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MUSLIM CIVILIZATIONS

Primary Source
As Muslim armies conquered more and more of the Middle East in the 700s, they
came to rule many non-Muslims. Christians, Jews, and Zoroastrians were known as
dhimmi, or protected persons. The excerpt below is from a pact, or agreement,
believed to be the work of Umar, the caliph during this period. It may date from
around 717. The document describes the rights and restrictions that govern Christians
and other non-Muslims. As you read, think about the rights and responsibilities of religious minorities in other cultures you have studied as well as in modern cultures. Then, on a
separate sheet of paper, answer the questions that follow.

From The Pact of Umar, About 717

qalansuwa, the turban, footwear, or the
We shall not build, in our cities or in their
parting of the hair. We shall not speak as
neighborhood, new monasteries,
they do. . . .
Churches, convents, or monks
We shall not mount on saddles, nor
cells, nor shall we repair, by day
shall we gird swords nor bear
or by night, such of them as fall
any kind of arms nor carry
in ruins or are situated in the
them on our persons.
quarters of the Muslims.
We shall not engrave Arabic
We shall keep our gates wide open
inscriptions on our seals.
for passersby and travelers. We
We shall not sell fermented
shall give board and lodging to
drinks. . . .
all Muslims who pass our way
We shall not display our crosses or
for three days.
our books in the roads or marWe shall not give shelter in our
kets of the Muslims. We shall
churches or in our dwellings to A Byzantine church in
present-day Turkey
use only clappers in our
any spy. . . .
churches very softly. We shall not raise
We shall not teach the Quran to our children.
our voices when following our dead. . . .
We shall not manifest our religion publicly
We shall not bury our dead near the
nor convert anyone to it. We shall not preMuslims.
vent any of our kin from entering Islam if
We shall not take slaves who have been allotthey wish it.
ted to Muslims.
We shall show respect toward the Muslims,
We shall not build houses overtopping the
and we shall rise from our seats when
houses of the Muslims. . . .
they wish to sit.
We shall not seek to resemble the Muslims
Source: Siraj al-Muluk, by Al-Turtushi, trans. unknown.
by imitating any of their garments, the

Questions to Think About

1. Who are the We in this excerpt from the
pact?

3. Make Inferences How did the pact benefit

Muslims and non-Muslims at this time in
history?

2. How do the dhimmi have to behave if a relative decides to become a Muslim?

4. Activity Do an Internet or library search to

find out more about the rights of nonMuslims under the Mayyads and the
Abbasids. Report your findings to the class.

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