The Life & Character of the Seal of Prophets (sa) - Volume II — Page 563
XII - First Era of Life in Madīnah Comes to an End and the Islāmic System of Government 563 Even after the demise of the Holy Prophet sa , the Four Khulafā’ also established an impeccable example of religious tolerance. There is a narration regarding Ḥaḍrat Abū Bakr ra that whenever he would dispatch a Muslim army, he would especially instruct its commander to ensure that non-Muslim places of worship and religious elders were given full reverence. 1 In the era of Ḥaḍrat ‘Umar ra when Syria was conquered, the single most prominent aspect of the treaty which was settled between the Muslims and Christian population who lived there was religious freedom and tolerance. 2 The Issue of Jizyah The concept of Jizyah appears to be objectionable in the sight of some, although it was merely a tax that was levied upon the non-Muslim citizens in order to manage the system of government, and which was spent directly on the taxpayers themselves. With these funds, the government would safeguard their rights, and arrange for their ease, comfort and welfare, and would make armies available for the protection of their lives and wealth. One may raise the allegation as to why this tax was specific to non-Muslim citizens alone. The answer to this is that firstly, the aforementioned tax was considered to be a remuneration for military services rendered by the Muslims, but from which the non-Muslim population was held to be exempt. In other words, where every Muslim was compelled to serve in the military by law, the non- Muslim population was exempt from this requirement. In this case, it was only fair that the non-Muslim population also bear to some extent the military expenditures of the Islāmic state. This is the definition of Jizyah. In addition to Beirut, Lebanon, First Edition (1996) 1 Al-Muwaṭṭā, By Imām Mālik bin Anas, Kitābul-Jihād, Bābun-Nahyi ‘An Qatlin-Nisā’i Wal-Wildāni Fil- Ghazwi, Ḥadīth No. 982 2 * Tārīkhur-Rusuli Wal-Mulūk (Tārīkhuṭ-Ṭabarī), By Abū Ja‘far Muḥammad bin Jarīr Aṭ-Ṭabarī, Volume 4, pp. 81-85, Thumma Dakhalat Sanatu Thalātha ‘Ashara / Dhikru Ghazwati Faḥlin Wa Fatḥi Dimashqa, Dārul-Fikr, Beirut, Lebanon, Second Edition (2002) * Al-Kāmilu Fit-Tārīkh (Tārīkhu Ibnil-Athīr), By ‘Izzuddīn Abul-Ḥasan ‘Alī bin Muḥammad Ibnul- Athīr, Volume 2, pp. 278-279, Sanatu 13, Dhikru Fatḥi Dimashqa, Dārul-Kutubil-‘Ilmiyyah, Beirut, Lebanon (2006) * Kitābu Futūḥil-Buldān, By Aḥmad bin Yaḥyā bin Jābir Al-Baghdādī Al-Balādhurī, pp. 127-129, Fatḥu Madīnati Dimashqa Wa Arḍihā, Al-Mausū‘ātu Bi-Shāri‘i Bābil-Khalq, Egypt, First Edition (1901) * Kitābul-Kharāj, By Qāḍī Abū Yūsuf Ya‘qūb bin Ibrāhīm, Faṣlun: Fī Arḍish-Shāmi Wal-Jazīrati, pp. 42-43, Printed by Baulāq (1302 A. H. ) * Futūḥush-Shāmi, By Abū ‘Abdillāh Muḥammad bin ‘Umar Al-Wāqidī, Translated by Ghulām Naṣīruddīn, Volume 1, pp. 262-264, “Fatḥ-e-Dimashq / Rūmī Rāhib Ke Kehnai Par Ḥaḍrat Abū ‘Ubaidah Sai Mudhakarāt,” Maktaba-e-A‘lā