ISLAM AND NON-MUSUM COMMUNITIES

It has always been said that the attitude of non-Muslim communities towards Islamic rule
is a critical and delicate question which many people hesitate to discuss for fear of causing
dissension between Muslims and non-Muslims.

Let us be frank with the Christians of the Islamic East and put to them these questions:

What do they fear from the rule of Islam? Are they afraid of the holy texts of Islam or of
the manner of their application?

As for the provisions, we may quote the Holy Qur'an: "God forbids you not, with regard
to those who fight you not/or (your) Faith nor drive you out of your homes, from dealing
kindly and justly with them: For God loveth those who are just" (Ix : 8); and

"The food of the people of the Book is lawful unto you and yours is lawful unto them.
(Lawful unto you in marriage) are (not only) chaste women who are believers, but chaste
women among the people of the Book" (vi: 6).

We should also refer to the general principle in Islamic jurisprudence: "They shall have
the same obligations and rights as we".

The Islamic holy texts enjoin Muslims to treat non-Muslims in a kind and fair manner,
Apart from the rights and obligations involving worship, they are equal to Muslims with
respect to all other rights and obligations related to social life and the rights of citizens. In
addition, Islamic faith strives to strengthen the links connecting the non-Muslims to visit
them and to eat their food, which is the custom of close friends.

Moreover, Islam tries to make the relationship grow closer by permitting inter-marriage,
the strongest social bond, between Muslims and non-Muslims.

As to the practical application of the Islamic holy texts we had better quote a European
Christian, who cannot be accused of bias prejudice, Sir T. W. Arnold in his book "'The
Preaching of Islam": "That force was not the determining factor in these conversions may be
judged from the amicable relations that existed between the Christian and the Muslim Arabs.
Muhammad himself had entered into treaty with several Christian tribes, promising them his
protection and guaranteeing them the free exercise of their religion and to their clergy
undisturbed enjoyment of their old rights and authority" (pp. 47-48).

He goes on to say:

"From the examples given above of the toleration extended towards the Christian Arabs
by the victorious Muslims of the first century of the Hijrah and continued by succeeding
generations, we may surely infer that those Christian tribes that did embrace Islam, did so of
their own choice and free will" (p.51).
 "When the Muslim army reached the valley of Jordan and Abu Ubaydah pitched his camp
at Fihl, the Christian inhabitants of the country wrote to the Arabs, saying: "O Muslims, we
prefer you to the Byzantines, though they are of our own faith because you keep better faith
with us and are more merciful to us and refrain from doing us injustice and your rule over us
is better than theirs, for they have robbed us of our goods and our homes" (p. 55).

He also tells us:

"Such was the state of feeling in Syria during the campaign of 633-639 in which the
Arabs gradually drove the Roman army out of the province. And when Damascus, in 637, set
the example of making terms with the Arabs, and thus secured immunity from plunder and
other favorable conditions, the rest of the cities of Syria were not slow to follow. Emessa,
Arethusa, Hieropolis and other towns entered into treaties whereby they became tributary to
the Arabs. Even the patriarch of Jerusalem surrendered the city on similar terms. The fear of
religious compulsion on the part of the heretical emperor made the promise of Muslim
toleration appear more attractive than the connection with the Roman Empire and a Christian
government, and after the first terrors caused by the passage of an invading army, there
succeeded a profound revulsion of feeling in favor of the Arab conquerors" (p. 55).

This is the evidence given by a Christian scholar on Islam. What is it then that the
Christians fear from Islamic rule?

It may be that the Christians are afraid of Muslim fanaticism. If this is true, it seems that
they have no idea of what fanaticism is. Here are a few examples of fanaticism.

Courts of inquisition set up by the Christian Church were primarily meant to exterminate
the Muslims of Spain. The said courts tortured Muslims in a monstrous way which had never
been experienced before. People were burnt alive, their finger nails were pulled off, their eyes
were put out, and their limbs were amputated. This torture was inflicted in order to force the
people to change their religion and adopt a particular Christian creed.

Have the Christians of Islamic East ever suffered such treatment?

Massacres are carried out for the extermination of Muslims in Europe: Yugoslavia,
Albania, Russia or countries under European rule such as North Africa, Somalia, Kenya,
Zanzibar or in other countries: India and Malaya. Such massacres are staged sometimes on
the pretext of the purgation of ranks and sometimes for the maintenance of peace and
security.

