AVOID HARM IN ISLAM! SUBJUGATION AND DISCRIMINATION OF JEWS AND CHRISTIANS (DHIMMA)

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Both Jews and Christians continue to suffer discrimination, violence, and restrictions on their religious freedom by fundamentalist Muslims, especially in Muslim-majority countries, caused by certain interpretations of the Qur’an.

1.-VICTIMIZATION OF JEWS

It is quite widespread and has a major impact on entire Hebrew communities. For example, in Iran they are subject to surveillance and discrimination. They face restrictions in public and political life and are prohibited from traveling to Israel. As a result, many have been forced to emigrate to the United States. Those who remain can practice their religion to some extent, but they are subject to significant limitations and are often viewed with suspicion.

In Yemen, the situation is even more serious. The Jewish community has declined drastically due to violence and persecution. The few Hebrews who remain live under constant threat.

And in other Middle Eastern countries they have also suffered episodes of violence, the destruction of synagogues and cemeteries, as well as hate speech in the media and in religious sermons. This hostility has led many Jewish communities to migrate in search of safety and a life free from persecution.

Even in the West, there are attacks by Muslims on innocent Jews.

Read ¡LET’S LIVE WITHOUT HARM! Let’s combat unjust aggressions against Jews

LIVING WITHOUT HARM: Let us not be antisemitic

2.-ABUSE OF CHRISTIANS

For example, in Egypt, Coptic Christians have been subjected to sectarian violence, including attacks on churches and homes, and they suffer systematic discrimination in areas such as employment and education. Christians in Iran also face arrests and imprisonment because of their religious practices, and churches are frequently raided by the authorities.

In Pakistan, the Blasphemy Law has been used to falsely accuse these believers, leading to unjust imprisonment and, at times, extrajudicial executions. Forced conversions and attacks on churches are common, creating an atmosphere of fear and insecurity. There are also abuses in other countries, such as Indonesia.

WHAT DOES THE QUR’AN SAY ABOUT THIS?

Qur’an 9: 29:

“Fight those who do not believe in Allah or in the Day of Judgment, nor forbid what Allah and His Messenger have forbidden, nor follow the religion of truth (that is, Islam) among those who were given the Scripture (Jews and Christians), until they pay the jizya willingly and feel subjugated.”

“Dhimma” or “dhimmi” refers to that status of subjugation granted to believers of Abrahamic religions (Jews and Christians) who live in an Islamic state in exchange for paying a tax called “jizya.” They are tolerated and protected, but are kept in a subordinate status, as second-class citizens.

For this reason, traditionally in countries dominated by Islam, followers of other monotheistic religions were allowed to practice their religion, but they were required to pay the tax (jizya). The dhimmi would receive a payment receipt, either as a piece of paper or parchment or as a stamp humiliatingly placed on their neck, and from then on they were required to carry this receipt wherever they went within the Islamic realm. Failure to present such an up-to-date receipt at the request of a Muslim could result in death or forced conversion to Islam.

Not only did they have to pay far more taxes than Muslims, but they were also subjected to discrimination and inferior rights, such as their word being worth as little as 1/4 of that of a Muslim, owning less land, not being allowed to bear arms, or having to hand over children from age 7 to serve in the army for life. For those reasons, millions converted to Islam.

Fortunately, the dhimma has been abolished everywhere, although the Islamic State applied it in Syria and Iraq, as did the first Taliban government in Afghanistan. Nevertheless, all the abuses explained above continue to occur.

LET US REINTERPRET THE QUR’AN

Fortunately, there are increasingly more modernist Muslims who oppose all of the above, interpreting the Qur’an in the context of self-defense and specific wartime situations in Muhammad’s era. Read more…

Let us help them spread that more benevolent and tolerant view among Muslim communities. How can we support them? To begin with, by signing the following campaigns to call for:

1. That all Muslim religious leaders interpret the Qur’an in a benevolent way. Sign…
2. That all governments promote a harmless, tolerant, and respectful Islam. Sign…
3. That they effectively combat jihadism and harmful fundamentalism. Sign…
4. That they prevent hate speech and harm to innocent people. Sign…
   

HOW TO LIVE WITHOUT HARM? Let us prevent clergy from promoting laws and delivering sermons that violate human rights

5. That they expel terrorist, jihadist, and fundamentalist immigrants. Sign…
6. An immigration policy that prevents the arrival of that kind of people. Sign…

FOR A WORLD WITHOUT HARM: Let us be open to harmless immigration and close ourselves to harmful immigration

And to continue, also signing these campaigns…

If you do none of the above, you are complicit in it. If you do it, you are part of the solution.

THE ART OF LIVING WITHOUT HARM: Let us not be accomplices in injustice

Thank you for signing and for sharing to achieve a kind, tolerant, and liberal Islam—and thus a better world.