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View Full Version : Muslims and Jews: a historical perspective that reveals surprises



al-fateh
05-04-2006, 05:03 PM
Once upon a time, a widely circulated Jewish document described Islam as "an act of God's Mercy".

Also, Jews in the near East, north Africa and Spain threw their support behind advancing Muslim Arab armies.

No, these aren't fairy tales or propaganda. The relationship between Muslims and Jews really was that cooperative and marked by peaceful coexistence.

Just ask Khalid Siddiqi of the Islamic Education and Information Center in San Jose, California where he also teaches Islamic Studies and Arabic at Chabot College and Ohlone College.

Siddiqi notes that the first quote above is from S. D. Goitein's book Jews and Arabs. The second is from Merlin Swartz's 'The Position of Jews in Arab lands following the rise of Islam' (reprinted from The Muslim World. Hartford Seminary Foundation LXI1970).

Swartz also says the Muslim Arab conquest marked the dawn of a new era. Those forces that had led to the progressive isolation and disruption of Jewish life were not only checked they were dramatically reversed.

In an interview with Sound Vision, Siddiqi gave numerous examples of Jews flourishing under Muslim rule in places like Spain, Morocco, North African in general and various parts of the Middle East.

Siddiqi points out that Islam as a religion has given specific guidelines for the followers of Islam to base their relationship with any non-Muslim. These include People of Scripture, like the Jews, people who belong to other religions, and even atheists. Non-Muslims must be treated on the basis of Birr (kindness) and Qist (justice), as referred to Surah 60 verse 8 of the Quran.

It started at the time of the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him)

The peaceful coexistence of Muslims and Jews began at the time of the Prophet.

Siddiqi notes that the Jews welcomed the Prophet when he arrived in Madinah at the time of Hijrah (migration), along with the rest of the city's inhabitants.

But the Prophet had begun the step towards good relations with Jewish and other communities in Madinah even before getting there.

After receiving an invitation to Madinah from one of the city's tribes that had accepted Islam, the Prophet signed treaties with the city's Jewish, Christian and polytheist tribes before he arrived there.

These treaties clearly laid out responsibilities of each of the parties. It was based on these that the Prophet established the Mithaq al Madinah, the constitution of Madinah.

Siddiqi says this was the first constitution of the world and one of the greatest political documents ever prepared by any human being. It is the oldest surviving constitution of any state.

Under this constitution, any Jew who followed the Muslims was entitled to their assistance and the same rights as anyone of them without any injustice or partisanship.

It said the Jews are an Ummah (community of believers) alongside the Muslims. The Jews have their religion and the Muslims theirs. As well, it noted that each will assist one another against any violation of this covenant.

Jews during the Muslim era

Despite this early breach of contract, there are still numerous examples from Muslim history of Muslim-Jewish cooperation and coexistence.

Siddiqi gave examples of how Muslim Spain, which was a "golden era" of creativity and advancement for Muslims was also one for Jews.

While Europe was in its Dark Ages and Jews were reviled there, Muslims in Spain during the same period worked side by side with Jews in developing literature, science and art.

Together, they translated classical Greek texts into Arabic. This task later helped Europe move out of the Dark Ages and into the Renaissance.

Jews flourished under Muslim rule in Egypt as well, where they achieved very high positions in government.

Siddiqi quotes some lines from an Arab poet of that time, to illustrate: 'Today the Jews have reached the summit of their hopes and have become aristocrats. Power and riches have they and from them councilors and princes are chosen'.

Today: the forced expulsion of Palestinians from their homeland has destroyed good Muslim-Jewish relations

So what happened?

Although not the only cause, a large part of the deterioration in Muslim-Jewish relations comes from the emergence of Zionism, the forced expulsion of Palestinians from their homeland by Zionist Jews and British colonizers, as well as their continuing oppression.

Siddiqi says, "while this reaction results in anti-Jewish feeling it must be seen in its proper historical context. It must be remembered that anti-Jewish sentiments in so far as it is to be found in the contemporary Arab world is strictly a modern phenomenon and one that runs counter to the time honored Islamic tradition of fraternity and tolerance.

"The very widespread popular notion that present day Arab-Jewish hostility is but another chapter in a long history of mutual animosity is totally false. If there is one thing the past makes clear it is precisely that Arabs and Jews can live together peacefully and in a mutually beneficial relationship. History also makes it very clear that they are the heirs to the Islamic tradition of openness and tolerance."

The key to reestablishing good relations between Muslims and Jews again is justice, notes Siddiqui. This principle is foreign to neither Islam nor Judaism.

In Islam, standing up for justice, he points out, must be done even if it is against ourselves, our parents, our kin, the rich or the poor. This is clearly mentioned in the Quran (4:135).

