Minorities in an Islamic State — Page 47
47 sings. We shall not trade in liquors in the Muslim habitations. We shall shave the hairs on the frontal of our heads as a mark of distinction. We shall wear Zunnar round our waists. We shall not take out processions of the cross or the holy books in Muslim areas, or shall we display the cross or the images, nor ring church-bells before the Muslims". 55 In point of sanad i this treaty is most suspect. غرا ئ ب الشعبہ ( Ghar a ’ibush - Shu‘bah ) is not at all an authoritative book on Hadith, nor does it have any historical importance whatsoever. What is more , this treaty reported by Ibn - e - M a n dah is in flagrant conflict wit h the Instrument of Protection which the Holy Prophet sa gran t ed to the monks of St. Catherine ’ s monastery and which has already been quoted above. To say that Hadrat ‘ U mar ra did som e thing which was diametrically opposed to what the Holy Prophet sa did or th at he was even ignorant of the e x istence of this instrument of protection is, to say the least, historically false. Further, the co n fused style and the ill - assorted internal structure of the so - called treaty are enough to establish that it is a mere myth a nd fabric a tion. Throughout the Muslim history, never has any restriction been placed on the study of the Holy i Chain of narrators of Hadith.