ISIS imposes royalties on Christian males of Al Qaryatain town east Homs

Translation by Yusra Ahmed

The Islamic State has imposed royalties on Christian adult males of  al-Qaryatain town, 90 km (60 miles) east Homs city, in what the hardline group said its an implementation for 'Dhimmis Contract', a 1377-year-old statement.

The main theme of the contract is similar to the historical testament “Omari Testament” which was issued by Caliph Omar Ibn al-Khattab for the Christians of Jerusalem when their Muslims entered the city in the year 15 AH.

According to the testament: "This is the safety given by Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the slave of God and Emir of Momineen, to Christians in Damascus state, division of Al Qaryatain, as they and their money and properties are protected, and they are not to forced to change their religion.

“Dhimmis testament” has 12 conditions, as Al-Baghdadi prevented them from building any Church, monastery or hermitage monk, beside preventing them from using loudspeakers in their prays or showing any aggression against the Islamic state.

One of the conditions is that Christians are obligated to pay tribute for all adult male which is equal to 4 golden dinars for the affluent people and 2 dinars for the people with medium income, while the poor should pay one dinar for an adult, with possibility to divide the payment into two installments.

The testament explained the reason behind choosing Golden Dinars because its weight and value are stable and known, as one Dinar weighs 4.25 grams, therefore the affluent need to pay 17 grams of Gold, which is almost equal to $ 650 , while people with medium income should pay $ 325 per year and the poor $160.

The Dhimmis testament prevent Christians from owning a gun, or trading ham and wines with Muslims or in their markets, stressing on the need to abide by the Islamic state regulations in clothing and decency or the rules of selling and buying.

The testament confirmed that Christians do not have to pay 10% of their money unless they obtained the money from trade outside the Islamic State borders.

The Dhimmis testament warned that any violation of the contract by Christians in al-Qaryatain, would free the Islamic state from its obligation, and give it the right take whatever procedure similar to what is done for the war’s people and disobedient. 

Although the Islamic State has covered the name of the person who signed the contract on behalf of the Christians of al-Qaryatain, the first name remained visible and more likely to be "Isa Ibrahim" while ISIS put a red stamp on the contract, includes the phrases "Islamic state, the Caliphate, the Office of the judiciary and injustice, the Emir.

The Islamic State Controlled the village of al-Qaryatain in the beginning of August within its plans to overrun the eastern countryside of Homs after the csapture of ancient city of Palmyra two months ago.

In 15 AH, corresponding to the year 638 AD, Caliph Omar Bin al-Khattab wrote an agreement known later with the “Omari Testament” which gave security and safety to Christians of Jerusalem, as it explained that their lives, money, rites of worship were protected, which was the most important historical documents that shed light on how Islam officially regulated the relationship between Christians and Muslims.

According to the testament: “ This is what the slave of God, Omar, the Emir of the Faithful, gave to people of Ailia (Jerusalem) of security and safety for themselves and their money, churches, crosses, patients, and all their denominations. 

Moreover, their Churches would not be inhabited or destroyed, or diminished either by size, cross, moreover, people's money would be protected, and they would not be forced to leave their religions or prejudiced any of them.

Four very well known figures witnessed the “Omari Testament”: Khaled ibn al-Walid, Abdul Rahman bin Auf, Amr ibn al-Aas and Muawiyah Ibn Abi Sofian.