Oct 4, 2007

To be a Dhimmi.. Oppression or Justice?!!

Today I'm going to talk Dhimmis in Islamic state.  What rights are given to them by Islam?!! Are they free to practice their religious duties?!! Are they free to criticize and argue?!! Why they pay the Jizyah?!! Can they be rulers in the society?!! What Muslims really did with Dhimmis?!!! ... and more other.
 
A good starting point would be defining 'Dhimmi'. In the famous book of Al-Sayyed Sabeq; 'Feqh Al-Sunna' 'Dhimma' means troth and intergrity. 'Dhimmi' refers to any non-Muslim living under the authority of Islamic state.
 
Islamic religion gives them various rights; and some of the most important rights are the following;
*They are free to practice their religious rituals; not a church or temple can be demolished, not a cross can be broken, not a Muslim who marry from a Dhimmi woman has the right to prevent her from going to her temple or church.
*Muslims have no right to force any of them to leave their religion to Islam, as Allah said clearly in 2nd Surah verse 256; " Let there be no compulsion in religion..." and ".. wilt thou then compel mankind, against their will, to believe! " 10:99
*They are free to eat pork or drink wine whenever it's allowed in their religion.
*They can organize their marriage, divorce, spending, family issues .. etc freely and as they like without restrictions or limits.
*They are allowed to argue and discuss freely in the limits of logic as Allah said; " And dispute ye not with the People of the Book, except with means better (than mere disputation), unless it be with those of them who inflict wrong (and injury): but say, "We believe in the revelation which has come down to us and in that which came down to you; Our Allah and your Allah is one; and it is to Him we bow (in Islam)." " 29:46
*It's allowed to exchange visits with them, and to visit their ill, to present gifts to them, buy and sell, .... etc.
*Poor and weak Dhimmis have a part in Bait Al-Mall (Islamic house of money) as a stipend.
*They have the right to be in charge of all state employment -except those who have the religious character like Imams, Caliphs, Army leaders and Judgers- whenever they are better in these employments other than others.
*Muslims are obliged to protect them from any kind of aggression.
*Muslims aren't allowed to insult or hurt them.
 
It's important too to mention few main principles in dealing with Dhimmis:
*" Allah forbids you not, with regard to those who fight you not for (your) Faith nor drive you out of your homes, from dealing kindly and justly with them: for Allah loveth those who are just. " Qur'an 60:8
*"Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said that they enjoy the same rights and carry the same responsibilities as Muslims themselves.
*The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said; "He who hurts a dhimmi hurts me, and he who hurts me annoys Allah"
 
After this theoretic speech we must see what Muslims really did and how they deal with Dhimmis.
*There is a famous story when the son of the Muslim ruler in Egypt whipped a Coptic Christian when the Coptic's horse beated his horse saying to him; 'Are you beating me when I'm son of the ruler?!!', so this Coptic travelled to Al-Madina in Saudi Arabia where the Caliph exists more than 1000 Km far from Egypt. When he narrated what happened to Umar Ibn Al-Khattab the Caliph he at once sent to the Muslim ruler ordering him to come with his son. When they arrived he gave the Coptic a whip and told him to hit the son of the ruler, after whipping him he said to him then to whip the ruler himself, but he refused. Then Umar the Caliph said; 'When did you enslave the people when they were born free?!!'
Beside what the Caliph did and beside his great word, there is an important lesson. This Coptic travelled more than 1000 Km which may take weeks in his time to go to the Muslim Caliph, Why?!!! That's obvious that he was sure that he will take his right.
 
*When Umar Ibn Al-Khattab entered Jerusalem, he was invited to pray in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre but he refused saying that Muslims after him may say 'Umar prayed here' and build a mosque instead of the church. And until now the church still in its place.
 
 
And what about the Jizyah?!!!
Yes, one may ask that question. If Muslims think that they deal kindly and justly with non-Muslims, so why they take the Jizyah from them.
 
