Everything about People Of The Book totally explained
This article is about the theological concept in Islam. For the novel by Geraldine Brooks see People of the Book (novel).
"
People of the Book" (
Arabic, ), also "Followers of the Holy Books", is a
theological term, primarily related to
Islam, describing non-Muslim peoples who, according to the
Qur'an, received
scriptures which were
revealed to them by
God before the time of
Muhammad (especially
Christians and
Jews). In Islam, the Muslim scripture, the
Qur'an, is taken to represent the completion of these scriptures, and to synthesize them as God's true, final, and eternal message to humanity. However, because the People of the Book recognize the supreme
Abrahamic God as the Muslims do, and they practice revealed faiths based on Divine ordinances, tolerance and autonomy is accorded to them in societies governed by
sharia (Islamic divine law)
(External Link
). The generally accepted interpretation is that the pre-Islamic revealed texts are the
Tawrat,
Zabur and the
Injil. They are roughly equivalent to the
Jewish Torah, the Book of
Psalms, and the
Four Christian Gospels, respectively.
A
dhimmi is a person of the
dhimma, a term which refers in Islamic law to a pact contracted between non-Muslims and authorities from their Muslim government: this status was originally only made available to non-Muslims who were People of the Book (for example
Jews and
Christians), but was later extended to include
Sikhs,
Zoroastrians,
Mandeans, and, in some areas,
Hindus and
Buddhists.
In
Judaism the term "People of the Book" (
Hebrew: עם הספר,
Am HaSefer) subsequently became self-applied to refer specifically to the
Jewish people and the
Torah; also the Jewish people and the wider canon of written Jewish law (including the
Mishnah and the
Talmud). In Jewish use there's generally no connotation as to the nature of Judaism's relationship with other faiths.
Definitions of dhimmi
In the classical understanding, the People of the Book are those whose faiths share the following qualities:
The term "People of the Book" is thus taken in classical
orthodox Islam to refer to followers of monotheistic
Abrahamic religions which are older than Islam. This includes all
Christians, all
Jews (including
Karaites and
Samaritans), and "
Sabaeans" (a Qur'anic term interpreted to refer to the
Mandaeans).
Many early Islamic scholars, such as
Malik ibn Anas, agreed that
Zoroastrians should also be included. Zoroastrianism is believed by scholars and historians to have been founded between 1000 BCE and 600 BCE making it older than Christianity and Islam. It shares similar eschatological views with Christianity and Islam, and recognizes life after death, Satan (as
Angra Mainyu), Heaven, and Hell. There is no official Zoroastrian viewpoint regarding Adam and Eve or Moses.
Generally speaking, only pre-Islamic religions are considered to be the religions of the Book. This is because Muhammad is viewed in Islam as the
seal of the prophets, the final prophet that God will ever send to humanity for all time. This means that post-Islamic faiths are not considered religions of the Book in the classical sense, even if they're revealed, scriptural, monotheistic, and/or Abrahamic.
The
Islamic conquest of India necessitated that this definition be revised, because the majority of the inhabitants of India were followers of
Indian religions, and as such were generally regarded as
mushrikeen (
polytheists).
Scholars have had diverse opinions as to whether or not
Hinduism constitutes a religion of the Book. Hinduism was, and still is, the Indian religion with the largest number of followers. However,
Hindu views of God are diverse and multifaceted, ranging from conventional monotheism, to
panentheism,
monism,
immanence, and pure
polytheism; many Hindus have a perspective that's somewhere between the extremes of polytheism and monotheism. Because of the substantial Hindu tradition of monism, and the prominent Hindu theological perspective that there's a single Entity (
Brahman) which sustains the world, Hindus have often been included as dhimmis.
Sikhism isn't Abrahamic, as it rejects the concept of the Devil, angels and the concept of Adam and Eve. It also post-dates Muhammad.
Buddhism doesn't explicitly recognize a God, or the concept of prophethood. However, there's no official
Buddhist view of God, and Buddhism doesn't specifically oppose monotheism. Brahman is recognised as the supreme Deva. However, it's explicitly stated in sutra that deva, including supreme Brahman is insufficient (or irrelevant or inferior) to attainment of enlightenment, as they're still trapped in cycle of rebirth. Moreover, Buddhism doesn't recognize God in the sense of Creator.
The
Yazidi,
Druze and
Azali faiths are small post-Islamic monotheistic faiths whose adherents mainly reside in Muslim-majority countries. Because they number very few and have seldom disturbed, countered or threatened Muslim authority, they're usually regarded as dhimmis.
Some strains of Islam, such as
Salafism and
Wahhabism, reject all of the above, most especially the followers of Indian religions, as
kafir (unbelievers).
