Muslims saw defeating Byzantium, not conquering Europe, as the real goal

Evidence

Early medieval Muslims were very conscious of the great struggle in which they were engaged against Christendom—of the issues and the stakes involved. They were also well aware of their defeat in the attempt to conquer and convert Europe. … But in their perception, the real turning point in the attack on Europe was the repeated failure of the armies and fleets of the Caliphate to capture Constantinople in the late seventh and early eighth centuries. — Bernard Lewis, From Babel to Dragomans, 660

Categorization

• QUESTION: Worth chasing: what did the Caliphate’s own historians write about the campaigns against Constantinople, and what did they consider the stakes?