Jizyah and The Spread of Islam

by Harsh Narain

The Quran prescribes Jizyah in a Jihadic verse, revealed about 631 A.D., i.e. about a year after the capture of Mecca by the Prophet in 630 A.D., envisaging compounding of refusal to embrace Islam by paying Jizyah. Mohomed Marmaduke Pickthall translates the full verse thus: 'Fight against such of those who have been given the Scripture as believe not in Allah nor the Last Day, and forbid not that which Allah hath forbidden by his messenger, and follow not the religion of truth, until they pay the tribute readily, being brought low.' This represents the common run of translations of the verse by Muslims and non-Muslims alike. The verse so translated leaves the course of paying Jizyah, as alternative to conversion and death, open to the scripturaries, people of the book, only. And the Quran recognizes only two communities (ta' ifatayn), viz. Jews and Christians, as scripturaries.

Genres: Islam

37 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1997

Reviews

[Ashish Iyer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jizyah is a tax paid by non-Muslim populations to their Muslim rulers. It was kinda punishment for not being a muslim. If you don't or unable to pay, they will ask you convert to their religion or face death penalty. This book explained very well how Jizyah works and how islam was spread through Jizyah. Its a small book but everything is in detail with facts. Its talk about how it started in Arabia and later how invaders applied the same mean scheme in India. Everyone should read it. You will realize what our ancestor went through. Of course this book is backed with lot of bibliography and reference in end notes.

[Vineet Singh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jizyah has played important role in spread of Islam. This book has mainly three chapters: Presupposition of Jizyah, Jizyah and its Implications- Associations and Jizyah in India. The book also presents the history of Jizyah before Mohammad, during his time and during later period. As per the Quranic command muslims should try to convert kafirs, if they resist try to consign them to the grave before God consigns them to hell-fire, plunder loot their property, enslave them, or where imposition of Jizyah is permissible, let kafirs escape death and compound their offence by disgracefully paying Jizyah, abjectly surrendering to the brute force of Islam, and suffering all sorts of indignities and humiliations as Dhimmis. The Quran prescribes Jizyah in a Jihadic verse, envisaging compounding of refusal to embrace Islam by paying Jizyah. The Jihadic verse quote “Fight against such of those who have been given the Scripture as believe not in Allah nor the last day, and forbid not that which Allah hath forbidden by his Messenger and follow not the religion of truth, until they pay the tribute readily being brought low”. The verse so translated leaves the course of paying Jizyah as alternative to conversion or death. People mostly mistakenly term Jizyah as fiscal one but in reality it is a jihadic impost. Jizyah implies and involves a lot more than paltry sum of a few rupees. It opens door to unlimited exploitation,and addition of insult to injury, into bargain. The object is not pecuniary consideration, but the invitation of unbelievers to Islam in most gentle manner. Reason given by them is that ‘by being allowed to live among muslims, the dhimmis will be attracted by the beauties of muslim faith and may willingly accept it.
Although there is no Islamic rule in India today but the majority community is still paying something as good or as bad in effect as Jizyah viz that part of the taxes paid by the majority which is used exclusively in the interest of so-called minorities.