From: rached@taylor.eng.ohio-state.edu (rached)
Newsgroups: soc.religion.islam
Subject: Rights of Non-Muslims in an Islamic State
Date: 16 Nov 92 22:27:19 GMT
Organization: The Ohio State University Dept of Electrical Engineering

Assalamu Alaykum I received this message from a brother. Anybody would
be able to respond ?

rached
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Salamon ^alaika amma ba^d.

   I enclose my reply to some Xian Paki who sent me some article
written by a Mideastern Xian about Islamic discrimination against
them advocating that Muslims are required to persecute Zimmies
until they embrace Islam.

   I replied to the article and sent it to the guy. However, I
think a better reply should be posted to sca, sri, scl, src
and so on. That is why I forward my reply so that you may
edit it and/or forward it to someone more knowledgeble to do so
before it will be finally posted.

** Salam.

Forwarded message:
" To: khushro@niagara.eecs.umich.edu (Khushro Shahookar)
"    Paragraphs that I think there is no problem with them are left uncommented.
" If you think that any issue skipped by explained, please, feel free to ask me
" about it.
" 
" " 
" " Rights of Non-Muslims in an Islamic State
" " 
" " by Dr. Samuel Shahid
" " 
" " Editor's Note:
" " 
" "         Christians living under Islamic regime have been facing persecution
" " and harassment for centuries even though in some situations, they are the
" " original inhabitants of this land. In order to understand this phenomenon,
" " we need to look at it from the Islamic perspective. Dr. Shahid, a Christian
" " scholar, has done substantial research in this area and has graciously made
" " his expertise known to ReachOunt readers. If you would like him to speak at
" " your church or groups please contact him directly.
" " 
" " Concept of Islamic State
" " 
" " "An Islamic state is essentially an ideological state, and is thus radically
" " different from a national state." This statement made by Mawdudi lays the
" " foundation for the political, economic, social and religious system of
" " Islamic countries. This system intentionally discriminates between people
" " according to their religious afflliations.  Mawdudi, a prominent Pakistani
" " Muslim scholar, summarized the basic differences between Islamic and secular
" " states as follows:
" " 
" "     l) An Islamic state is ideological. People in it are
" "         divided into Muslims, who believe in its ideology
" "         and non-Muslims, who do not believe.
" "     2) Responsibility for policy and administration of
" "         such a state "should rest primarily with those who
" "         believe in the lslamic ideology." Non-Muslims,
" "         therefore, cannot be asked to undertake or be
" "         entrusted with the responsibility of policy-making.
" "     3) An Islamic state is bound to distinguish
" "         (i.e. discriminate) between Muslims and
" "         non-Muslims. However, Islamic law "Shari'a,"
" "         guarantees to non-Muslims "certain specifically
" "         stated rights beyond which they are not permitted
" "         to meddle in the affairs of the state because they do
" "         not subscribe to its ideology." Once they embrace
" "         Islam, they "become equal participants in all
" "         matters concerning the state and the government."
" " 
" "       This view is representative of the Hanifites, one of the four Islamic
" " schools of jurisprudence. The other three schools are the Malikiles, the
" " Hanbilites (the strictest and the most fundamentalist), and the Shari'ites.
" " All four schools agree dogmatically on the basic creeds of Islam but differ
" " in their interpretations of Islamic law which is derived from four sources:
" " 
" "     a) Qur'an: (read or recite) The sacred book of Muslims
" "         containing direct quotes from Allah as allegedly
" "         dictated by Gabriel.
" "     b) Hadith: (narrative) The collection of all traditions
" "         including sayings and doings of Muhammad as
" "         heard by his contemporaries, first, second, and
" "         third hand.
" "     c) Al Qias: (analogy or comparison) The legal
" "         decisions drawn by Islamic jurists based on
" "         precedent cases.
" "     d) Ijma': (consensus) The interpretation of Islamic
" "         laws handed down by the consensus of scholars in
" "         a certain country
" " 
" "     Textual laws prescribed in the Qur'an are few. The door is left wide
" " open for prominent scholars versed in the Qur'an, the Hadith, and other
" " Islamic disciplines to give their Fatwa (legal opinion) as we shall see
" " later.
