from the Muslims who pledged to fight alongside him all and sundry even if it led to the loss of their wealth and the death of their nobles. They pledged themselves to him in complete obedience in ease and in hardship, to tell the truth at all times. In Allah’s service they would fear the censure of none, pledging themselves to the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) to fight to the death in the way of protecting the Islamic Da’wah and for their faithful service their reward would be Paradise. Those were the seeds of the army of the Islamic State that carried the Message of Islam. Bearing all these factors in mind, why was this army established? What was its task? Was it not to carry the Message of Islam? Was that not the only reason for which they came and gave their pledge and were ready to die for its cause?

The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) had designed the plan of the conquests before his death. Once the Islamic State was established in the Arabian Peninsula, he (pbuh) sent envoys to Chosroes and Caesar, part of his plan designed to spread the Message of Islam beyond the Peninsula which took place in the seventh year of Hijrah. He (pbuh) also sent envoys to other kings and princes inviting them to embrace Islam. His plan was also reflected in launching the raids of Mu’tah and Tabuk and in the preparation of Usama’s army. The Khulafah who succeeded him as heads of the State pursued his plan and executed it by conquering first the countries he (pbuh) had sent envoys to, inviting them to Islam.

Other conquests soon followed, again always following the same method and principle. That is why the Islamic State was never selective in the countries it conquered, it never made any difference to the Muslims how difficult or easy was their task. And although Egypt was relatively easy to conquer and its resources were considerable compared with the harsh Saharan climate of North Africa with its poverty, the Muslims never took those factors into consideration because their ultimate goal was to spread Islam. This necessitated the liberation of every country regardless of its poverty or wealth and regardless of the resistance put up by its people. Carrying Islam to the other nations is not motivated based on the wealth or the poverty factor, nor will the acceptance or the refusal of the people stall the carrying of the Message. The main aim is simply the conveyance of Islam, to establish it as an intellectual leadership from which a way of life emanates. This Message should be carried to all mankind in all countries.

The Qur’an has outlined for Muslims the reasons for fighting and the obligation of Jihad, stressing that it should only be in the way of Islam and in carrying its Message to the world. The verses came strong and fast, commanding the Muslims to fight in the way of Islam. Allah (swt) says in Surah al-Anfal,

“And fight them until there is no more Fitnah and the Deen will be for Allah Alone” [Al-Anfal, 8:39].

And He I says in Surah al-Baqarah,

“And fight them until there is no more Fitnah and worship is for Allah (alone). But if they cease, let there be no transgression except against Az-Zalimun (the transgressors)” [Al-Baqarah, 2:193].

Allah (swt) says in Surah al-Tawbah,

“Fight against those who don’t believe in Allah, nor in the Last Day, nor forbid that which has been forbidden by Allah and His Messenger, And those who don’t aknowledge the religion of truth (i.e. Islam) among the people of the scripture (Jews and Christians), until they pay the Jizya with willing submission, and being subdued.”[At-Tauba, 9:29].

These verses, among others, have commanded the Muslims to perform Jihad and indicated to the Muslims the aim behind the conquests. It was these verses that motivated the Muslims to liberate other countries.

Therefore, the carrying of the Message of Islam was the basis on which the Islamic State was founded and for which the Muslim army had been prepared. Jihad was decreed and this was the method followed in the conquering of other countries. The carrying of the Message is what would bring the Islamic State back to the Muslims.