According to Sheikh al-Qaradawi, Dhimmis have to pay a special protection tax, called Jizya, to the Muslim State. It is a tax paid by able adults. Dhimmis also have to pay an Estate tax called “Kharaj”. The also pay a commercial/business tax (half a percent for dhimmis compared to a quarter of a percent to Muslims! (“Non-Muslims in Muslim Society”, Arabic edition, Risala Foundation, 2nd edition, 1983, p. 31)


Muslims will try to find explanation to say that such a procedure is Okay and no discrimination is intended.

Believe it or not, the originator of the Jizya tax is an evil Qur’anic verse:

Fight those who believe not in Allah nor the Last Day, nor hold that forbidden which hath been forbidden by Allah and His Messenger, nor acknowledge the religion of Truth, (even if they are) of the People of the Book, until they pay the Jizya with willing submission, and feel themselves subdued.  (Tauba 9:29)

We must call this verse for what it is: “evil”. Why should one fight others because they have a different religion or belief?

And who says that Islam is the “religion of Truth”? For Muslims, it may be, but others, who believe it a different religion, Islam is not the religion of Truth. Worst is the last part of the verse. It talks about Non-Muslims having to pay a Protection tax, namely Jizya, “with willing submission, and feel themselves subdued”. Can there a greater humiliation than this imposed by people of one religion on believers of different faith? I frequently see comments of Muslims saying: he/she is proud to be a Muslim. One should feel ashamed of following a holy book like the Qur’an that contains such horrible verses. This verse is intended to extort as well as humiliate people, who do not believe in Islam or Muhammad. People should be free to believe what they want. This is not a reason to fight them, extort from them protection money, or humiliate them.

According to Qaradawi, the Islamic state is a “creed” state. It is ideological (Islamic). Those who fight for it have to be Muslims. Jihad duty is for Muslims. Non-Muslims do not need to be in the Islamic military, because Jihad is a duty for Muslims only. Non-Muslims can contribute through their Jizya money. So, Jizya is an expression of submission to the Islamic state by non-Muslims. In addition, it is a financial alternative to “Military Service” that is a must for Muslims. (page 33)

What Qaradawi says here reduces non-Muslims to having no power in the affairs of the state. Here, we have a group of citizens, non-Muslims, who are not given their full rights as equal citizens of the state. Why should a Muslim be allowed to join the military, while a non-Muslim can’t? This, in my view, is “institutionalized discrimination” by the state against some of its citizens.

Dhimmis also have to be considerate of Muslims feelings in such a Muslim state. They should not talk negatively about Muhammad or Islam. They should not eat or drink in public during Ramadan (page 41)

People should be free to criticize anyone. Yes, that includes Muhammad and Islam. Also, it seems to me that fasting is a private matter, even if all Muslims are fasting. Their fasting should not invade my individual choice of not fasting or going to a public restaurant and having something to eat. I have no problem with a Muslim fasting. I do have a problem with a Muslim’s fasting forcing me to suffer hunger and thirst just because I am in a public environment.

According to Qaradawi, Islam was a greatly forgiving and accommodating religion throughout its history. Islam did not ask from dhimmis except making them wear a special dress color to distinguish them during certain periods of history, and making them pay a “small” special tax, Jizya. They also were not allowed to serve in the army. Their testimonies were not accepted in Islamic courts. But they were able to self-govern and had their own courts. (page 52)

What Qaradawi is saying here is clear discrimination against Non-Muslims. In addition, imagine you had to be a witness to a crime, say a Muslim robbing a non-Muslim. But you being a Non-, your testimony is not accepted in a Muslim court. Is this fair to the conflicting parties? You can be the most outstanding and honest citizen of the land, but, even so, your word is not good enough for a Muslim court.

Also, what is this nonsense about making people wear a special color of clothes just because they are not Muslims. Qaradawi does not even have the balls to say that such a policy during certain periods of the Islamic rule in history was a bad and discriminatory policy. To his credit, Qaradawi understands that there is a problem in asking Non-Muslims to wear special colors to distinguish them from Muslims (such color codes were enforced in specific areas during the times of Khalifs, Omar Ibn Al Khattab – ruled after Abu Bakr’s death, and also during the rule of Omar Bin Abdel-Aziz). However, Qaradawi tries to make this matter a non-issue because such color codes for humans help identify people because, back then, they had no identification cards system as we do nowadays. (page 60)

Qaradawis’ explanation is unsatisfactory at best. Let us say there was no ID systems back then, Is that a good enough reason to “color code” people? Off course Not.

With this, I end this article.

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