" " 
" " Classification of Non-Muslims
" " 
" "     In his article, "The Ordinances of the People of the Covenant and the
" " minorities in an Islamic State," Sheikh Najih lbrah'm Ibn `Abdullah remarks
" " that legists classify non-Muslims or infidels into two categories:
" " Dar-ul-Harb or the Household of War, which refers to non-Muslims who are not
" " bound by a peace treaty or covenant, and whose blood and Property are not
" " protected by the law of vendetta or retaliation; and Dar-u-Salam or the
" " Household of Peace, which refers to those who fall into three
" " classifications:
" " 
" "     1) Zimmis (those in custody) are non-Muslim subjects
" "         who live in Muslim countries and agree to pay the
" "         Jizya (tribute) in exchange for protection and safety
" "         and to be subject to Islamic law. These enjoy a
" "         Permanent covenant.
" "     2) People of the Hudna (truce) are those who sign a
" "         peace treaty with Muslims after being defeated in
" "         war. They agree to reside in their own lands, yet to
" "         be subject to the legal jurisprudence of Islam like
" "         Zimmis, provided they do not wage war against
" "         Muslims.
" "     3) Musta'mins (protected ones) are persons who come
" "         to an Islamic country as messengers merchants,
" "         visitors, or students wanting to learn about Islam.
" "         A Musta'min should not wage war against
" "         Muslims and he is not obliged to pay Jizya, but he
" "         would be urged to embrace Islam. If a Musta'min
" "         does not accept Islam, he is allowed to return
" "         safely to his own country. Muslims are forbidden
" "         to hurt him in any way. When he is back in his
" "         own homeland, he is treated as one who belongs
" "         to the household of War.
" " 
" " This study will focus on the laws pertaining to Zimmis.
" " 
" " Islamic Law and Zimmis
" " 
" "     Muslim Muftis (legal authorities) agree that the contract of the Zimmis
" " should be offered primarily to the People of the Book, that is, Christians
" " and Jews, then to the Magis or Zoroastrians. However, they disagree on
" " whether any contract should be signed with other groups such as communists
" " or atheists. The Hanbalites and the Shari'ites believe that no contract
" " should be made with the ungodly or those who do not believe in the supreme
" " God. Hanifit'es and Malikites affirm that the Jizya may be accepted from all
" " infidels regardless of their belief in God. Abu Hanifa, however, did not
" " want pagan Arabs to have this option because they are the people of the
" " prophet. They must be given only two options, accept Islam or be killed.
" " 
" " The Jizya (tribute)
" " 
" "     Jizya literally means penalty. It is a protection tax levied on
" " non-Muslims living under Islamic regimes, confirming their legal status.
" " Mawdudi states that "the acceptance of the Jizya establishes the sanctity of
" " their lives and property, and thereafter neither the Islamic state, nor the
" " Muslim public have any right to violate their property, honor or liberty."
" " Paying the Jizya is a symbol of humiliation because Zimmis are not regarded
" " as citizens of the Islamic state although they are, in most cases, natives
" " to the country.
" " 
" "     Such an attitude alienates the Zimmis from being an essential part of
" " the community. How can a Zimmi feel at home in his own land, among his own
" " people, and with his own government, when he knows that the Jizya which he
" " pays is a symbol of humiliation and submission? In his book The Islamic law
" " Pertaining to non-Muslims, Sheikh Abdulla Mustafa Al-Maraghi indicates that
" " the Jizya can only be exempted from the Zimmi who becomes a Muslim or dies.
" " The Shafi'i reiterates that the Jizya is not automatically put aside when
" " the Zimmi embraces Islam. Exemption from the Jizya has become an incentive
" " to encourage Zimmis to relinquish their faith and embrace Islam.
" " 
"    What did the peaceful Christians whose scripture says "turn the other
" cheek" do in NA to the natives? What did the Jews do to the natives in
" Palestine? What are they doing to the natives of Bosnia? Islam does not
" treat natives like others are actually treating Muslims when the conquer
" them. Surely, you know that Christianity is not practical, if it is show
" me what country or people practice the forgiveness claimed by the Bible?
" 
" "     Sheik Najih Ibrahim Ibn `Abdulla summarizes the purpose of the Jizya.
