Page 155 - Islam Denounces Terrorism

Adnan Oktar (Harun Yahya) 153

The reign of the Seljuk Turks and that of the Ottoman Empire were

also marked by the just and compassionate outlook of Islam. In his
book, The Preaching of Islam, Thomas Arnold explains the Christians'
willingness to come under Seljuk rule because of this attitude:
This same sense of security of religious life under Muslim rule

led many of the Christians of Asia Minor, also, about the same
time, to welcome the advent of the Saljuq Turks as their deliv-
erers… In the reign of Michael VIII (1261-1282), the Turks were
often invited to take possession of the smaller towns in the inte-
rior of Asia Minor by the inhabitants, that they might escape
from the tyranny of the empire; and both rich and poor often
emigrated into Turkish dominions. 10

Malik Shah, the ruler of the Islamic Seljuk Empire during its
brightest age, approached the people in the conquered lands with great
compassion and justice and thus was remembered with respect and

love by them. All objective historians refer to the justice and compas-
sion of Malik Shah in their works. His compassion also kindled feel-
ings of love towards him in the hearts of the People of the Book. For
this reason, unprecedented in history, many cities came under Malik
Shah's rule of their own free will. Sir Thomas Arnold also mentions
Odo de Diogilo, a monk of St. Denis, who participated in the Second
Crusade as the private chaplain of Louis VII, refers in his memoirs to

the justice administered by Muslims regardless of the subjects' reli-
gious affiliation. Based on the graphic account of Odo de Diogilo, Sir
Thomas Arnold writes:

The situation of the survivors would have been utterly hope-
less, had not the sight of their misery melted the hearts of the
Muhammadans to pity. They tended the sick and relieved the
poor and starving with open-handed liberality. Some even
bought up the French money which the Greeks had got out of