Non-muslims in Muslim lands

       "There is little indication that non-Muslim people in the conquered territories were expected to embrace Islam. A range of factors contributed to some non-Muslims shifting allegiance to Islam, among them the compelling message of Islam, intermarriage, and the desire to share in the military, political, and economic success this movement enjoyed. For the most part, however, non-Muslims were largely free to function within their own communities, so long as they paid a specified tax (called jizya) to the ruling Muslim authorities. Numerous stories form this period attest to Umar’s generous attitude towards Jews and Christians.

        Contrary to the 21st-century view promulgated by some highly visible Christian and Muslim leaders, Islam does not teach its followers to label Jews and Christians as infidels and then seek to kill them. Quranic affirmation of the People of the Book and the attitudes and actions of Umar and other caliphs help explain how large numbers of Jews were able to live in Iraq, Iran, Egypt, Morocco, Palestine, and elsewhere for more than 1,400 years. Similarly, the presence of 15 million- 17 million indigenous Arabic speaking Christians in the Middle East today indicates a long history of accommodation and cooperation rather than constant military assault or forced conversion by the overwhelming Muslim majority.”

-Charles Kimball

Interpreting Sacred Texts

      "It is common-extremely common-to find people in all religious communities who read their sacred texts selectively. When one lifts a line here or two sentences there from the page, one can make a sacred text support literally any position or theology imaginable. The world of the 21st centruy is awash with religious leaders and obedient belivers who use sacred texts in this way. The consequence of such selective narrowness and the zealotry it reinforces is often deadly. The righteous slaughter by Christian crusaders and inquisitors as well as massacre carried out by the Baruch Goldstein at Abrahan's tomb are chilling examples.

      Muslims, like Jews and Christians, who claim asacred text face the challenges of understanding and interpreting the whole text. The ceaseless production of numerous, mulivolume commentaries on the Bible and Quran right up to this day illustrates that this process of interpretation in ongoing. It is easy enough to declare the "truth" and then find sacred texts to support the claim; it is far more daunting to wrestle with the entire text and seek to discern the meaning and contemporary application of the truths one believes are contained therein."

-Charles Kimball