" " He says quoting Ibn Qayyim al Jawziyya, that the Jizya is enacted: "to spare
" " the blood (of the Zimmis), to be a symbol of humiliation of the infidels and
" " as an insult and punishment to them, and as the Shafi'ites indicate, the
" " Jizya is offered in exchange for residing in an Islamic country.  Thus Ibn
" " Qayyim adds, "Since the entire religion belongs to God, it aims at
" " humiliating ungodliness and its followers and insulting them. Imposing the
" " Jizya on the followers of ungodliness and oppressing them is required by
" " God's religion. The Qur'anic text hints at this meaning when it says: `until
" " they give the tribute by force with humiliation.' (Repentance 9:29.) What
" " contradicts this is leaving the infidels to enjoy their might and practice
" " their religion as they wish so that they would have power and authority."
" " 
"    Jizya is much less than Zakat, and is not taken from poor Zimmies. Poor
" Zimmies enjoy the social insurance of the state and take money from the
" state therefore.
" 
" " Zimmis and their Religious Practices
" " 
" "     Muslims believe that the Zimmis are Mushrikeen (polytheists) for they
" " see the belief in the Trinity as belief in three gods. Islam is the only
" " true religion, they claim. Therefore, to protect Muslims from any
" " corruption, especially against the unforgivable sin of shirk (polytheism),
" " its practice is forbidden among Muslims, because it is considered the
" " greatest abomination. When Christians practice it publicly, it becomes an
" " enticement and exhortation to apostasy. It is significant here to notice
" " that according to Muraghi, Zimmis and pagans are polytheists and therefore
" " must have the same treatent.
" "     According to Muslim jurists, the following legal ordinances must be
" " enforced on Zimmis (Christians and Jews) who reside among Muslims:
" " 
" "     1) Zimmis are not allowed to build new churches,
" "        temples or synagogues. They are allowed to
" "        renovate old churches or houses of worship
" "        provided they do not add any new construction.
" "        "Old churches" are those which existed prior to
" "        Islamic conquests and are included in a peace
" "        accord. Construction of any church, temple or
" "        synagogue in the Arab Peninsula (Saudi Arabia) is
" "        prohibited. It is the land of the prophet and only
" "        Islam should prevail there. Muslims, if they wish,
" "        are permitted to demolish all non-Muslim houses of
" "        worship in any land they conquer.
" "     2) Zimmis are not allowed to pray or read their sacred
" "        books out loud at home or in churches, lest Muslims
" "        hear their prayers.
" "     3) Zimmis are not allowed to print their religious books
" "        or sell them in public places and markets.  They are
" "        allowed to publish and sell them among their own people,
" "        in their churches and temples.
" "     4) Zimmis are not allowed to install the cross on their
" "        houses or churches since it is a symbol of infidelity.
" "     5) Zimmis are not permitted to broadcast or display
" "        their ceremonial religious rituals on radio or
" "        television or to publish any picture of their religious
" "        ceremonies in newspapers and magazines.
" "     6) Zimmis are not allowed to congregate in the streets
" "        during their religious festivals; rather, each must
" "        quietly make his way to his church or temple.
" "     7) Zimmis are not allowed to join the army unless
" "        there is indispensable need for them in which case
" "        they are not allowed to assume leadership positions but
" "        are considered mercenaries.
" " 
" "     Mawdudi, who is a Hanifite, expresses a more generous opinion toward
" " Christians. He remarks: "In their own towns and cities they are allowed to
" " do so (practice their religion) with the fullest freedom. In purely Muslim
" " areas, however, an Islamic government has full discretion to put such
" " restrictions on their practices as it deems necessary."
" " 
" " Apostacy in Islam
" " 
" "    Officially Islamic law requires Muslims not to force Zimmis to embrace
" " Islam. It is the duty of every Muslim, they hold, to manifest the virtues of
" " Islam so that those who are non-Muslims will convert willingly after
" " discovering its greatness and truth. Once a person becomes a Muslim, he
" " cannot recant. If he does, he will be warned first, then he will be given
" " three days to reconsider and repent. If he persists in his apostasy his wife
" " is required to divorce him, his property is confiscaled, and his children
" " are taken away from him. He is not allowed to remarry. Instead, he should be
" " taken to court and sentenced to death. If he repents, he may return to his
" " wife and children or remarry. An apostate woman is not permitted to get
" " married. She must spend time in meditation in order to return to Islam. If
" " she does not repent, she will not be sentenced to death but she is to be
" " persecuted, beaten, and jailed until she dies.
