So the Christian leaders in a city in northern Syria made an EPIC mistake this week by signing an agreement with a splinter group formerly (wink, wink) affiliated with al-Queda which outlines their official submission to Islam in return for the protection of their city. Here we go again! So basically these folks have allowed the continued trend established over centuries of Islamists wiping out the ethnic histories of conquered people. Awesome.
So what can the people of the city of Raqqa expect going forward under this new “ownership” of their city? For that, I turn to writer Samuel Shahid, author of Rights of Non-Muslims in an Islamic State since he outlines the whole concept so beautifully.
1) Zimmis (those in custody) are non-Muslim subjects who live in Muslim countries and agree to pay the Jizya (tribute) in exchange for protection and safety, and to be subject to Islamic law. These enjoy a permanent covenant.
2) People of the Hudna (truce) are those who sign a peace treaty with Muslims after being defeated in war. They agree to reside in their own land, yet to be subject to the legal jurisprudence of Islam like Zimmis, provided they do not wage war against Muslims.
Did you notice his use of the words “in custody” and “subjects”? So in American terms it would be like the Northern States telling the South “Well since you lost the Civil War you will have to pay us a tax to stay on your land-even if you own it. You see, we won therefore we OWN YOU.”
The town was given the age old Hobson’s choice given to all civilizations conqured by Islam since the Prophet was alive:
“…the Christian community in the province of Raqqa, captured last March by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIS), was recently given three options: convert to Islam; to remain Christian but pledge submission to Islam; or to “face the sword.” They opted for the second of those choices, known as dhimmitude.”
To completely understand the concept of dhimmitude one needs to understand it as a historical concept. In short, author Bat Y’eor, explains it succinctly:
“This similarity, which includes also regional variations, has created a uniform civilization developed throughout the centuries by all non-Muslim indigenous people, who were vanquished by a jihad-war and governed by shari’a law. It is this civilization which is called dhimmitude. It is characterized by the different strategies developed by each dhimmi group to survive as non-Muslim entity in their Islamized countries. Dhimmitude is not exclusively concerned with Muslim history and civilization. Rather it investigates the history of those non-Muslim peoples conquered and colonized by jihad.”
According to the article “Syrian Christians sign treaty of submission to Islamists” published in the Times of Israel yesterday, the conquered in this case must also abstain from:
“renovating churches or monasteries in Raqqa; not to display crosses or religious symbols in public or use loudspeakers in prayer; not to read scripture indoors loud enough for Muslims standing outside to hear; not to undertake subversive actions against Muslims; not to carry out any religious ceremonies outside the church; not to prevent any Christian wishing to convert to Islam from doing so; to respect Islam and Muslims and say nothing offensive about them; to pay the jizya tax worth four golden dinars for the rich, two for the average, and one for the poor, twice annually, for each adult Christian; to refrain from drinking alcohol in public; and to dress modestly.”
That is right, slavery is alive and well in Syria in 2014.
What happens if they decide not to pay their jizya or decide not to be good little dhimmi’s? As explained in the aforementioned article:
“they are no longer protected and ISIS can treat them in a hostile and warlike fashion.”
After all, what have slave owners the world over done to their misbehaving chattle? Just refer back to the term that defines what these Christians just became-CONQUERED. If further explanation is needed head on over to the Daily Mail’s website to read the article on the live Tweeting of ISIS members cutting off a man’s hand as punishment for stealing. That should bring you right up to speed on who these folks just made a deal with.
Xavier says: Historically, Dhimmis were valuable to moslems because they were frequently from different cultures and possessed skills unknown to their captors. These skills and the jizya penalty (not tax) provided support for islamic expansion.
I doubt they will be viewed as being as valuable today: grudgingly tolerated, then used as propaganda for jihad is more like it. In an islamic society an accusation against a Christian can lead quickly to death by mob, and Christians aren’t allowed to testify against moslems in court. The Syrian dhimmis may believe they will be protected, and they may have no other option but to submit, but their days are numbered and their deaths will be savage.
Jennifer says: Amen Xavier you are correct. Thank you for the clarification on the jizya, I had always seen it referred to as a tax in my research and in my conversations with Christians on the topic.
As always, appreciate your responses!
Xavier says: I thought it was a tax too, then discovered otherwise. Now, further research shows it can go either way. It’s not a tax as we know them, though. Kinda like Obamacare.
Jizya from the Linguistic Perspective:
“Jizya” is derived from the root “Jaza” or “compensate”. Arabs usually say the phrase “Jaza, yajzi” which means “compensate” or ‘reward” if a person rewards another for the service rendered by the latter. “Jizya” is a derived term in the form of “ficla” from “Mujazã” which is the noun “compensation”, meaning “a sum of money given in return for protection”. Ibn Al-Mutaraz said: “It is derived from “’idjzã” or “substitute” or “sufficiency” because it suffices as a substitute for the “dhimmi’s[2] embracement of Islam”[2]
[This definition is from the pro-moslem Islamic Research Foundation International.] http://www.irfi.org/articles/articles_1051_1100/Jizya_in_islam.htm
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Jizya literally means penalty. It is a protection tax levied on non-Muslims living under Islamic regimes, confirming their legal status. Mawdudi states that “the acceptance of the Jizya establishes the sanctity of their lives and property, and thereafter neither the Islamic state, nor the Muslim public have any right to violate their property, honor or liberty.” Paying the Jizya is a symbol of humiliation and submission because Zimmis are not regarded as citizens of the Islamic state although they are, in most cases, natives to the country.
http://www.answering-islam.org/NonMuslims/rights.htm
Jodi says: Thanks for covering this, Jennifer. This is beyond disturbing. And where is the outrage from our own Dear Leader? Nowhere. Because he’s out playing golf with the Muslim Brotherhood.
VALman says: (formerly known as “ALman”)
I don’t mention it often enough, most likely. I do appreciate the work of the VictoryGirls and that of those who post here. There’s always something interesting and informative. SO much to learn and so little time!
This article is an example of such. As I read it, I kept thinking of all the ancient civilizations of the Middle East, of their practices when dealing with a conquered people. What I fail to remember, at times, and what the knuckleheads (someone used this term recently; I wonder who this might have been?) of this administration chose to ignore is that this part of the world is still very much “an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth” existence.
As an aside: “Now the Republican governor of Wyoming is aggressively working to import these super high risk “refugees” to his state. He is specifically seeking to bring high risk immigrants from the Congo to Wyoming.” Does the governor have no room in his heart for Syrian Christians?
Xavier says: Barry will never let Wyoming import those Congolese – they’re Christians too!
Plus, Wyoming winter is a bit different from the weather in the DRC, which is bisected by the Equator. Or, as Google’s description says (via Startpage of course) “Dissected by the Equator”.
VALman says: If they do some how make it to Wyoming, no doubt their “Welcome to America” package will include vacations to Florida during the winter months.
Merle says: Morons never learn!!!
Merle
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