The Ruling on the Slaughter of Jews and Christians Who Are Not Committed

Question:
Honorable Shaykh, may Allah grant you success. Today, the Jews and Christians are not Muslims in their religion; they merely claim affiliation with their religions. In reality, they are between being religious and being non-religious. Is their slaughter permissible?

Answer:
The term "People of the Book" refers to one who claims affiliation with the religion of the People of the Book, whether he is committed to it or not. The Jews and Christians at the time the Qur'an was revealed were not committed to it; they merely claimed affiliation with the two Books. Otherwise, they had altered, added to, and changed it, and they associated partners with Allah, worshipping the cross and the calf. So shirk (associating partners with Allah) was present among them at the time the Qur'an was revealed, and alteration, substitution, and deviation were present. And yet, Allah called them the People of the Book and permitted their slaughter and permitted marrying their women. As long as they claim affiliation with the Book, they are treated as the People of the Book, and praise be to Allah. Yes.