First; one must know that there is no taxes in Islam. Instead; capable Muslims pay the Zakat yearly as 2.5% of their money to Bait Al-Mal, and Dhimmis pay the Jizyah as a sum of money specified in Shari'a. It's not taken from all Dhimmis, but there is many exceptions like; old men, women, kids, lunatic, poor, blind, monastics, .. and every one who can't pay it.
 
Second; we must realize that in this point; Dhimmis may be better than Muslims. All capable Muslims must pay the Zakat including Imams, Scholars, woman, .. and rich men, in the time when Dhimmis have many exceptions.
 
Third; the purpose of the Jizyah is that Muslims defend them and protect them in case of any war or to provide them the basic needs when they will need it due to the age or illness etc, so it's not a kind of discrimination according to the faith, but instead a contribution from all members of society for the good of society.
 
 
IMPORTANT NOTE: This post is ONLY a presentation about Dhimmis, BUT it's not all the thing, there are other details which can't be said all here. So for more information you can check Islamic websites..
 
Strongly recommended links:
 
... or ask directly a Muslim scholar in this link ( Ask the scholar) and he will answer you...

8 comments:

Mohamed said...

For all my guests;

It's strongly recommended that you visit all of these links before starting to discuss this post.

Thanks,

SNAKE HUNTERS said...

Mohamed,

My Response To Your Dhimmi Post is to be found on S/H's History Post,
comment section, beginning on July 4th, 2006.

We Thank You For This Discussion.

reb

www.lazyonebenn.blogspot.com

Anonymous said...

------------------------
Mohamed,

Here Is My Response:

According to the Qur'an, "Offensive
Jihad is i.e. Attacking, is fully permissible in Sunni Islam".

Where the Kuffar {infidels} are not gathering to fight the Muslims,
the fighting becomes Fard Kifaya {religious obligation on Muslim society} with the minimum requirement of appointing believers to guard the borders...

and the sending of an army at least once a year to terrorize the enemies of Allah. It is the duty of the Imam to assemble and send out an army unit into the land of war, once or twice a year!

Moreover, it is the responsibility of the Muslim population to assist him, And if he does not send an army, he is in Sin!, and the Ulama have mentioned that this type of Jihad if for maintaining the payment of Jizah! {taxes}.

The scholars of the principles of religion have also said: Jihad is Daw'ah with a Force, and is obligitory to preform with all available capabilities, until there remains Only Muslims, or people who Submit to Islam {DHIMMI}

So we see, Mohamed:

The Half-Truth Offered To Us...

Is Not Truth At All! reb

www.lazyonebenn.blogspot.com
-----------------------------

Mohamed said...

Mr.reb,

So, you see that I didn't provide the complete truth. I wonder why you think that!!

You asked me about Dhimmis rights in Islamic religion, and I talked about that, I mentioned them in points to be easy to read, I provided my Qur'ainc and Sunna quotes about that, I told you about examples of what Muslims really did. So, why the truth isn't complete?!!!

You said; According to the Qur'an, "Offensive Jihad is i.e. Attacking, is fully permissible in Sunni Islam".

Why you think that?!!! What Qur'ainc texts or Hadith made you think that?!! Please provide your resources. I don't know from where in Qur'an you had this idea!!

By the way, did you read links I put in the end of the post?!!!

..guard the borders..?!!!

Don't you think that it's self-defence?!!! Guard my borders, or attack and destroy other countries for the sake of my safety?!!!

Please choose..

a) Guard my borders.
b) Attack and destroy other countries for the sake of my safety.

Waiting for your answer on this last question,

Regards,
Mohamed

Tom the Redhunter said...

Now Mohammed, you know perfectly well that the whole issue of "Dhimmi" status is more complicated than you've presented it here.

And I did follow the links but don't have time to read all of each of them.

Here are my observations

1) The severity of Dhimmi status has varied throughout history. At times it is the benign status you present here, but at other times it is harsh and severe. In a way it's like slavery. Slavery in the East Indies (the Caribbean) during the 17th-19th centuries was extrememly harsh. On the other hand, slavery in ancient Greece or at certain times during the Ottoman Empire was relatively benign.