Saudi Arabia, which has the Wahhabi sect of Islam as its state religion, has implemented full sharia law, but doesn't regard Non-Muslims staying in the country as 'dhimmis'. Numerous non-Arabs, mostly South Asians and
Filipinos, have been allowed into the country as
foreign workers, some of whom are Muslim, and some of whom are not. However, public practice of a non-Muslim religion in Saudi Arabia is a punishable offence.
The definition of "dhimmi" always excludes followers of the
Bahá'í Faith. This is because the Bahá'í Faith, which grew out of
Shi'a Islam, is a post-Islamic religion which doesn't accept the finality of Muhammad's revelation. Instead, Bahá'ís believe in the concept of
progressive revelation, which states that God's will is progressively revealed through different teachers at different times, and that there will never be a final revelation. Bahá'ís refer to the people who bring a new revelation into the world as
Manifestations of God; the person who is accepted as the current Manifestation of God is
Bahá'u'lláh.
The Bahá'í Faith is revealed, scriptural and
Abrahamic, and Bahá'ís accept Muhammad as one of the previous Manifestations of God. However, because they've explicitly repudiated the eternal authority of the Qur'an and
Sunnah, they're condemned as
murtadeen (
apostates). They are sometimes also called
zandiqa ("
atheists"). Bahá'ís are considered to be subject to the fate of
Dar al-Harb, the doomed pagan world which isn't beloved of God. Bahá'ís have been
badly persecuted by Muslim regimes up to the present day. The most significant persecution has occurred in
Iran, where Bahá'ís are the most populous religious minority. The exception is
Turkey, where a policy of
state secularism has resulted in almost no official persecution.
The Qur'an on dhimmis
There are many statements in the
Qur'an that promote tolerance towards People of The Book. For example:
And don't dispute with the followers of the Book except by what is best, except those of them who act unjustly, and say: We believe in that which has been revealed to us and revealed to you, and our God and your God is One, and to Him do we submit.
There are also many statements that promote an adversarial relationship. For example:
O you who believe! Do not take the Jews and the Christians for rulers/patrons ; they're protectors of each other; and whoever amongst you takes them for a ruler/patron, then surely he's one of them; surely God doesn't guide the unjust people.
In other places the Qur'an says:
Not all of them are alike; a party of the people of the Scripture stand for the right, they recite the Verses of God during the hours of the night, prostrating themselves in prayer. They believe in God and the Last Day; they enjoin Al-Ma'rûf and forbid Al-Munkar ; and they hasten in (all) good works; and they're among the righteous. And whatever good they do, nothing will be rejected of them; for God knows well those who are Al-Muttaqûn .(3:113-115)
And there are, certainly, among the people of the Scripture (Jews and Christians), those who believe in God and in that which has been revealed to you, and in that which has been revealed to them, humbling themselves before God. They don't sell the Verses of God for a little price, for them is a reward with their Lord. Surely, God is Swift in account. '(3:199)'
Verily! Those who believe and those who are Jews and Christians, and Sabians, whoever believes in God and the Last Day and do righteous good deeds shall have their reward with their Lord, on them shall be no fear, nor shall they grieve .
Say (O Muhammad ): "O people of the Scripture : Come to a word that's just between us and you, that we worship none but God, and that we associate no partners with Him, and that none of us shall take others as lords besides God.
Throughout Islamic history, Muslims have used these ayah (verses) to justify a variety of positions towards non-Muslims. In some places and times, Muslims showed a great deal of tolerance towards non-Muslims; in other places and times non-Muslims were treated as enemies and persecuted. Islamic law demands that Muslims treat Jews and Christians as dhimmis, protected citizens who have a number of rights.
One ayah in the Qur'an can even be interpreted to encourage a neutral position toward non-Muslims. This ayah says, "Those who follow the Jewish and the Sabi'een, Christians, Magians and Polythesists — Allah will judge them On the Day of Judgement:" (22:17). The acceptance of Zoroastrians as dhimmis is partly because of this ayah, as the Magians were Zurvanist Zoroastrians, and this verse, specifically mentions them alongside other People of the Book, and lists them ahead of polytheists.
Islamic law
When non-Muslim People of the Book live in an Islamic nation under Sharia law, they become dhimmis. They are given a number of rights, such as the right to freely practice their faith in private, in return for state protection, and exemption from military service. The social structure of the Ottoman Empire would serve as an example of how non-Muslims were treated. They also have some responsibilities, such as the payment of a special tax called jizyah ("tribute"), but they're exempted from Zakat which Muslims are required to pay. People of the Book living in non-Islamic nations are not considered dhimmis.
Further Information
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