Early Muslims framed conquests as God-given triumph of the weak against mighty empires

Evidence

In this way, with him in whom we trust, and in whom we believe, we went off, barefoot, naked, without equipment, strength, weapons or provisions, to fight against the largest empires, the most evidently powerful nations whose rule over other peoples was the most ruthless, that is to say: Persia and Byzantium. We marched against them with our small number, and our weak resources. And God enabled us to triumph over them and to take possession of their territories. He allowed us to settle down in their lands and houses, gave us their riches, when we had no other might or power than the Religion of Truth, thanks to God’s power, mercy and help. — John V. Tolan, Saracens, 267

Categorization

• ADDENDUM: Relevant to the sacrifice/complaint-against-immodesty work if extended — the self-image of righteous weakness overcoming worldly power parallels later crusading inversions.
• CANDY: The image of barefoot, naked desert warriors taking Persia and Byzantium is a vivid, quotable anecdote.
• XREF: connects to: Early Muslim conquests rode on Byzantine-Persian exhaustion as war was then the norm