Christians interpreted Muslim conquests as punishment for sin, not divine approval of Islam

Evidence

When, in 634, the caliph ‘Umar entered Jerusalem as a conqueror, clad in a dirty camel-hair garment, it was a sweet victory for Muslims, a victory of the pious and humble, given by God’s grace. It looked quite different, of course, to Sophronios, patriarch of Jerusalem, who proclaimed: “Verily, this is the abomination of desolation standing in a holy place, as has been spoken through the prophet Daniel.” Muslim victories were punishments of Christians’ sins but in no way reflected God’s approval of Islam. — John V. Tolan, Saracens, 67

Categorization

• XREF: Mirrors the them/us divine-interpretation pattern found in the Spanish Armada material where victory was read through providence either way.