Dhimmis: Jewish and Christian Half-Slaves

Islamic doctrine makes special provisions for Jews and Christians, who are often referred to as “People of the Book/Scripture”.

Most of Mohammed’s violent jihad was directed towards Jews and Christians.

Other Kafirs (non-Muslims) faced with Mohammed’s army had only three choices: convert to Islam, or be at the mercy of Mohammed and other jihadis (i.e. be killed or become slaves).

Jews and Christians had an extra way of submitting – becoming dhimmis.

It all began with Mohammed invading Khaibar and other Jewish forts. Upon capturing them, he signed treaties with the Jews (and later Christians) so that they became semi-slaves called dhimmis. The Jews would work the land and give half of the profits to Mohammed (Sira, Ishaq 764; Hadith, Bukhari 2320).

This poll tax is called jizya. If they pay this tax, dhimmis may not be attacked, killed or robbed by Muslims. Those who paid the jizya were under the protection of Islam (Sira, Ishaq 902).

Is that all? No. Dhimmis:

• Must give up their fundamental religious beliefs. Christians must deny the Trinity and accept Mohammed as the final prophet. Jews must accept Mohammed as the final prophet. Both Christians and Jews must accept that the Koran is the true Scripture and that the Old Testament and New Testament are corrupt and in error. All other Jews and Christians are false and Kafirs
• Do not have the same civil and legal rights as Muslims

According to the Treaty of Umar, which set the standards for such treaties, dhimmis also:

• Must rise from their seat if a Muslim wishes to sit there
• Must clip the front of their hair, keeping a short forelock as a sign of humiliation
• Must wear the zunar (a yellow band) around their waists
• May not build or repair churches/synagogues/monasteries/etc.

This became the model for the next 1,400 years. While jihad caused cultures to submit to Islam, it was with the system of dhimmis that those cultures slowly became Islamic over time. Being a dhimmi was gruelling, and the only way out was to convert to Islam.

Did you ever wonder how so much of Christianity disappeared (North Africa, Turkey, and much of the Middle East used to be Christian)? They all became dhimmis and their cultures were replaced with an Islamic one.

Koran 9:29

Fight against such of those who have been given the Scripture as believe not in Allah nor the Last Day, and forbid not that which Allah hath forbidden by His messenger, and follow not the Religion of Truth, until they pay the tribute readily, being brought low.