The Myth of Islamic Tolerance:

Dhimmitude, Jizya, and Religious Suppression

Introduction: The Illusion of Tolerance in Islamic History

Islamic apologists and scholars often claim that Islamic civilization was a beacon of tolerance, where Jews, Christians, and other non-Muslims lived peacefully under Muslim rule, protected by a system of justice and fairness. This narrative is bolstered by romanticized stories of the so-called “Golden Age of Islam,” where non-Muslims supposedly thrived under the benevolent rule of the Caliphs.

But this is a myth — a carefully constructed illusion that collapses under the weight of historical facts. The reality is that non-Muslims under Islamic rule were reduced to second-class citizens, systematically oppressed under the discriminatory system of Dhimmitude and burdened with the humiliating Jizya tax. Far from being a model of tolerance, Islamic governance was a system of institutionalized discrimination and religious suppression.

This article exposes the myth of Islamic tolerance and reveals the true nature of Dhimmitude, Jizya, and the oppressive treatment of non-Muslims under Islamic law.

1. What Is Dhimmitude? The Reality of Second-Class Citizenship

A. The Meaning of Dhimmitude

Dhimmitude is the term used to describe the status of non-Muslims (Jews, Christians, and Zoroastrians) living under Islamic rule.
The word "Dhimmi" is derived from the Arabic word “Dhimmah”, meaning a “covenant of protection.”
In reality, this “protection” was a form of conditional subjugation — non-Muslims were allowed to live in Islamic lands only if they accepted their inferior status and paid a special tax known as Jizya.

B. Qur’anic Basis for Dhimmitude

The discriminatory treatment of non-Muslims is directly commanded in the Qur’an:

“Fight those who do not believe in Allah or in the Last Day, and who do not consider unlawful what Allah and His Messenger have made unlawful, and who do not adopt the religion of truth from those who were given the Scripture — until they give the Jizya willingly while they are humbled.”
— (Surah At-Tawbah 9:29)
This verse establishes the three options for non-Muslims under Islamic rule:
- Convert to Islam.
- Pay the Jizya tax and accept subjugation.
- Face war.
The phrase “while they are humbled” makes it clear that the Jizya is not just a tax, but a symbol of humiliation and submission.

C. Conditions Imposed on Dhimmis

Islamic law (Sharia) imposed numerous restrictions on Dhimmis, including:
- Prohibition against building new churches or synagogues.
- Restriction on repairing existing places of worship without Muslim permission.
- A ban on public religious displays (no processions, no loud prayers).
- A requirement to dress differently from Muslims to visually mark their inferior status.
- A prohibition against bearing arms.
- Dhimmis could not ride horses but were limited to mules or donkeys.
- Testimony of Dhimmis was not accepted in court against Muslims.
These restrictions were codified in the Pact of Umar, a foundational document outlining the conditions of Dhimmitude.

D. Dhimmitude in Practice: A System of Humiliation

Far from being treated as “protected citizens,” Dhimmis were systematically humiliated:
- They were slapped on the neck when paying the Jizya tax to symbolize their subjugation.
- They were required to bow and show deference to Muslims.
- Their lives were always at the mercy of Muslim rulers — at any time, they could be accused of violating their Dhimmah status and punished without due process.

2. The Jizya: A Tax of Humiliation and Submission

A. The Nature of the Jizya Tax

The Jizya is a special tax imposed on non-Muslims living under Islamic rule.
It is not a normal tax like Zakat (which Muslims pay) — it is a punitive tax designed to enforce the inferior status of Dhimmis.
The amount of Jizya varied depending on the wealth of the non-Muslim, but it was always a burden.

B. The Purpose of Jizya: Humiliation and Control

The Qur’an explicitly states that the Jizya must be paid “while they are humbled” (Surah At-Tawbah 9:29).
Islamic scholars, including Ibn Kathir, Al-Tabari, and Al-Qurtubi, explained that the Jizya was meant to remind non-Muslims of their subjugation to Islamic authority.

C. Historical Examples of Jizya in Practice

In the Umayyad and Abbasid Caliphates, the collection of Jizya was often brutal:
- Dhimmis who failed to pay were imprisoned, beaten, or had their property confiscated.
- Some Dhimmis were forced to pay additional taxes, known as Kharaj (land tax) or other fees, making their economic burden unbearable.
- Non-Muslim merchants were sometimes required to pay higher tariffs and fees.

D. The Hypocrisy of the Jizya System

While Muslims paid Zakat as an act of charity, Dhimmis paid Jizya as a mark of humiliation.
Jizya was a form of state-sanctioned extortion, where non-Muslims were forced to pay for the “privilege” of being allowed to live under Muslim rule.

3. Religious Suppression: Destroying and Humiliating Non-Muslim Faiths

A. Destruction of Non-Muslim Places of Worship

Under Islamic rule, new churches and synagogues could not be built without special permission.
Existing places of worship could be destroyed if they were considered too visible or if Muslims claimed they violated their Dhimmah agreement.
In Egypt, North Africa, Persia, and the Levant, countless churches and temples were destroyed over the centuries.

B. Forced Conversions and Religious Oppression

Although conversion by force was officially forbidden, many Dhimmis were pressured to convert to Islam to escape the burden of Jizya and other humiliations.
Children of Dhimmis were often taken and raised as Muslims, a practice known as Devshirme in the Ottoman Empire.
Christian and Jewish religious leaders were pressured to preach obedience to the Muslim rulers, effectively making them collaborators in their own oppression.

C. The Subjugation of Non-Muslim Women

Dhimmi women were subject to restrictions on their dress and behavior.
Muslim men could marry Dhimmi women, but Dhimmi men were forbidden from marrying Muslim women — a clear sign of their inferior status.
In times of war, non-Muslim women were often taken as slaves or concubines.

4. The Myth of Coexistence: Conflict and Revolt in Dhimmi History

A. Rebellions of Oppressed Dhimmis

The Dhimmi populations in Islamic lands did not live in harmony — they often rose up in rebellion against their oppressors.
The Copts of Egypt frequently revolted against Muslim rulers who imposed unbearable taxes and destroyed their churches.
The Zoroastrians of Persia suffered centuries of forced conversions, destruction of temples, and discrimination.

B. Dhimmi Collaboration and Betrayal

Some Dhimmis were forced into collaboration with Muslim rulers as tax collectors or advisors, earning the hatred of their own communities.
Dhimmi leaders were often used by Muslim rulers to control their own communities, becoming tools of oppression.

5. Conclusion: Dhimmitude and Jizya — The Opposite of Tolerance

The Islamic system of Dhimmitude and Jizya was not a model of tolerance — it was a system of legalized discrimination, oppression, and humiliation. Non-Muslims under Islamic rule were treated as second-class citizens, subject to the whims of Muslim rulers and forced to pay for the “privilege” of living in their own lands.

Islamic apologists who promote the myth of “Islamic tolerance” are either ignorant of their own history or deliberately misleading others. The reality is clear — Islamic rule was a nightmare for non-Muslims, a system of humiliation, exploitation, and suppression.

Exposing Islam

Monday, May 19, 2025