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Originally Posted by Mojo_PeiPei
In it's first 400 years cared little for the outside world? The Battle of Tours would tend to prove that statement completely wrong.
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Wrong.
The Battle of Tours stopped the Muslim invasion of Europe, that is true - that was their westernmost expansion.
However the notion that it was a large encirclment of Europe is false.
Indeed, once the the first Islamic Empire (the Umayyad Caliphate) reached its highest peak, it had little if any communication with the outside world.
The Muslims were the MINORITY in the first 500 years - indeed, Nestorian Christians, pagans, Zoroastrians were often the majority of people. Arab Muslims were the ruling elite though.
Look at texts of that time in the Middle East - scholars and scribes rarely if ever mentioned the outside world. The caliphs rarely had any dealings with the outside world or bothered with it.
And the fact that the article you quote (with no link I might add) talks about ending Christianity makes me laugh.
Muslims were the most tolerant of other religions of people. They NEVER forced conversion on anyone.
Their backlash against Christians came from the Mongol invasions but I wont go into that unless you want me to.