Islam and Dhimmitude: Where Civilizations CollideBat Ye’or
BOOK REVIEW
Dhimmitude refers to the status of non-Muslims in Muslim society. This book focuses on the legal and social conditions of Jews and Christians subject to Islamic rule (the dhimmis) Dhimmitude is discussed from the perspective of Muslim theology and also in regard to divergent Christian attitudes toward Jews and Zionism. The author covers the modern period up to 2000, including an analysis of the revival of the jihad ideology and the return of dhimmitude for Christians living under Islamic law (sharia). Bat Ye’or insists that reconciliation between Judaism, Christianity, and Islam cannot succeed without analysis of jihad and dhimmitude. The author is concerned about whether Jews and Christians are going to impart to the West the self-destructive relationship of hatred nurtured by the world of dhimmitude, which was forced upon them by a third party---Muslims---or pursue dialogue in order to overcome prejudices that divide them. She is troubled that mutual animosity between Jews and Christians impede a comprehensive study of dhimmitude common to both groups. Bat Ye’or argues that, “If Jews and Christians do not succeed in resolving together the Judeo-Christian antagonisms, they will fail in their dialogue of reconciliation with Islam” (29-30). The author applauds the Judeo-Christian rapprochement that began in the West as a major advance and a model for the rapprochement of Jews and Christians with the Muslim world. But Bat Ye’or is very critical of Eastern Churches for not supporting improved relationships between Jews and Christians. From her perspective, Christian migrants to Palestine were Judeophobic and became zealous servants for Islamic causes, seeking to nullify any Jewish rights to Palestine. In order to befriend Muslims, Christians became anti-Jewish and anti-Zionist. The author insists that since 1967 the Palestinian dhimmi churches have adopted a policy aimed at forming a united front against Israel. Palestinian Arab churches served as channels to spread anti-Zionist racism. Too fearful to denounce oppression of Christians in the Muslim world, the dhimmi clergy criticized Israel instead of the Muslim oppressor. Bat Ye’or criticizes the Arabization of Jesus and the de-Judaization of the Bible to serve the Palestinian cause. She insists that Arab nationalism welded the Muslims and Christians together against the Jews. Further, Eastern Churches exploited anti-Judaism as a tactic to bring about rapprochement with the Arab world. One can agree that it is easy to use the Bible to support one’s own agenda, but many of the accusations against Palestinian Christians and the tone of attack are inappropriate without acknowledging the difficult political situation in which Arab Christians live. Bat Ye’or fails to acknowledge the presence of the role of Israel in exacerbating the tension between Jews and Arabs, whether Christian or Muslim. One wishes that the book would promote dialogue rather than attack so that a genuine rapprochement could be achieved among Jews, Christians, and Muslims in the Middle East. This book is a useful resource for undergraduate and graduate courses on Comparative Religion and Middle Eastern Studies. –Calvin E. Shenk, Missiology, April 2003 To see a full description of this book, search our online database
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Photograph courtesy of Louise Dell-Bene Stahl © 2001