Siddiqi points out that the emphasis on justice is also mentioned in Jewish scripture in the prophecies of Michael in chapter three: "Zion shall be redeemed with justice and by those who will come to her with righteousness."

Reference: http://soundvision.com/Info/politics/jewhistory.asp
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master_seth
05-04-2006, 06:08 PM
nice, its amazing hw ppl used 2 b peaceful, bt now it looks like everyfin has changed. well t.c bro
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afriend
05-04-2006, 06:52 PM
Well, atleast we have had good relations, once upon a time..:(

Inshallah we will be able to re-build this peace and tollerance between eachother once again....I hope...before it's too late....
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north_malaysian
05-05-2006, 02:15 AM
I blamed it on both Muslim and Jewish politicians. Muslim and Jews are like brothers before WW.
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snakelegs
05-05-2006, 03:11 AM
i think jews and muslims had few major problems until the rise of the zionist movement and establishment of the state of israel.
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Eric H
05-05-2006, 06:15 AM
Greetings and peace al-fateh and thank you for starting this thread,

If Zionism were the true motivation for the Jews to be doing what they are doing in Israel then you might expect to see a visible effort of Jews trying to convert others to Judaism.

But that seems to be missing, the motivation that seems more visible is plain old fashioned land grabbing and a thirst for power and wealth.

Some years ago I watched a very interesting program on the commandment, thou shall not steal. The land is a gift from God for us to live on, we do not own it and we did not create it, it was given for us to use. Yet over time rich people worked out ways to own the land and exploit people.

An example given was William the Conqueror invading Britain in 1066, after his victory he divided the land up and gave it to his nobles making them lords over huge estates.

Today many of the lords living in these estates can trace their ancestry back to the noblemen of Williams army. Today the British people look on the aristocracy as being noble and their great wealth is recognised as being legally theirs yet it was originally stolen and taken by force, a thousand years ago.

The irony is that if one of my ancestors farmed land in 1066, and this land was taken from him by the French, that leaves me poor today. A further irony might be if I decided to steal some sheep of the land that was originally owned and stolen from my ancestors I would be prosecuted for theft.

Rich people exploit religious differences to gain wealth mostly from the poor. Most Jewish farmers and Palestinian farmers would probably just want to live in peace as neighbours but they are not allowed to.

In the spirit of seeking justice from wealthy people

Eric
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north_malaysian
05-05-2006, 08:35 AM
format_quote Originally Posted by Eric H
Rich people exploit religious differences to gain wealth mostly from the poor. Most Jewish farmers and Palestinian farmers would probably just want to live in peace as neighbours but they are not allowed to.
Agreed.
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HeiGou
05-05-2006, 10:03 AM
format_quote Originally Posted by north_malaysian
I blamed it on both Muslim and Jewish politicians. Muslim and Jews are like brothers before WW.
I think it is easy for Muslims to say that. Try to find a Jew who lived in the Arab world, or even the Islamic world, who says that. The President of Israel is an Iranian Jew. He does not seem to care much for his "brothers". Sharon was always elected by Arab Jewish votes - the Europeans voted for the moderate Labour Party. Shas sits in the cabinet today and it is the party of the Arab Jews who are religious. They oppose any pull out from the West Bank. In Israel experience of living under Muslim governments tends to go with opposition to any compromise or negotiation with Arabs at all.
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R_Mujahed
05-05-2006, 12:01 PM
format_quote Originally Posted by Eric H
Greetings and peace al-fateh and thank you for starting this thread,

If Zionism were the true motivation for the Jews to be doing what they are doing in Israel then you might expect to see a visible effort of Jews trying to convert others to Judaism.

But that seems to be missing, the motivation that seems more visible is plain old fashioned land grabbing and a thirst for power and wealth.

Some years ago I watched a very interesting program on the commandment, thou shall not steal. The land is a gift from God for us to live on, we do not own it and we did not create it, it was given for us to use. Yet over time rich people worked out ways to own the land and exploit people.

An example given was William the Conqueror invading Britain in 1066, after his victory he divided the land up and gave it to his nobles making them lords over huge estates.

Today many of the lords living in these estates can trace their ancestry back to the noblemen of Williams army. Today the British people look on the aristocracy as being noble and their great wealth is recognised as being legally theirs yet it was originally stolen and taken by force, a thousand years ago.

The irony is that if one of my ancestors farmed land in 1066, and this land was taken from him by the French, that leaves me poor today. A further irony might be if I decided to steal some sheep of the land that was originally owned and stolen from my ancestors I would be prosecuted for theft.

Rich people exploit religious differences to gain wealth mostly from the poor. Most Jewish farmers and Palestinian farmers would probably just want to live in peace as neighbours but they are not allowed to.

In the spirit of seeking justice from wealthy people

Eric
Agreed... If I could put it in two words, it would be... Worldly Pleasures! Agreed
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