ABSTRACT
Proclaiming a spiritual debt to Judaism, the seventh century Arab conquerors of Persia bestowed upon Jewry the title: “People of the Book”. Together with Christians and Zoroastrians, Jews were henceforth to be considered dhimmi, a “protected minority”. The concept of “protection” was an ideological rationale for permitting unbelievers to continue to live among the “faithful”. In return for this privilege, dhimmis were obliged to pay a special poll tax, the jaziyeh, and were denied some of the rights (and obligations) of full citizens. Provided the dhimmis lived up to their obligations, Islam offered to protect them from foes within the greater society and from without. The penalty paid for this guardianship was second class citizenship, economic exploitation and social discrimination.