" " 
"    It is outside my knowledge whether a woman is treated differently; the
" Hadith considered the reference on this punishment does not discriminate
" between the two.
" 
" 
" "          A non-Muslim wishing to become a Muslim is encouraged to do so and
" " anyone, even a father or a mother, who attempts to stop him, may be
" " punished.  However, anyone who makes an effort to proselytize a Muslim to
" " any other faith may face punishment.
" " 
" " Fatwa on Apostasy
" " 
" "   Folloing are edited excerpts of a translation of a Fatwa (legal opinion)
" " which represents the official Islamic position of Lebanon. Like many fatwas,
" " it was in response to a question directed at the Mufti (legal expert) of
" " lebanon.  Each country has its own legal expert who is the authority in
" " interpreting Islamic law.
" " 
" "   Qustion: "What is the stand of the Islamic law regarding a Muslim who
" "             renounces Islam and embraces another religion?"
" " 
" " Answer: Etymologically, "radda" or renouncing, means to go back or to sever
" " the continuity of Islam. The "murtad" or apostate, should he continue and
" " die in his apostasy, will nullify the value of his works. Such a person will
" " have died outside Islam. This is based on the saying of the Exalted One:
" " "Those who among you renounce their religion and die as unbelievers, their
" " works would have failed them." Should the apostate renounce his apostasy and
" " retur to Islam, his status would be valid as long as he gave these two
" " testimonies: First, "I testify that there is no God but Allah, and that
" " Muhammad is the messenger of Allah" Second, he should declare that he is
" " free from every religion contrary to Islam; that he no longer adheres to the
" " faith which had caused him to become an apostate; that he is now innocent
" " from the transgression he fell into.
" " 
" "   The apostate who returns to Islam is not obliged to repeat the performance
" " of everything he had accomplished prior to his apostasy such as the Haj or
" " pilgrimage, and the prayers. His works will no longer be counted as having
" " failed him now that he has returned to Islam. But he must make up for all he
" " has missed during the radda (apostasy). He is still under obligation while
" " in the state of apostasy to perform all that is reqiured of a Muslim
" " 
" "   Now, if the apostate persists in his apostasy, he should be given the
" " opportunity to recant, prior to his being put to death, out of respect to
" " his Islam. A misunderstanding on his part may have taken place, and there
" " would thus be an opportunity to rectify it. He should be imprisoned for
" " three days so that he may have the opportunity to reflect upon his
" " situation. But if the man will not repent, he should be put to death. This
" " is in harmony with a saying of Muhammad as preserved in Hadith Al-Bukhari:
" " "Kill him who changes his religion."
" " 
" "    The Imam, or, with his permission, his deputy executes the punishment. An
" " apostate may not be buried in the cemetery of teh Muslims since by his
" " apostasy he has deserted them.
" " 
" "    According to Imam Abu Hanifa (may the mercy of Allah be upon him), the
" " female apostate should not be put to death, but must be imprisoned until she
" " Islamicizes.
" " 
" " Beirut, November 13, 1989. 
" " Signed by Lieutenant of the Mufti of the Republic of Lebanon.
" " 
" " 
" " Civic laws
" " 
" "     Zimmis and Muslims are subject to the same civic laws. They are to be
" " treated alike in matters of honor, theft, adultery, murder, and damaging
" " property. They are punished according to Islamic law regardless of their
" " religious affiliation. Zimmis and Muslims alike are subject to Islamic laws
" " in matters of civic business, financial transactions such as sales, leases,
" " establishment of companies, farms, securities, mortgages, and contracts.
" " For instance, theft is punishable by cutting off the thief's hand whether he
" " is a Muslim or a Christian. But when it comes to privileges, Zimmis do not
" " enjoy the same treatment. For example, Zimmis cannot be issued licenses to
" " carry weapons.
" " 
"    Their protection is a duty of the state.