Another significant example is the treatment of Muslims in Ethiopia which has ancient
historical, geographical, cultural and religious links with Egypt. It has a mixed population of
Muslims and Christians. Although Muslims account for 35 %-65 % of the total population
there is not a single school where Islamic faith or Arabic is taught. Private schools which the
Muslims open at their own expense are subjected to exorbitant taxes and inconveniences
which lead to their closing and disheartening those who may think of opening new schools. In
this way, Islamic teaching is confined to a primitive way of teaching.
 Until very recently-just before the Italian invasion-a Muslim who could not -pay a debt to
his Christian creditor was taken in slavery by the Ethiopian Christians. The Muslim was
caught, sold and tortured under the governments sight.

It goes without saying that there is not a single Muslim in the cabinet or in any key post
to represent the one-third of the population.

Have the Christians of the Islamic world ever experienced such a treatment? Would they
accept reciprocal treatment?

That is real fanaticism.

The communists believe that the real existence of man is essentially an economic
existence. If so, have the Christians living in Islamic countries ever been denied the right to
acquire and dispose of property or to amass wealth? Have they ever been denied, on account
of their religious belief, the right to have education, to join public service or promotion to
higher public posts?

As for the moral and spiritual existence, it should be stressed that the Christians living
under Islamic rule have never been subjected to any form of religious persecution with the
exception of the very rare incidents engendered by the British Colonialists for the purpose of
sowing dissension and diversion. It is alleged that the imposition of tribute on non-Muslims is
the result of religious discrimination. The best refutation of this baseless accusation lies in the
words of T. W. Arnold, who says:-

"On the other hand, when the Egyptian peasants, although Muslim in faith, were made
exempt from military service, a tax was imposed upon them as on the Christians in lieu
thereof".1[1]

"As stated above, the jizyah was levied on the able-bodied males, in lieu of the military
service they would have been called upon to perform had they been Musalmans; and it is very
noticeable that when any Christian people served ill the Muslim army, they were exempted
from the payment of this tax. Such was the case with the tribe of al-Jurajimah, a Christian
tribe in the neighborhood of Antioch, who made peace with the Muslims, promising them to
be their allies and fight on their side in battle, on condition that they should not be called
upon to pay jizyah and should receive their proper share of the booty".2[2]

From this it is clear that the imposition of tribute is not the result of any religious
discrimination. The truth is that the tribute was imposed on all those who did not take part in
military service regardless of their religious belief. It would be useful to refer in this respect
to the following Holy verse:
 "Fight those who believe not in God nor the Last Day, nor hold that forbidden which hath
been forbidden by God and His Apostle, nor acknowledge the Religion of Truth (even if they
are) of the People of the Book, until they pay the Jizyah with willing submission and feel
themselves subdued" (ix : 29).

It should be pointed out that this verse refers to non-Muslims who wage war against
Islam. It does not apply to the non-Muslims living in Islamic countries.

In conclusion, I should like to warn that the seeds of dissension between Muslims and
non-Muslims living in Islamic countries are sown by colonialists as well as by communists.
The communist devils address each community in accordance with its particular aspirations.
They address the working classes saying, "If you adopt Communism we shall hand over all
factories to you" while speaking to peasants, they promise to give them the lands. On talking
to unemployed graduates they say, "If you become communists you will get the jobs that fit
in with your qualifications".

As for the youth suffering from sexual repression, the communists promise them a free
society, where every one can act as one likes without intervention by law or subjection to
traditions.

The communists address Christians in the following manner: "If you adopt communism
we shall destroy Islam, the religion that discriminates among people on account of their
religion." But "it is a grievous thing that comes from their mouths as a saying, for, what they
say is nothing but falsehood" (xviii: 5).

It cannot be said that Islam distinguishes among people on account of their religion
because Islam confers the essential rights on all people without any distinction. Islam brings
all people together on a purely human basis and at the same time guarantees them absolute
freedom to adopt the religion of their choice, under its own care and protection.

Besides, as the Christians of the East are also anxious to retain their historical links with
Muslims and protect their mutual interests, let us hope that they would not listen to these
propagandists or dissenters.