Muslims read military conquest as divine favor and proof of true faith

Evidence

At the very height of the invasions, on Christmas day, 634, the Christians of Jerusalem, unable to go to recently conquered Bethlehem for the customary Christmas Mass, stayed in Jerusalem and heard a sermon by their patriarch, Sophronios. He spoke of the invasions and of the fear that they struck into the hearts of Jerusalem’s Christians: this was punishment for “countless sins and very serious faults.” Just as Adam and Eve were banished from the earthly paradise by the angel’s flaming sword (Gen. 4.24), Sophronios says, so are Christians prevented by the sword of the Saracens from approaching Bethlehem on Christmas. Just as the pagan gentile “slime” had once prevented King David from reaching Bethlehem so the “godless Saracens” now keep the Christians away. — John V. Tolan, Saracens, 294 (#contradicts, via linked claim)

Categorization

• XREF: connects to: Medieval believers read military victory as divine judgment on the merits of faiths; Muslims read their conquest of Christian lands as divinely sanctioned proof of Islam’s superiority; Medieval Christians read Muslim military success as divine judgment favoring Islam — John V. Tolan, Saracens, 47 (+10 more)

Broader Connections

• Muslims read their conquest of Christian lands as divinely sanctioned proof of Islam’s superiority #corroborates (1.00)
• Medieval Christians read Muslim military success as divine judgment favoring Islam #contradicts (1.00) — John V. Tolan, Saracens, 47
• Initial Christian leaders read the Muslim conquests as divine punishment for sin #contradicts (1.00) — John V. Tolan, Saracens, 294
• Christians explained Muslim conquest as divine punishment for sin #contradicts (1.00)
• Medieval Christians read Muslim victories as divine judgment against Christendom #contradicts (1.00)
• Muslim military success suggested to Christians that Muhammad’s theology might be divinely favored #complicates (0.85) — John V. Tolan, Saracens, 1242
• Christian hagiographers explained Islam’s military success as mere worldliness rather than divine favor #complicates (0.85)
• A medieval Christian tract presented early Muslim conquests positively using Muslim sources #complicates (0.85)
• Muslim military success drove Christians to doubt their own theology #complicates (0.85) — John V. Tolan, Saracens, 1242