Question: In Qur'an 9:29 what does
the word "tribute" means?
Answer: Tribute is jizyah. It is
a tax imposed EXCLUSIVELY on NON-Muslims as a "price" for allowing them
the "privilege" of living under Islamic rule without converting to Islam.
Per Imam Shafi, "The minimum non-Muslim
poll tax is one dinar (. . . 4.235 grams of gold per person (. . . per
year). The maximum is whatever both sides agree upon."
"Reliance of the Traveller," Ahmad
ibn Naqib al-Misri (d. 1368 CE), translated by Nuh Ha Mim Keller (Amana
Publications: Beltsville, MD 1994), sec. o10.1, p. 606.
The use of the term "agree" is ironic,
since any "agreement" to allow non-Muslims to live in an Islamic State
assumes ENSLAVEMENT of the dhimmis!
As Shaykh Maududi readily admits,
in an Islamic state non-Muslims HAVE NO SAY IN GOVERNANCE:
"THEY SHOULD BE FORCED TO PAY JIZYAH
IN ORDER TO PUT AN END TO THEIR INDEPENDENCE AND SUPREMACY SO THAT THEY
SHOULD NOT REMAIN SOVEREIGNS IN THE LAND. These powers should be wrested
from them by the followers of the true Faith, who should assume sovereignty
and lead others towards the Right Way, while they should become their subjects
and pay jizyah. . . "
"The Meaning of The Quran," Seyed
Abul A'la Maududi, Lahore, 2000, Vol. 2, pp. 187, 190.
Ibn Kathir emphasized that the status
of dhimmis [Non-Muslims] in an Islamic state must be one of HUMILIATATION:
"This is why the Leader of the faithful
[second caliph,] Umar bin Al-Khattab, may Allah be pleased with him, demanded
his well-known conditions be met by the Christians [when he conquered Jerusalem],
THESE CONDITIONS THAT ENSURED THEIR CONTINUED HUMILIATION, DEGRADATION
AND DISGRACE.
"The scholars of Hadith narrated
from Abdur-Rahman bin Ghanm Al-Ashari that he said, 'I recorded for Umar
bin Al-Khattab, may Allah be pleased with him, the terms of the treaty
of peace he conducted with the Christians of Ash-Sham:
" ' " In the Name of Allah, Most
Gracious, Most Merciful. This is a document to the servant of Allah Umar,
the Leader of the faithful, from the Christians of such and such city.
" ' " When you [Muslims] came to
us we requested safety for ourselves, children, property and followers
of our religion.
" ' "We made a condition on ourselves
that WE WILL NEITHER ERECT IN OUR AREAS A MONASTERY, CHURCH OR A SANCTUARY
FOR A MONK, OR RESTORE ANY PLACE OF WORSHIP THAT NEEDS RESTORATION nor
use any of them for the purpose of enmity against Muslims.
" ' "We will not prevent any Muslim
from resting in our churches whether they come by day or night, and we
will open the doors [of our houses of worship] for the wayfarer and passerby.
Those Muslims who come as guest, will enjoy boarding and food for three
days.
" ' "We will not allow a spy against
Muslims into our churches homes or hide deceit [or betrayal] against Muslims
" ' "WE WILL NOT TEACH OUR CHILDREN
THE QURAN, PUBLICIZE PRACTICES OF SHIRK OR PREVENT ANY OF OUR FELLOWS FROM
EMBRACING ISLAM, IF THEY CHOOSE TO DO SO.
" ' "WE WILL RESPECT MUSLIMS, MOVE
FROM PLACES WE SIT IF THEY CHOOSE TO SIT IN THEM.
" ' "WE WILL NOT IMITATE THEIR CLOTHING,
CAPS, TURBANS, SANDALS, HARISTYLES, SPEECH, NICKNAMS AND TITLE NAMES, or
ride on saddles, hang swords on the shoulders, collect weapons of any kind
or carry these weapons.
" ' "We will not encrypt our stamps
in Arabic, or sell liquor.
" ' "We will have the front of our
hair cut, wear our customary clothes wherever we are, wear belts around
our waist, REFRAIN FROM ERECTING CROSSES ON THE OUTSIDE OF OUR CHURCHES
AND DEMONSTRATING THEM AND OUR BOOKS IN PUBLIC IN MUSLIM FAIRWAYS AND MARKETS.
" ' "WE WILL NOT SOUND THE BELLS
IN OUR CHURCHES, EXCEPT DISCRETELY, OR RAISE OUR VOICES WHILE RECITING
OUR HOLY BOOKS INSIDE OUR CHURCHES IN THE PRESENCE OF MUSLIMS, NOR RAISE
OUR VOICES [WITH PRAYER] AT OUR FUNERALS, or light torches in funeral processions
in the fairways of Muslims, or their markets.
" ' "We will not bury our dead next
to the Muslim dead, or buy servants who were captured by Muslims
" ' "We will be guides for Muslims
and refrain from breaching their privacy in their homes."
" ' When I gave this document to
Umar , he added to it,
" ' "We will not beat any Muslim.
These are the conditions that we set against ourselves and followers of
our religion in return for safety and protection. If we break any of these
promises that we set for your benefit against ourselves, then out Dhimmah
[promise of protection] is broken and you are allowed to do with us what
you are allowed of people of defiance and rebellion."'"
[Al-Muhalla, by Ibn Hazm, 7:346]
Quoting from Tasfir Ibn Kathir (Darussalam
Publishers, Riyadh: 2000),
Volume 4, pp.404-407.
