Syria: Bishop tells jihadis that dhimmi status ‘can be interpreted both negatively and positively’

Unfortunately, the good bishop is whistling in the dark, and he likely knows that very well, but is hoping he can make the best possible arrangement with Hayat Tahrir al-Sham.

Many people to this day have a pollyannish version of how Christians are to be treated under Islamic law. That law is derived from the Pact of Umar. The Pact of Umar is a ninth-century fabrication, but it is still a foundational element of Islamic law. It is also an exhaustive list of what non-Muslims must do if they wish to remain alive and able to practice their faith, in a Muslim polity.

Here is the list:

• Prohibition against building new churches, places of worship, monasteries, or a new cell. It was also forbidden to build new synagogues.
• Prohibition against rebuilding destroyed churches by day or night, in their own neighborhoods or those situated in the quarters of the Muslims.
• The worship places of non-Muslims must be lower in elevation than the lowest mosques in town.
• The houses of non-Muslims must not be taller in elevation than the houses of Muslims.
• Prohibition against hanging a cross on the Churches.
• Muslims should be allowed to enter Churches (for shelter) in any time, both in day and night.
• Obliging the call of prayer by a bell or a kind of Gong (Nakos) to be low in volume.
• Prohibition of Christians and Jews against raising their voices at prayer times.
• Prohibition against teaching non-Muslim children the Qur’an.
• Christians were forbidden to show their religion in public, or to be seen with Christian books or symbols in public, on the roads or in the markets of the Muslims.
• Palm Sundayand Easter parades were banned.
• Funerals should be conducted quietly.
• Prohibition against burying non-Muslim dead near Muslims.
• Prohibition against raising a pig next to a Muslim neighbour.
• Christians were forbidden to sell Muslims alcoholic beverages.
• Christians were forbidden to provide cover or shelter for spies.
• Prohibition against telling a lie about Muslims.
• Obligation to show deference toward Muslims. If a Muslim wishes to sit, non-Muslims should rise from their seats and let the Muslim sit.
• Prohibition against preaching to Muslims in an attempt to convert them from Islam.
• Prohibition against preventing the conversion to Islam of some one who wants to convert.
• The appearance of the non-Muslims has to be different from those of the Muslims: Prohibition againstwearing Qalansuwa (kind of dome that was used to wear by Bedouin), Bedouin turban (Amamh), Muslims shoes, and Sash to their waists. As to their heads, it was forbidden to comb the hair sidewise as is the Muslim custom, and they were forced to cut the hair in the front of the head. Non-Muslims shall not imitate the Arab-Muslim way of speech nor shall they adopt the kunyas (Arabic byname, such as “abu Khattib”).
• Obligation to identify non-Muslims as such by clipping the heads’ forelocks and by always dressing in the same manner, wherever they go, with binding the zunnar (a kind of belt) around the waists. Christians to wear blue belts or turbans, Jews to wear yellow belts or turbans, Zoroastrians to wear black belts or turbans, and Samaritans to wear red belts or turbans.
• Prohibition against riding animals in the Muslim custom, and prohibition against riding with a saddle
• Prohibition against adopting a Muslim title of honour.
• Prohibition against engraving Arabic inscriptions on signet seals.
• Prohibition against any possession of weapons.
• Non-Muslims must host a Muslim passerby for at least 3 days and feed him.
• Non-Muslims prohibited from buying a Muslim prisoner.
• Prohibition against taking slaves who have been allotted to Muslims.
• Prohibition against non-Muslims to lead, govern or employ Muslims.
• If a non-Muslim beats a Muslim, his Dhimmi protection is removed.
• In return, the Muslim ruler will provide security for the Christian believers who follow the rules of the pact.

Negatively or positively!

“Arab Bishop tells Islamic rebels that Christians can’t be ‘second-class citizens’ in Syria,” by Samantha Kamman, Christian Post, December 12, 2024:

Leaders of churches and ecclesial communities in Syria met with representatives of the armed Islamic-led rebel groups that seized control of the country amid fears that Christians could face persecution or strict regulations that could disrupt their faith life.

Monday’s meeting in Aleppo followed the collapse of the Bashar al-Assad regime’s rule earlier this month after Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, a jihadist group linked with Al-Qaeda, seized various cities. The rebels captured Damascus days after the takeover of Aleppo and Hama….“We were all present: bishops, priests and religious,” Chaldean Jesuit Bishop Antoine Audo of Alep told Fides in a statement. Reflecting on Monday’s summit, Audo described it as a “positive meeting.”

The Islamist forces reportedly assured Christian leaders during the meeting that they would not attempt to change or regulate ecclesiastical communities by, for example, implementing rules against boys and girls studying together at school. According to Audo, the new forces claimed they wanted to “build trust by respecting [their] traditions and [their] prayers.”

“I told them that we, as Arab Christians, represent a unique reality in history and in the world. I recalled some examples of the history of Muslim Arabs with Christians and the contribution of Christians to this history,” Audo said.

“I added that the status of the ‘dhimmi’ (non-Muslim members of a state guided by Islamic law, ed.) can be interpreted both negatively and positively, that Christians cannot be second-class citizens and that we must work together,” the bishop continued. “They seemed very interested in these considerations.”

Despite these assurances, however, watchdog groups have expressed concerns about the potential dangers Christians in the region could now face….