On behalf of myself, Fr Badaoui and my Brother Priests, we would ...

1-An engraving of a scroll of the Torah in Hebrew, British Library. 2-The last page
o f t h e G o s p e l o f M a r k i n G r e e k , 4 t h - 5 t h c e n t u r y, N o r t h A f r i c a . 3 - A n E a r l y
Koranic Manuscript in Arabic, 7th century, David Collection, Copenhagen.
I n t h e c o u n t r i e s c o n q u e r e d b y t h e
M u s l i m s , C h r i s t i a n s a n d J e w s h a d
the option of accepting and adopting
the Islamic faith or remaining faithful
t o t h e i r o w n r e l i g i o n . I f t h e y c h o o s e
t h e l a t t e r , w h i c h t h e y a r e p e r f e c t l y
f r e e t o d o , t h e y h a v e t o p a y a
s p e c i a l t a x , t o r e c o g n i z e t h e p o l i t i c a l
s u p r e m a c y o f I s l a m a n d o f c o u r s e t o
d e s i s t f r o m a t t a c k i n g i t . G i v e n t h a t ,
t h e y h a v e a r i g h t i n a c c o r d a n c e w i t h
a n c i e n t A r a b t r a d i t i o n s t o a s p e c i a l
kind of contractual hospitality called
the “Dimma” which guaranties them
t h e s e c u r i t y o f t h e i r p e r s o n ,
belongings and religion.
N a t u r a l l y t h e s p e c i a l t a x i m p o s e d o n t h e C h r i s t i a n s l e d m a n y t o g i v e u p t h e i r
C h r i s t i a n f a i t h a n d c o n v e r t t o I s l a m . W h i l e i t w a s t r u e t h a t n o o n e c o u l d s a y
there was a persecution, there was however discrimination against the
non-Muslims. And at the same time there was no attempt of proselytism.
I s l a m i c t o l e r a n c e w a s m o r e i n e v i d e n c e d u r i n g t h e t i m e o f t h e U m a y y a d s t h a n
i n t h e t i m e o f t h e A b a s s i d s . F o r e x a m p l e t h e A b a s s i d C a l i p h , A l - M u t a w a k k i l
(847-861), was particularly cruel and persecuted both Christians and Jews
a l i k e , u s i n g t h e m o s t b a r b a r i c a n d h u m i l i a t i n g m e t h o d s t h a t c o u l d h a r d l y b e
imagined.
Allah, Oneness of God