" 
" " Marriage and Children
" " 
" "     A Muslim male can marry a Zimmi, but a Zimmi man is not allowed to marry
" " a Muslim If a woman embraces Islam and wants to get married, her non-Muslim
" " father does not have the authority to give her away to her bridegroom. She
" " must be given away by a Muslim guardian.
" " 
"    She is no longer considered Zimmite, so a nonmuslim has no authority on
" her.
" 
" "       If one parent is a Muslim, children must be raised as Muslims. If the
" " Father is a Zimmi and his wife converts to Islam, she must get a divorce;
" " then she will have the right of custody of her child. Some fundamentalist
" " schools indicate that a Muslim husband has the right to confine his Zimmi
" " wife to her home and restrain her from going to her own house of worship.
" " 
"    The Muslim husband has the right to prevent his wife from doing Islamic
" extra worship; so it is logical that he has the same right regarding
" unislamic worship. (She was not forced to marry him, in the first place. And
" I think she can get divorced if he was Zimmi and converted later.)
" 
" " Capital Punishment
" " 
" "       The Hanifies believe that both Zimmis and Muslims must suffer the same
" " penalty for similar crimes. If a Muslim kills a Zimmi intentionally, he must
" " be killed in return. The same applies to a Christian who kills a Muslim. But
" " other schools of law have different interpretations of Islamic law.  The
" " Shafi'ites declare that a Muslim who assassinates a Zimmi must not be
" " killed, because it is not reasonable to equate a Muslim with a polytheist
" " (Mushriq).  In such a case, blood price must be paid. The penalty depends on
" " the school of law adopted by the particular Islamic country where the crime
" " is committed. This illustrates the implications of having different
" " interpretations of Islamic law based on the Hadith. Fach school attempts to
" " document its legal opinion by referring to the Hadith or to an incident
" " experienced by the prophet or the "rightly-guided" Caliphs (Muhammads's
" " successors).
" " 
"    No matter what the punishment is (I am in no position to evaluate schools
" of thought,) murder is a major sin (by Koran) like adultery, drinking, magic,
" etc.
" 
" " The Witness of Zimmis
" " 
" "     Zimmis cannot testify against Muslims. They can only testify against
" " other Zimmis or Musta'mins. Their oaths are not considered valid in an
" " Islamic court. According to the Shari'a, a Zimmi is not even qualified to be
" " under oath. Muraghi states bluntly, The testimony of a Zimmi is not accepted
" " because Allah, may He be exalted, said: 'God will not let the infidel
" " (Kafir) have an upper hand over the believers.' A Zimmi, regarded as an
" " infidel, cannot testify against any Muslim regardless of his moral
" " credibility. If a Zimmi has falsely accused another Zimmi and was once
" " punished, his credibility is tarnished and his testimony is no longer
" " acceptable. One serious implication of this is that if one Muslim has
" " committed a serious offense against another, witnessed by Zimmis only, the
" " court will have difficulty deciding the case since the testimonies of Zimmis
" " are not acceptable. Yet, this same person, if he converts to Islam, will
" " have his testimony accepted against the Zimmis and Muslims alike, because,
" " according to the Shari'a, 'By embracing Islam he has gained a new
" " credibility which would enable him to witness...' All he has to do is to
" " utter the Islamic confession before witnesses, and that will elevate him
" " from being an outcast to being a respected Muslim enjoying all the
" " privileges of a devout Muslim.
" " 
"    This is oversimplifying, if someone utters the two faith sentencs, he will
" be required later for all Islamic duties, like prayers, fasting, poor-rate,
" pilgrimage, military duties, etc. And by the way, if a Muslim committed false
" witness, he will lose credibility later, unless later, people witness that he
" underwent true repentance.
" 
" " Personal law
" " 
" "     On personal matters of marriage, divorce, or inheritance, Zimmis are
" " allowed to appeal to their own religious courts. Each Christian denomination
" " has the right and authority to determine the outcome of each case. Zimmis
" " are free to practice their own social and religious rites at home and in
" " church without interference from the state, even in such matters as drinking
" " wine, rearing pigs, and eating pork, as long as they do not sell them to
" " Muslims. Zimmis are generally denied the right to appeal to an Islamic court
" " in family matters, marriage, divorce and inheritance.  However, in the event
" " a Muslim judge agrees to take such cases, the court must apply Islamic law.
