Non-Muslims in the Islamic State (Ahl al-Dhimmah)

Definition

Ahl al-Dhimmah (أهل الذمة), or dhimmis, refers to non-Muslim citizens living under an Islamic state who are granted protection (dhimmah) of their lives, property, and religious freedom in exchange for paying the jizyah (a tax). The word dhimmah means a covenant of protection, placing a sacred obligation on the Muslim state to safeguard these communities.

Rights Guaranteed

Under Islamic law, dhimmis are guaranteed: freedom to practice their religion, protection of their places of worship, right to their own courts for personal law matters, protection of their lives and property (same as Muslims), and exemption from military service (the jizyah partially compensates for this). Ali ibn Abi Talib said: 'They pay the jizyah so that their blood is as our blood and their property is as our property.'

Historical Practice

The Covenant of Umar with the Christians of Jerusalem (637 CE) is a landmark document guaranteeing freedom of worship and safety: 'This is the security given by Umar to the people of Aelia (Jerusalem). He gives them safety for their lives, their possessions, their churches, their crosses, and their entire community.' Under Muslim rule in Spain, Jewish culture experienced its golden age, producing scholars like Maimonides who flourished under Islamic governance.

The Jizyah

The jizyah is a financial obligation in lieu of military service. It is only levied on able-bodied adult men (not women, children, elderly, monks, or the poor). The amounts were historically modest. It was abolished in most Muslim-majority countries during the 19th and 20th centuries as the nation-state model replaced the classical caliphate system.