Mali: Islamic group collects jizya from Christians

Islamic apologists in the West like to insist that the Qur’anic stipulation that Muslims must collect the jizya from subjugated non-Muslims is outmoded and has no modern applicability. They don’t seem to have gotten the message in Mali.

Non-Muslims paying for the upkeep of Muslims is a Qur’anic dictate:

“Fight against those do not believe in Allah or the last day, and do not forbid what Allah and his messenger have forbidden, and do not follow the religion of truth, even if they are among the people of the book, until they pay the jizya with willing submission and feel themselves subdued.” (Qur’an 9:29).

The caliph Umar said the jizya payments from the dhimmis were the source of the Muslims’ livelihood:

“Narrated Juwairiya bin Qudama at-Tamimi: We said to `Umar bin Al-Khattab, ‘O Chief of the believers! Advise us.’ He said, ‘I advise you to fulfill Allah’s Convention (made with the Dhimmis) as it is the convention of your Prophet and the source of the livelihood of your dependents (i.e. the taxes from the Dhimmis.)’” (Bukhari 4.53.388)

“Mali: Jihadist group intensifies religious persecution and charges Christians ‘jizya’ tax,” ACN International, October 29, 2024:

Confidential sources contacted by ACN speak of a worsening of the discrimination against Christian communities in two villages in the Mopti region, Mali.

According to information received by the intentional Catholic charity Aid to the Church in Need (ACN), an Islamic extremist group that is active in the region has recently imposed a tax of 25 thousand CFA Francs (around 40 dollars) on all Christians over the age of 18 in Douna-Pen, the largest Christian village in the east of Koro, Mopti.

This payment has become a condition for the free practice of religion. Extremists have made their demands clear, and recently collected money from the community with complete impunity, according to ACN’s sources, who requested anonymity for safety reasons. Those who were unable, or unwilling, to pay were warned that the alternative would be the forced closure of their places of worship.

The worrying situation began in the village of Dougouténé, where residents were first called to pay the so-called jizya, a religious tax. Now, Douna-Pen has begun to face the same issue. Local residents fear that the practice could spread to other villages, further threatening religious freedom and local security.

Islamic extremists had previously demanded the closing of both the Protestant and Catholic churches in Douna-Pen. For a while, during a fragile peace, residents were allowed to practice their faith, although without the use of musical instruments during worship, in a clear restriction of their religious freedom.

One of the confidential sources expressed deep concern over this escalation of what is already a difficult situation, saying: “We are supposed to be living in a secular state, where such practices should not take place, but unfortunately this is becoming our new reality. If the authorities do not act, the population will pay taxes directly into the coffers of the terrorists, who act under the flag of jihadism in the Republic of Mali.”…

There is concern that these forced payments to extremist Islamic groups might lead to deep divisions among the population, eroding trust in the government and further damaging the region’s fragile stability. Many residents are afraid of being abandoned by the Malian state….