" " 
" " Political Rights and Duties
" " 
" " The Islamic state is an ideological state; thus the head of the state must
" " be a Muslim, because he is bound by the Shari'a to conduct and administer
" " the state in accordance with the Qur'an and the Sunna. The function of his
" " advisory council is to assist him in implementing Islamic principles and
" " adhering to them. Anyone who does not embrace Islamic ideology cannot be the
" " head of state or a member of this council.
" "     Mawdudi, aware of the requirements of modern society, seems to be more
" " tolerant toward Zimmis. He says, "In regard to a parliament or a legislature
" " of the modern type which is considerably different from the advisory council
" " in its traditional sense, this rule could be relaxed to allow non-Muslims to
" " be members provided that it has been fully ensured in the constitution that
" " no law which is repugnant to the Qur'an and the Sunna should be enacted,
" " that the Qur'an and the Sunna should be the chief source of public law, and
" " that the head of the state should necessarily be a Muslim."
" " 
" "     Under these circumstances, the sphere of influence of non-Muslim
" " minorities would be limited to matters relating to general problems of the
" " country or to the interests of minorities. Their participation should not
" " damage the fundamental requirements of Islam. Mawdudi adds, "It is possible
" " to form a separate representative assembly for all non-Muslim groups in the
" " capacity of a central agency. The membership and the voting rights of such
" " an assembly will be confined to non-Muslims and they would be given the
" " fullest freedom within its framework.
" " 
" " These views do not receive the approval of most other schools of the Shari'a
" " which hold that non-Muslims are not allowed to assume any position which
" " might bestow on them any authority over any Muslim. A position of
" " sovereignty demands the implementation of Islamic ideology. A non-Muslim
" " (regardless of his ability, sincerity and loyalty to his country) cannot and
" " would not work faithfully to achieve the ideological and political goals of
" " Islam.
" " 
"    The Islamic state goal is essentially trying to spread Islam throughout the
" world, so how is a Zimmi expected to support this gaol?
" 
" " Freedom of Expression
" " 
" " Mawdudi, who is more lenient than most Muslim scholars, presents a
" " revolutionary opinion when he emphasizes that in an lslamic state "all
" " non-Muslims will have the freedom of conscience, opinion, expression, and
" " association as the one enjoyed by Muslims themselves, subject to the same
" " limitations as are imposed by law on Muslims."  Mawdudi's views are not
" " accepted by most Islamic schools of law, especially in regard to freedom of
" " expression like criticism of Islam and the government. Even in a country
" " like Pakistan, the homeland of Mawdudi, it is illegal to criticize the
" " government or the head of state. Many political prisoners are confined to
" " jails in Pakistan and most other Islamic countries.  Through the course of
" " history, except in rare cases, not even Muslims have been given freedom to
" " criticize Islam without being persecuted or sentenced to death. It is far
" " less likely for a Zimmi to get away with criticizing Islam.  In Mawdudi's
" " statement, the term "limitations" is vaguely defined. If it were explicitly
" " defined, you would find, in the final analysis that it curbs any type of
" " criticism against the Islamic faith and government.  Moreover, how can he
" " Zimmi express positive aspects of their religion when they are not allowed
" " to publish or advertise them on radio or TV? Perhaps Mawdudi meant by his
" " proposals to allow such freedom to Zimmis only among themselves. Otherwise,
" " they would be subject to penalty. Yet, Muslims are allowed according to the
" " Shari'a to propagate their faith among all religious sects without any
" " limitations.
" " 
" " Muslims and Zimmis
" " 
" " Relationships hetween Muslims and Zimmis are classified in two categories:
" " what is forbidden and what is allowable.
" " 
" " The Forbidden
" " 
" "  A Muslim is not allowed to:
" "        1.  emulate the Zimmi in their dress or behavior.
" "        2.  attend Zimmi festivals or support them in any way
" "              which may give them power over Muslims.
" "        3.  lease his house or sell his land for the construction
" "              of a church, temple liquor store, or anything that may
" " 	     benefit the Zimmi's faith.
" "        4.  work for a Zimmi in any job that might promote their faith
" "              such as constructing a church.
" "        5.  make any endowment to churches or temples.
