Is it permissible for the Muslim ruler to treat the Muslim and the People of the Book, whether Jew or Christian, equally without taking the jizyah from them, and how should we deal with them?
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The questioner : From the Arab Republic of Egypt, we received this message from Kamil Muhammad al-Attar in the city of Qina, in which he says: Is it permissible for the Muslim ruler to treat the Muslim and the People of the Book, whether Jew or Christian, equally without taking the jizyah from them, and how should we deal with them?
The Shaykh : It is obligatory for the Muslim ruler to be just between the Muslim and the dhimmi.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Justice is giving each of them what he is entitled to. The Muslim has rights, and the disbeliever has rights. The disbeliever’s rights also differ: the dhimmi has rights, the one with a treaty has rights, the one granted safe conduct has rights, and the one at war has no rights. Therefore, it is obligatory for the Muslim ruler to be just between Muslims and non-Muslims regarding the rights that are due to them. As for the ruler, if by ruler you mean the judge, then it is obligatory for him to be just between them as well, such that he does not prefer the Muslim over the disbeliever in entering his home, for example, or in sitting with him, or in teaching him the argument, or the like. Rather, it is obligatory for him to be just in all of that. And Allah (Blessed and Exalted is He) has commanded justice and informed that it is among the characteristics of the believers[Al-Mumtahanah 60:8].
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Yes.
The Shaykh : It is obligatory for the Muslim ruler to be just between the Muslim and the dhimmi.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Justice is giving each of them what he is entitled to. The Muslim has rights, and the disbeliever has rights. The disbeliever’s rights also differ: the dhimmi has rights, the one with a treaty has rights, the one granted safe conduct has rights, and the one at war has no rights. Therefore, it is obligatory for the Muslim ruler to be just between Muslims and non-Muslims regarding the rights that are due to them. As for the ruler, if by ruler you mean the judge, then it is obligatory for him to be just between them as well, such that he does not prefer the Muslim over the disbeliever in entering his home, for example, or in sitting with him, or in teaching him the argument, or the like. Rather, it is obligatory for him to be just in all of that. And Allah (Blessed and Exalted is He) has commanded justice and informed that it is among the characteristics of the believers
Allah does not forbid you from those who do not fight you because of religion and do not expel you from your homes - from being righteous toward them and acting justly toward them. Indeed, Allah loves those who act justly.
لا ينهاكم الله عن الذين لم يقاتلوكم في الدين ولم يخرجوكم من ديارهم أن تبروهم وتقسطوا إليهم إن الله يحب المقسطينThe questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Yes.