From: stojanov@husc11.harvard.edu (Milan Stojanovic)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.yugoslavia,soc.culture.bosna-herzgvna,soc.culture.europe,soc.history
Subject: Kanun-i-Rayah
Date: 22 Nov 92 20:34:01 GMT
Organization: Harvard University Science Center


"When Turkey was an Islamic country it was a world power.  Now 
it is a third rate country." 

-Alija Izetbegovic, "Islamic Declaration"


"...and we will now again who is rayah..."

- VUS ( Wednesday Herald, Bosnian paper, editors are  members of 
inner circle SDA ), some two years ago.

"...People lived in Bosnia for centuries in peace, untill Serbs 
started all this..."

-any article in US papers


So how does it look like for non-Muslims in Islamic country?

Text taken from I.Andric's dissertation.

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	The Kanun-i-Rayah
	
	The single criterion of life in the countries  conquered  by  the
	Turks  was  Islam, be it personal, social, material, or spiritual
	life. The life of the mind and spirit developed under  conditions
	imposed  by Islam, not only for those who embraced it but for all
	Turkish subjects irrespective of faith. For that part of Bosnia's
	population  that  would  not  accept Islam, those conditions were
	spelled out in part by the Kanun-i-Rayah? (rayah  code  of  law).
	This  consists  of  a set of regulations prescribed by the second
	caliph, Omar al-Chatab, for  Christians  and  Jews  in  conquered
	Damascus  (6>5 A. D. ). Somewhat altered in form and moderated in
	tone, the same regulations became valid for all the rest  of  the
	provinces  of  the Turkish empire.  [See Joseph Hammer-Purgstall,
	Des  Osmanischen  Reichs  Staatsverfassung  und  Staatsverwaltung
	(Vienna, 1815), I: 183-86.]
	
	
	        The collection reads as follows:
	
	1.      Christians and Jews in subjugated lands are not to erect
	        any monasteries, churches or hermitages.
	
	2.      They are not to repair their churches.
	
	3.      Those who live in the vicinity of Muslims may repair
	        their houses only under urgent necessity.
	
	4.      They are to enlarge the gates of their monasteries and
	        churches for the benefit of passing travelers.
	
	5.      They are to offer three full days of hospitality to
	        all strangers.
	
	6.      They are not to harbor spies, and if they recognize such
	        they shall turn them over to the Muslims.
	
	7.      Their children are not to be taught the Koran.
	
	8.      They are not to administer justice among themselves.
	
	9.      They are not to hinder any of their number from becoming
	        a Muslim.
	
	10.     They shall behave deferentially toward Muslims, rise
	        when they enter, and vacate the place of honor without
	        grumbling.
	
	11.     They are not to wear the same clothes and shoes as
	        Muslims.
	
	12.     They are not to learn scholarly Arabic (the written
	        language).
	
	13.     They are not to mount any saddled horse nor carry a
	        saber or other weapon, either within doors or outside.
	
	14.     They are not to sell wine nor let their hair grow.
	
	15.     They are not to engrave their names in signet rings.
	
	16.     They are not to wear wide sashes.
	
	17.     They are not to wear the cross nor carry their holy
	        writings openly outside their homes.
	
	18.     Indoors, they must not ring loudly, only softly.
	
	19.     Indoors, they may sing only with muted voices.
	
	20.     They may pray for their dead only in silence.
	
	21.     Muslims may till the soil and sow in Christian
	        cemeteries when they are no longer used for funerals.
	
	22.     Christians and Jews are not to keep slaves.
	
	23.     They are not to purchase Muslim prisoners nor look into
	        the houses of Muslims.
	
	24.     If a Christian or Jew is mistreated by a Muslim, the
	        latter shall pay the penalty fixed thereon.



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Regards,

Milan