ABSTRACT
In the regions that came under Muslim control in the seventh and eighth centuries, Muslims themselves were far outnumbered by followers of other faiths, among whom Christians were by far the greatest majority in Egypt, the Fertile Crescent and Spain. The Qur'an itself attests to the presence and influence of Christians in its repeated references to them and their beliefs, particularly what they claim about Jesus. An equally informative attestation to the continuing public presence of Christians in Muslim conurbations is given by the Pact of 'Umar, the legal basis of relations between Muslims and their client populations that in principle governed the conduct of Christians and other dhimmis in Islamic society. Al-Jahiz and numerous other Muslims in the early centuries acknowledged that Christians served many useful purposes. While Christians in Mamluk Egypt were intent on living as freely as their positions as officials allowed, Muslims attacked them with as much intent on removing them from public life.
