Jizya: Difference between revisions

Content deleted Content added

Inline

Revision as of 21:09, 30 April 2005

Jizyah is the Arabic language translation of Poll tax or "head tax", a per capita tax imposed on all free non muslim males living under Muslim rule.

Definition

Jizyah was applied to every free male member of the People of the Book, non-Muslim communities living in lands under Muslim rule. The collection of the tax was often the duty of the elders of those community.

In return, those who pay such a tax are not required to serve in the military, and are considered under the protection of the Muslim state, with certain rights and responsibilities. Non-Muslims are not required to pay zakat, or mandatory charity. The monetary amount of the Jizyah is commonly required to be greater than that of the zakat.

History

The jizyah was levied in the time of Prophet Muhammad on vassal tribes under Muslim protection, including Jews in Khaybar, Christians in Najran and Zoroastrians in Bahrain.

Under Caliph Omar the Zoroastrian Persians were given People of the Book status, and jizyah was levied on them. Moreover, Christian Arab tribes in the north of the Arabian Peninsula refused to pay jizyah, but agreed to pay double the amount, and calling it Sadaqah (Charity).

In India, Aurangzeb, the last prominent Mughal Emperor, also levied jizyah on his mostly Hindu subjects in the 1600s.

Criticism

The concept of Jizyah has been criticized by some non-Muslim writers, who characterize it as a form of humiliation and oppression of non-Muslim minorities with a direct basis in the Koran.

Sura 9.29 Fight those who believe not in Allah nor the Last Day, nor hold forbidden that 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 Jizyah with willing submission, and feel themselves subdued.

Others counter that these criticisms ignore the historical context and that the poll tax was a common practice at the time in most societies.

Resources

Many contemporary Muslim scholars can be cited, including Yusuf al-Qaradawi. Al-Qaradawi's book Non Muslims in Muslim Societies, which discusses many issues, including jizyah, is available online in Arabic on his web site. Bat Ye'or has written about the history and practice of jizyah in her book "Dhimmitude." Ibn Warraq

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-'''Jizyah''' is the [[Arabic language]] translation of [[Poll tax]] or "head tax", a tax imposed on male individuals of other faiths living under Muslim rule.
+'''Jizyah''' is the [[Arabic language]] translation of [[Poll tax]] or "head tax", a [[per capita]] tax imposed on all free non muslim males living under Muslim rule.
 ==Definition==
-Jizyah was applied to every free male member of the [[People of the Book]], non-Muslim communities living in lands under Muslim rule. The collection of the tax was often the duty of the elders of those community, mainly Bishops or Priests.
+Jizyah was applied to every free male member of the [[People of the Book]], non-Muslim communities living in lands under Muslim rule. The collection of the tax was often the duty of the elders of those community.
-In return, those who pay such a tax are not required to serve in the military, and are considered under the protection of the Muslim state, with certain rights and responsibilities. Non-Muslims are not required to pay [[zakat]], or mandatory charity.
+In return, those who pay such a tax are not required to serve in the military, and are considered under the protection of the Muslim state, with certain rights and responsibilities. Non-Muslims are not required to pay [[zakat]], or mandatory charity. The monetary amount of the Jizyah is commonly required to be greater than that of the [[zakat]].
 ==History==
@@ Line 15: / Line 15: @@
 ==Criticism==
-The concept of Jizyah has been often criticized by some anti-Muslim writers, who characterize it as a form of humiliation and oppression of non-Muslim minorities. Others counter that these criticisms ignore the historical context and that the poll tax was a common practice at the time in most societies.
+The concept of Jizyah has been criticized by some non-Muslim writers, who characterize it as a form of humiliation and oppression of non-Muslim minorities with a direct basis in the [[Koran]].
+:[[Sura]] 9.29 Fight those who believe not in Allah nor the Last Day, nor hold forbidden that 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 Jizyah with willing submission, and feel themselves subdued.
+Others counter that these criticisms ignore the historical context and that the poll tax was a common practice at the time in most societies.
 ==Resources==
-Many contemporary Muslim scholars can be cited, including [[Yusuf al-Qaradawi]]. Al-Qaradawi's book ''Non Muslims in Muslim Societies'', which discusses many issues, including jizyah, is available online in Arabic on his web site.
+Many contemporary Muslim scholars can be cited, including [[Yusuf al-Qaradawi]]. Al-Qaradawi's book ''Non Muslims in Muslim Societies'', which discusses many issues, including jizyah, is available online in Arabic on his web site. [[Bat Ye'or]] has written about the history and practice of jizyah in her book "Dhimmitude." [[Ibn Warraq]]
 ==See also==
 *[[Dhimmi]]
 [[Category:Islam]]