Although the Turks outwardly showed tolerance for other religions, their laws allowed them to enforce the Mahometan faith on people’s consciences. They used various religious rules and clever methods to persuade or compel conversion.
Conversion of Children
One key method involved children. If a man converted to Islam, all of his children under fourteen were also required to follow the Muslim faith, even if they had been educated in another religion. This ensured that future generations would be raised strictly within the Mahometan religion.
Forcing Converts
Men who spoke against the Mahometan law, or who had made promises to convert while drunk or under duress, were often forced to choose between death, conversion, or public shame. Similarly, men who had relations with Muslim women were compelled to convert, or face harsh penalties. These rules created a system that trapped Christians and others within the legal and spiritual framework of Islam Guided Tours Istanbul.
Strategic Religious Policy
Another strategy for spreading the religion was building mosques immediately upon conquering a city or fortress. Once a mosque was established, the new Muslim rulers considered it a religious obligation to hold the city firmly. Citizens were expected to accept the faith, and the presence of these religious buildings often influenced their consciences more strongly than threats of famine, war, or violence.
Religious Pressure and Social Control
These methods were not only religious but also social and psychological. The combination of law, religious obligation, and strategically placed mosques created pressure on communities to conform. Even those who did not openly convert often found their daily lives and social choices restricted by the expectation to follow Islam, making the religion widespread and deeply rooted in conquered areas.
In short, the Mahometan religion spread not only through military conquest but also through laws, social policies, and religious pressure. Conversion of children, enforcement on adults, and construction of mosques were central strategies. These measures ensured that Islam became established in both the conscience and daily life of the people, often more effectively than force alone.