Page 86 - A Call For Unity

A Call for Unity

that you should keep what has been given by Allah to you [of the
land] in the hands of its people …If the jizya is paid by them [the
dhimmis], you should require no more of them … For if we divide
the land [among us], nothing will be left for our descendants …[If
the land is left with its people,] the Muslims will be able to live on
its produce.
You may therefore impose on them [the dhimmis] the jizya, nev-
er to take them as prisoners, nor to do any injustice or harm to
them, or to take any of their property unless you have a [valid le-
gal] claim to it. You must fulfill the obligations you accepted in
accordance with your agreement with them. 15
As we have seen, genuine Muslims who abide by the
Qur'an's morality considered it their responsibility to protect
the lives, property, and peace of non-Muslims. Once, during
a battle with the Byzantine army, the situation became so un-

tenable that Muslims could no longer provide the necessary
protection to Christians. Thus, Muhammad, our Prophet

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