" "        6.  carry any vessel that contains wine, work in wine
" "              production, or transport pigs.
" "        7.  address a Zimmi with any title such as: "my master" or "my
" "              lord."
" " 
" " The allowable
" " 
" " A Muslim is allowed to:
" "        1.  financially assist the Zimmi, provided the money is not
" "              used in violation of Islamic law like buying wine or pork.
" "        2.  give the right of pre-emption (priority in buying property)
" "              to his Zimmi neighbor. (The Hanbilites disapprove of this.)
" "        3.  eat food prepared by the People of the Book.
" "        4.  console he Zimmi in an illness or in the loss of a loved one.
" "              It is also permissible for a Muslim to escort a funeral to the
" " 	     cemetery, but he has to walk in front of the coffin, not
" " 	     behind it, and he must depart before the deceased is buried.
" "        5.  congratulate the Zimmi for a wedding, birth of a child, return
" "              from a long trip, or recovery from illness. However, Muslims
" " 	     are warned not to utter any word which may suggest approval
" " 	     of the Zimmi' faith, such as:
" " 	     "May Allah exalt you", "May Allah honor you," or, "May Allah
" " 	     give your religion victory."
" " 
" " Conclusion
" " 
" " This study shows us that non-Muslims are not regarded as citizens by any
" " Islamic state, even if they are the original natives of the land. To say
" " otherwise is to conceal the truth. Justice and equality require that any
" " Christian Pakistani, Malaysian, Turk, or Arab be treated as any other
" " citizen of his own country. He deserves to enjoy the same previleges of
" " citizenship regardless of religious affiliation. To claim that Islam is the
" " true religion and accuse other religions of infidelity is a social,
" " religious, and legal offense against the people of the Book.
" " 
"    That is true but they enjoy better life than they do in unislamic
" countries. Since an Islamic state is based upon religion, a Muslim in an 
" Islamic state is analogous to an American in USA. A Zimmi in an Islamic 
" state is analogous to a nonamerican in USA, so it is logical that they do 
" not enjoy the full priviliges.
" 
" " Christians believe that their religion is the true religion of God, and
" " Islam is not. Does that mean that Great Britain, which is headed by a Queen,
" " the head of the Anglican Church, should treat its Muslims as second class?
" " Moreover, why do Muslims in the West enjoy all freedoms allotted to all
" " citizens of these lands, while Muslim countries do not allow native
" " Christians the same freedoms? Muslims in the West build mosques, schools,
" " and educational centers and have access to the media without any
" " restriction. They publicly advertise their activities and are allowed to
" " distribute their Islamic materials freely, while native Christians of an
" " Islamic country are not allowed to do so. Why are Christians in the West
" " allowed to embrace any religion they wish without persecution while a person
" " who chooses to convert to another religion in any Islamic country, is
" " considered an apostate and must be killed if he persists in his apostasy?
" " These questions and others are left for readers to ponder.
" "
"    The reason is that UK is a secular state legally despite that the Queen
" is the head of the church. The Christian religin does not have a legal part
" so a religious law is not possible which is based upon Christianity. Judaism
" has a legal part and states can be based upon Judaism, I do not think nonjews
" there can enjoy the priviliges Zimmies do in an Islamic state.
" 
" " References:
" " 
" " 1. Mawdudi, S. Abul A'la, The Rights of Non-Muslims in an Islamic State,
" " Islamic Publications, Ltd., Lahore, Pakistan, 1982.
" " 
" " 2. Muraghi, Abdullah Mustapha, Islamic Law Pertaining to non-Muslims,
" " Library of Letters, Egypt, Undated.
" " 
" " 3. Abdullah, Najih Ibrahim Bin, The Ordinances of the People of the Covenent
" " and the Minorities in an Islamic State, Balagh Magazine, Cairo, Egypt, Vol.
" " 944, May 29, 1988; Vol. 945, June 5, 1988.
" " 
" " About the Author
" " 
" " Rev. Dr. Samuel Shahid is Founder and Executive Director of Good News for
" " the Crescent World. He was born in the Middle East and received his M.A. in
" " Islamics and Middle Eastern Studies from the American University of Beirut.
