The Status of the Jews and Christians in Muslim Lands - Essay Example

? "The status of the Jews and Christians in Muslim lands" 1772CE of the Topic: “The Status of the Jews and Christians in Muslim Lands”1772CE Introduction Turn the pages of history of religions during any given period, in any country. Some of the pages are daubed in more blood and some in blood in a lesser quantum and violence has been the part of religious activities and leadership of each religion has been trying to dominate the other. Every religion basically stands for peace, but the custodians of religions like kings, mullahs, pundits and Christian fathers do not practice what they preach. No one is able to fathom why the poison of hatred emerges from the springs of love for religions. The status of Jews and Muslims Lands in 1772 CE was more or less similar; they were at the receiving end, notwithstanding the protection available to them under the umbrella of the laws of the land or favorable dispositions of conservative Muslims. On a fair interpretation of the literature available on the subject, it is reasonable to assume that Jews and Christians in Muslim Lands lived in constant fear and their status was less than second-grade citizens. “In 1772 a Muslim scholar in Cairo was asked how Jews and Christians should be treated. The answer is found in this selection, issued four years before the American Declaration of Independence. This answer is not law, but only the opinion of a conservative Muslim. The opinion is in Arabic.”(Jacob…)The very basis of terms of references smacks of inferior treatment, as otherwise why such a situation should emerge at all for making a reference about non-Muslims? Thus it is taken for granted by the Muslim rulers that their religious tenets are superior and others have to fall in line. The medieval mind-set is showing in the questions listed in the reference and the answers provided. The attitude of the conservative Muslim is no better than the thinking process of a fundamentalist Muslim and the difference is only in degrees and nowhere full protection is guaranteed to the Jews and Christians. The word “unbelievers” as addressed to Jews and Christians in the questionnaire smacks of fundamentalism and it is certain that the issue will not be judged in an impartial manner. The first rank Muslim cities have been hailed as “splendor in legal and philosophic studies.” The normal lifestyles of these religions have been described as “innovations introduced by the cursed unbelievers.” Another charge is “they have put themselves on a footing of equality with the chiefs, scholars, and nobles, wearing, like them; costly garments of cloth of India, expensive silk and cashmere fabrics, and they imitate them even in the cut of these very garments.”(Jacob…) This insinuation which denies the Jews and Christians to practice their social customs and follow traditions is nothing but the imposition of their will by the Muslim governing authorities, the highest authority being the King. Throughout the history of any Nation, class conflict in one way or the other existed. The reference “they ride on saddles which are of the same type as those of chiefs, scholars, and officers, with servants at their right, at their left, and behind them, scattering and pushing back Muslims for whom they thus block the streets” (Jacob…)clearly indicates the gap between the rich and the poor existing at that time. With the details of the perquisites enjoyed by the rich, obviously belonging to Jew and Christian Communities, the gap as per the economic scale was wide and this must have created heartburning amongst the Muslims. The reference, “they carry small batons in their hands just like the chiefs. They buy Muslim slaves, the offspring of Negro, Abyssinian, and even white slaves; this has become so common and so frequent among them that they no longer consider this offensive. They even buy slaves publicly, just like the Muslims,” (Jacob…) clearly indicates that slavery, the evil social system was in practice and the rich Jews and Christians actively practiced it along with the Muslim elite. Another important concern in the reference was about the Jews and Christians fortifying their positions by acquiring immovable property and by building permanent structures, and erecting mansions whose height was greater than that of mosques and the Muslim inhabitants. The increased religious activities and extensions they made in the educational front from the contribution made by Jews and Christians caused concern for Muslims. The plan of Jews and Christians to create permanent settlements in the area was supposed to cause oppression amongst Muslims. The gender issue was also brought forth in the reference. Certain legal violations were alleged to have been made by the Christian foreigners like overstaying in the country for more than the prescribed limit of one year and not submitting to taxation rules and not renewing their treaties of protection. If this was established it was a serious offence and would not be tolerated by the administrators of the country. Here is an important objection for the issue raised in the reference. “The women of the tolerated non-Muslim natives liken themselves to our women in that they deck themselves in a garment of black silk and cover their faces with a veil of white muslin with the result that in the streets they are treated with the consideration due only to respectable Muslim women.” (Jacob…)This is an odd observation. If womenfolk of Jews and Christians follow some of the traditions of Muslims, the community should have welcomed it. Instead, what we get through the reference is resentment by the Muslims against such women, for being faithful to the local customs. The issues mentioned in the final paragraph of the reference create a picture of alarming situation for the non-Muslim local residents. The co-operation of every Muslim royalty and intellectual is sought to arrest the trend of growing influence of Jews and Christians, whose actions are called “revolving innovations” and “reprehensible acts.” It was also emphasized that tangible actions