Decree of Caliph al-Mutawakkil
(850 CE)
In that year (235/850), al-Mutawakkil
ordered that the Christians and all the rest
of the ahl al-dhimma be made to wear
honey-colored taylasans (hoods) and
the zunnar belts. They were to ride
on saddles with wooden stirrups, and two balls
were to be attached to the rear of' their
saddles. fie required them to attach two buttons
oil their qalansuwas (conical caps)
- those of, their) that wore this cap. And
it was to be of a different color from the qalansuwa worn by Muslims.
He further required them to affix two patches
on the exterior of then slaves' garments.
The color of these patches had to be different
from that of the garment. One of the patches
was to be worn in front oil the breast and
the other on the back. Each of the patches
should measure four fingers in diameter. They
too were to be honey-colored. Whosoever of
them wears a turban, its color was likewise
to be honeycolored. If any of their women
went out veiled, they had to be enveloped
in a honey-colored izar (large wrap). He further
commanded that their slaves be made to wear
the zunnar and be forbidden to wear the mintaqa
(Arab military belt).
He gave orders that any of their houses of
worship built after the advent of Islam were
to be destroyed and that one-tenth of their
homes be confiscated. If the place was spacious
enough, it was to be converted into a mosque.
If it was not suitable for a mosque, it was
to be made an open space. He commanded that
wooden images of devils be nailed to the doors
of their homes to distinguish them from the
homes of Muslims.
He forbade their being employed in the government
offices or in any official business whereby
they might have authority over Muslims. He
prohibited their children [from] studying
in Muslim schools. Nor was any Muslim permitted
to teach them. He forbade them to display
crosses on their Palm Sundays, and he prohibited
any Jewish chanting in the streets. He gave
orders that their graves should be made level
with the ground so as not to resemble the
graves of Muslims. And he wrote to all his
governors regarding this (pp. 167-68).
al-Tabari (d. 923), Ta'rikh
al-Rusul wa'l-Muluk, in N. Stillman.
Sources: Bat Ye'or, The
Dhimmi. Rutherford: Fairleigh Dickinson
University Press, 1985. |