" " He received his Ph.D. from the University of Chicago. Dr. Shahid is an
" " author, speaker, translator and college teacher. According to him, his
" " greatest achievement is his translation of the Old Testament into modern
" " Arabic. Dr. Shahid has traveled extensively around the world conducting
" " seminars, speaking in churches and Christian organizations, and challenging
" " Christians from every denomination to reach out to Muslims. His address is:
" " 
" " Good News for the Crescent World, PO Box 274, Fairhaven, NJ 07704.
" " Telephone 908-530-12l4.
" " 
" " Quranic Evidence for the Mistreatment of Religious Minorities
" " 
" " by Georges Houssney
" " 
" " When Muslims are challenged regarding the references in the Quran to killing
" " non-Muslims, they like to quote Surah 2:256, "There is no compulsion in
" " religion". Another verse says, "You have your religion, I have mine". Other
" " verses in the Quran can also be interpreted to give the impression that
" " Muhammad taught religious tolerance. The fact remains that the Quran
" " contains numerous exhortations for the Muslims to be militant towards
" " non-Muslims. A look at the majority of the Muslim countries confirms that
" " mainstream Islamic thought leans towards mistreatment of non-Muslims in
" " order to put pressure on them and persuade them to accept Islam. To say
" " otherwise is to ignore the millions of Christians and other non-Muslims who
" " have suffered and are still suffering under the heavy hand of Muslim rulers.
" " 
"     This paragraph albeit true is biased to reflect wrong ideas. Citizens in
" general suffer in Islamic (and nonislamic) states, because of the corruption
" of the governments not bcause the governments follow Islam. I think you
" know better than the above paragraph.
" " 
" " Kill and Fight Non-Muslims
" " 
" " 9:29. Fight those who do not believe in Allah, nor in the latter
" " day, nor do they prohibit what Allah and His Apostle have
" " prohibited, nor follow the religion of truth, out of those who
" " have been given the Book, until they pay the tax in acknowledgment 
" " of superiority and they are in a state of subjection.
" "
"    Jews (the main subject of this verse) always stood on the side of
" infidels to fight and extriminate Muslims. And by the way, this is not
" the case in an Islamic state, this is against unislamic states who
" refuse the Islamic mission be able to promote Islam.
"  
" " 9:14. Kill them, Allah will torment them by your hands.
" " He will humiliate them and give you victory over them..."
" " 
" " 9:5. So when the sacred months have passed away, then slay the
" " idolaters wherever you find them, and take them captives and
" " besiege them and lie in wait for them in every ambush, then if
" " they repent and keep up prayer and pay the poor-rate, leave their
" " way free to them; surely Allah is Forgiving, Merciful.
" "
"    Those verses address Quraish when they violated the truce and
" exterminated a little Muslim tribe near Mecca.
" 
" " Allah is Responsible for Their Blood
" " 
" " 8:17. So you did not slay them, but it was Allah Who slew
" " them, and you did not smite when you smote (the enemy), but it
" " was Allah Who smote, and that He might confer upon the
" " believers a good gift from Himself; surely Allah is Hearing,
" " Knowing.
" " 
" " 9:73. O Prophet! strive hard against the unbelievers and the
" " hypocrites and be harsh with them; and their abode is hell,
" " and evil is the destination.
" " 
" " 9:123. O you who believe! fight those of the unbelievers who are
" " near to you and let them find in you hardness; and know that
" " Allah is with those who guard (against evil).
" "
"    That is Islam's policy against those who fought the religion
" through decades trying to exterminate it; why should it be
" tolerant towards them?
"  
" " Do not be Friends With Non-Muslims
" " 
" " 5:51. O you who believe! do not take the Jews and the Christians
" " for friends; they are friends of each other; and whoever amongst
" " you takes them for a friend, then surely he is one of them; surely
" " Allah does not guide the unjust people.
" " 
" " 3:118. O you who believe! do not take for intimate friends from 
" " among others than your own people; they do not fall short of 
" " inflicting loss upon you; they love what distresses you; vehement 
" " hatred has already appeared from out of their mouths, and what 
" " their breasts conceal is greater still; indeed, We have made the 
" " communications clear to you, if you will understand.
" " 
"    Isn't it true? Who helped the Jews cut a country from Muslims?
" How can you befriend someone who does not like you?
" 
" **
" 
"