2) Muslims can and do treat Christians and even Jews well - if they are the ones in control. In other words, you promise to be a nice slaveowner.

3) Note that in this day and age we do not force Muslims who live in the West into an equivalent Dhimmi status. However, you'd impose Dhimmi status on us in just about any Muslim country. And it's illegal to be anything but a Wahabbist Muslim in Saudi Arabia.

Finally, note that I am not attacking Islam, or denegrating or making fun of you in any way. I am not an Islam-hater. My views on Islam are a bit complicated, but suffice it to say that it needs reform of the sort Christianity underwent 500 years ago. You need a Martin Luther and John Calvin.

As for you, Mohamed, you seem a decent sort and thank you for letting me leave this comment.

Take care,
Tom

Mohamed said...

Hi Mr.Tom,

First of all; welcome to you on my blog.

Second; I appreciate your point of view. I just have some notes about it;

That's right that not all who became in control in Islamic states followed Shari'a the same as it's. But I don't think that it became like a slavery to Dhimmis in their times. Please give examples about that.

As for your second point; that's not true that Muslims treat non-Muslims well only when they are in control. My evidence is that all Qur'anic and Sunna texts ordered Muslims to treat non-Muslims well without relating it to an Islamic authority. Also; do you know how Islamic religion reached to China?!! It was through the good way how Muslim traders treated non-Muslims in China. Chineese weren't under the authority of Islamic state, however Muslims treated them well.

I wonder about your comment that you aren't allowed to be anything but Wahhabist in SA. I'm Sunni and go there freely, I see also Shi'a there. My relatives lived and worked there for many years when they are Sunni. I don't understand what you meant?!!

IMPORTANT NOTE: the sections of Wahhabism, Sunni, etc aren't that difference like it in Christianity e.g between Protestants and Orthodox. So I'm so careful about that. They are Muslims, I'm Muslim. They are just my brothers.

Islam don't need to reform. I believe many Muslims need reform. The problem is about how we follow Islam, how much we follow its rules. The problem isn't in Islam itself but in many of Muslims.
I believe there is two problems which Muslims face this time;
Some may understand it wrongly and commit folish deeds under the Islam name thinking that Islam order them to do them. And they are wrong.
Some other may know Islamic rules, but they don't follow it rightly. And they are wrong too.
They are provided to the West as the only Muslims, and this deface Islam not Muslims.
I believe that who really want to understand Islam well must search about it from its sources, not see what Muslims are doing these days.
You know; I heard a new converted Western Muslim woman saying that she thanks Allah that she converted to Islam before seeing what Muslims are doing.

I hope that you understand me.

I completely understand that you aren't attacking my religion. I respect you and respect your point of view when you provide it without reviles or insults.

Thanks again for your comment,

Keep in touch,
Mohamed

SNAKE HUNTERS said...

Mohamed,

If I understand you correctly, it is Sharia that is Pure, and the Violent Muslims, The Ayatollahs and
their Obedient Imams teaching in the Madrassa, and creating their Suicidal Bombers that will face
Allah's wrath in the after-life!

Is that correct? Yes or No?

If you consider your Shia Persian
like Khameinei & Ahmadinjad as "brothers", then you must also consider Hezbollah & Hamas as your
Muslim "brothers". Is That Correct?
>>
I would be most appreciative if you
would ALSO answer these questions
on my History Post, as a matter of
common courtesy. Thank you. reb
__________________________________
www.lazyonebenn.blogspot.com

SNAKE HUNTERS said...

Silence. No response about mohamed's muslim "brothers".

Hamas/Fatah/Hezbollah, Muktadah al Sadr Madhi-Militia? All of these are viewed by many as cut-throat suicidal killers.

Yes/No, Maybe? reb
_________________________________
www.lazyonebenn.blogspot.com