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Salaam/peace
Religious Freedom in the Eyes of Shari`ah
It was in 622 AC, that Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, introduced the Charter of Madinah, which in fact was the first ever written constitution in the history of mankind.
It gave the people the right of protection, security, peace and justice; not only to Muslims, but also to the Jews who lived in the City of Madinah, as well as the allies of Jews who were non-Muslims.
** It recognized Jews as a separate political and ethnic minority, and allowed them to practice their religion quite freely**.
In fact, Jews were considered on an equal bases as Muslims under the Islamic State.
…The Jews were given a free hand to practice their faith.
The interesting right that the Jews and the Christians were given because they were the main minority living under the Islamic state, was their right to have a holiday, the Jews on a Saturday, and the Christians on a Sunday.
** Interestingly enough, in many Western countries, up till now, Muslims are still struggling to have Friday as their public holiday.**
islamonline.net/servlet/Satellite?cid=1119503545930&pagename=IslamOnline-English-Ask_Scholar%2FFatwaE%2FFatwaEAskTheScholar
related link :
Jizyah and non-Muslim Minorities
…When the people of Hirah contributed the sum agreed upon, they expressly mentioned that they paid this jizyah on condition that ‘the Muslims and their leader protect us from those who would oppress us, whether they be Muslims or others.”
In his covenant with the people of certain cities near Al-Haira, Khalid ibn Al-Walid, may Allah be pleased with him, recorded: “If we are able to protect you, we deserve the collection of jizyah; otherwise, we shall not offer you protection.”
The seriousness with which the Muslims took their covenants with the non-Muslims is well illustrated by the following incident. During the reign of the second caliph, `Umar Ibn Al-Khattab, the Roman emperor Heraclius raised a huge army to repel the Muslim forces.
It was thus incumbent upon the Muslims to concentrate their efforts on the battle.
When the commander of Muslims, Abu ‘Ubaydah (may Allah be pleased with him) heard this news, he wrote to his officials in all conquered cities in Syria and ordered them to return the jizyah which had been levied in those cities.
He also addressed the public saying; “We are returning your money because we know that the enemy has gathered troops. By the terms stipulated in the covenant, you have obliged us to protect you.
However, since we are now unable to fulfill these conditions, we have returned to you what you paid to us. We shall abide by the terms agreed upon in the covenant, if Allah helps us to rout the enemy.”
Thus, a huge amount was taken form the state treasury and returned to the Christians, making them very happy. They prayed for and blessed the Muslim commanders.
They exclaimed, “May Allah help you to overcome your enemies and return you to us safely. If the enemy were in your place, they would never have returned anything to us, but rather they would have taken all our remaining property.”
The jizyah was also imposed on Muslim men who could afford to buy their way out of military service.
If a Christian group elected to serve in the state’s military forces, it was exempted from the jizyah.
Historical examples of this abound: the Jarajima, a Christian tribe living near Antioch (now in Turkey), by undertaking to support Muslims and to fight on the battle front, did not have to pay the jizyah and were entitled to a share of the captured booty.
When the Islamic conquests reached northern Persia in 22 A.H., a similar covenant was established with a tribe living on the boundaries of those territories.
They were consequently exempted from jizyah in view of their military services.
more :
islamonline.net/servlet/Satellite?pagename=IslamOnline-English-Ask_Scholar/FatwaE/FatwaE&cid=1119503544994
Religious Freedom in the Eyes of Shari`ah
It was in 622 AC, that Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, introduced the Charter of Madinah, which in fact was the first ever written constitution in the history of mankind.
It gave the people the right of protection, security, peace and justice; not only to Muslims, but also to the Jews who lived in the City of Madinah, as well as the allies of Jews who were non-Muslims.
** It recognized Jews as a separate political and ethnic minority, and allowed them to practice their religion quite freely**.
In fact, Jews were considered on an equal bases as Muslims under the Islamic State.
…The Jews were given a free hand to practice their faith.
The interesting right that the Jews and the Christians were given because they were the main minority living under the Islamic state, was their right to have a holiday, the Jews on a Saturday, and the Christians on a Sunday.
** Interestingly enough, in many Western countries, up till now, Muslims are still struggling to have Friday as their public holiday.**
islamonline.net/servlet/Satellite?cid=1119503545930&pagename=IslamOnline-English-Ask_Scholar%2FFatwaE%2FFatwaEAskTheScholar
related link :
Jizyah and non-Muslim Minorities
…When the people of Hirah contributed the sum agreed upon, they expressly mentioned that they paid this jizyah on condition that ‘the Muslims and their leader protect us from those who would oppress us, whether they be Muslims or others.”
In his covenant with the people of certain cities near Al-Haira, Khalid ibn Al-Walid, may Allah be pleased with him, recorded: “If we are able to protect you, we deserve the collection of jizyah; otherwise, we shall not offer you protection.”
The seriousness with which the Muslims took their covenants with the non-Muslims is well illustrated by the following incident. During the reign of the second caliph, `Umar Ibn Al-Khattab, the Roman emperor Heraclius raised a huge army to repel the Muslim forces.
It was thus incumbent upon the Muslims to concentrate their efforts on the battle.
When the commander of Muslims, Abu ‘Ubaydah (may Allah be pleased with him) heard this news, he wrote to his officials in all conquered cities in Syria and ordered them to return the jizyah which had been levied in those cities.
He also addressed the public saying; “We are returning your money because we know that the enemy has gathered troops. By the terms stipulated in the covenant, you have obliged us to protect you.
However, since we are now unable to fulfill these conditions, we have returned to you what you paid to us. We shall abide by the terms agreed upon in the covenant, if Allah helps us to rout the enemy.”
Thus, a huge amount was taken form the state treasury and returned to the Christians, making them very happy. They prayed for and blessed the Muslim commanders.
They exclaimed, “May Allah help you to overcome your enemies and return you to us safely. If the enemy were in your place, they would never have returned anything to us, but rather they would have taken all our remaining property.”
The jizyah was also imposed on Muslim men who could afford to buy their way out of military service.
If a Christian group elected to serve in the state’s military forces, it was exempted from the jizyah.
Historical examples of this abound: the Jarajima, a Christian tribe living near Antioch (now in Turkey), by undertaking to support Muslims and to fight on the battle front, did not have to pay the jizyah and were entitled to a share of the captured booty.
When the Islamic conquests reached northern Persia in 22 A.H., a similar covenant was established with a tribe living on the boundaries of those territories.
They were consequently exempted from jizyah in view of their military services.
more :
islamonline.net/servlet/Satellite?pagename=IslamOnline-English-Ask_Scholar/FatwaE/FatwaE&cid=1119503544994
well, other Christians could say the same to you eh?
