ISLAM'S ENCOUNTER WITH CHRISTIANITY

Abstract

The history of relations between Christianity and Islam goes back to the seventh century when lslam originated as a new religion. Ever since then, both these religions maintained mutual contact which, until recently, was either in the form of uneasy coexistence and hostile confrontaticn. From the very beginning, Christianity looked on Islam as a threat to Christianity because it appeared to supplant it '.IS a religion. The series cf 1V'1I~'im'conquests and the sudden rise of Islam to political power were aJarming to the Christians who therefore wished to check the rap'd growth of Islam. Christian hostility was aggravated when lslam captured many Christian provinces like Syr:a, Egypt, North Africa end Spain, Yhe animosity of Christians against Islam passed through several stages in Arabia, in the Byzantine empire and later in Western Christendom.