need to be taken to check the growth of their influence and status and the injunctions of Qu’ran were invoked for taking such a course of action based on genuine customs. “The decision given by the Sheikh ar-Ramli [a great Cairo legal authority, d. 1596], by the Sheikh al-Islam [the Muslim religious authority in Constantinople], and by the learned scholars” (Jacob…) upholds most of the objections raised and apprehensions expressed in the questionnaire. The possible clash between economic prosperity and poverty was clearly highlighted. This was to put the seal of approval on the various class-conflict theories. Fear was expressed that when poor Muslims saw the richly attired Jews and Christians, foundation of their faith might be impacted and they might cultivate a sense of inferiority complex and regret their poor economic conditions, even though they were faithful to God and might wonder why their God was discriminating against them. A verse from Qu’ran was cited to criticize and condemn non-Muslims. “The Most-High has said [Qu'ran 8:62]: 'And through powerful squadrons [of horses] through which you will strike terror into your own and God's enemies.”(Jacob…) For any Muslim law, Qu’ran is an authentic support. But the intellectuals and mullahs, who are unable to grasp the true meaning of the Revelations, make use of such quotes, out of context and as per the demand of the situation. Here is an important issue for the spiritualists to make a profound study of the issue. Spirituality and religion are not synonymous; rather they are entirely different subjects. Spirituality transcends the mind and revels in the domain of bliss wherein all differences cease and it is the peaceful area. A spiritual individual may or may not be religious, and a religious person may not be spiritual. The terminating point for the religious practices and social traditions is mind. The domain of spirituality begins, where the mind-level thinking terminates. Mind is like the warfront and at this level there are bound to be conflicts always. Every mind-level argument has another mind-level counter-argument. The argumentative Toms of religion take shelter under the Revelations of the scriptures, and quote them to support their argument. The followers of a particular religion live a structured life and go by the instructions of the religious authorities, and normally implicitly follow them without questioning, and thus their mental fear is their version of God. The uncompromising attitude of a follower of a particular religion soon turns to bigotry and his mind remains shut to other ideas, howsoever sincere and appealing they may be. Mind all, only the founder of a particular religion was a true Prophet, beyond all conflicts and full of divinity. The essence of all religions is the same. The intellectuals falter in their interpretations and this is the root cause of communal disharmony. Arguments only lead to endless counter-arguments and no final solution is ever possible by verbal expressions. Truth is to be experienced and it is not the web of verbosity. When religion assumes the agent of total social control, when authority of a particular religion tries to exercise control on all other religions and interferes in their traditions and set of beliefs, conflicts arise, tension mounts that lead to bloody battles. In place of true revelations, dogmas develop and one religious group begins to challenge the other. The above reference and the judgment given on it are the indicators of the beginning of tension between Muslims and Jews and Christians, as both mistake Revelations (true spirituality) for traditions and dogmas. They create issues for nothing. For example, whether or not a Jew/Christian woman puts on the veil on her face is not going to make any difference. Whether a particular religious group is in majority or in minority is not going to make any difference to that country. Artificial fears are created in the minds of the faithful of any religion by the vested interests. Once the arguments begin in the negative tone, there is no hope their getting the proper solution. The wall of misunderstanding will get thicker and thicker. As such it is not surprising to see in the judgment observations like, “The absence of every mark of consideration toward them is obligatory for us; we ought never to give them the place of honor in an assembly when a Muslim is present. This is in order to humble them and to honor the true believers.”(Jacob…) This is nothing but Muslim fundamentalism. The following part of the judgment is shocking. “They are forbidden to build new churches, chapels, or monasteries in any Muslim land. We should destroy everything that is of new construction in every place, such as Cairo, for instance, founded under the Muslim religion, for it is said in a tradition of Umar: 'No church shall be built in Islam.”(Jacob…) The position of Jewish and Christian people under the Ottoman Empire was subservient and they suffered exploitation from all ends. Every effort was made to subdue their spirits, by citing the verses from Qur’an and by interpreting it as it suited their convenience. The Jewish and Christian peoples under the Ottoman Empire were treated as second-rate subjects or as illegal denominations. They were constantly discriminated from all ends. In law, they were given state protection and that was the traditional aspect. But this is a contentious view. Conclusion Jews and Christians did enjoy certain rights under the Ottoman Rule that was not granted to minorities elsewhere in Europe. But they were treated as substandard people as they did not accept Prophet Mohammad as the final prophet. In fine, the Muslim community as a whole never accepted Jews and Christians on par with them, and as a community they had separate rules for administering and special taxes imposed only on them. They were tolerated but never fully accepted by the Ottoman rulers and administration as part of the mainstream society. Reference Jacob Marcus. The Jew in the Medieval World: A Sourcebook, 315-1791, (New York: JPS, 1938), 15-19 Accessed on November 13, 2013 Read More