Our brothers and sisters, so often persecuted in Islamic lands, are supposed to be protected by Islamic authorities due to their status as dhimmis. According to The Oxford Dictionary of Islam (2003),
Dhimmi Non-Musilm under the protection of Muslim law. A covenant of protection was made with conquered “Peoples of the Book,” which included Jews, Christians, Sabaeans, and sometimes Zoroastrians and Hindus. Adult male dhimmis were required to pay a tax [the jizyah] on their income and sometimes on their land. Restrictions and regulations in dress, occupation, and residence were often applied. Islam offered dhimmis security of life and property, defense against enemies, communal self-government, and freedom of religious practice. (68)
Of course, especially in lands such as Pakistan, or Indonesia, security of life is surely no longer offered in many locations. And, of course, “freedom of religious practice” does not include the conversion of a Muslim to your faith, as we have noted here many times. See Bat Ye’or’s Islam and Dhimmitude: Where Civilizations Collide for a study of the subject.
