Page 59 - A Call For Unity

Harun Yahya (Adnan Oktar)

As the following verse; "if Allah had not driven some
people back by means of others, monasteries, churches,
synagogues, and mosques, where Allah's name is men-
tioned much, would have been pulled down and de-
stroyed," (Surat Al-Hajj: 40) points out, Jewish and Christian
places of worship are regarded by Muslims as holy places in
which Allah's name is remembered. Thus, as it is their re-
sponsibility to protect such places, throughout Islamic histo-

ry all Jewish and Christian houses of worship have been pro-
tected so that the Jews and Christians can pray and worship
in them as they please. For instance, historic documents
signed during Abu Bakr's (ra) reign state that the Christians
of the peacefully taken city of Tabarriya were given guaran-
tees that their churches would not be harmed. Likewise, the
agreement signed after the conquest of Damascus stated that

churches would not be destroyed or occupied. Umar's (ra)
covenant to the people of Jerusalem guaranteed the protec-
tion of all places of worship. During the conquest of the
Armenian city of Dabil (Dvin) in Uthman's (ra) time, the as-
surances given to Christians, Jews, and Zoroastrians guaran-
teed the protection of all places of worship. 5
Permission to restore damaged churches and build new
monasteries was never withheld. For instance, the St. Sergius
monastery outside of Medain was destroyed by Patriarch

Mar Amme and rebuilt during Uthman's reign. Uqba, the

Left: Caliph Umar's declaration to the Orthodox patriarch
Sophronios in 638. This declaration guaranteed all of the Christians'
rights in the Holy Land.

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