People of the Book

Meaning of the term When used in conjunction with a person, the term identifies the members of that person's household, including their fellow tribespeople, relatives and all those who share a family background with them. However, it may also be used with place names to refer to people living in a certain locality (e.g., in Quran 9:101, 'the people of Medina'), or with more abstract nouns, as in , 'the people of a certain or school of thought'. The word , meaning 'writing' or 'book', occurs very often in the Quran, generally in the sense of a divine rather than a human activity, which consists in writing down and recording everything that is created. More than just referring to a 'book', it conveys meanings of divine knowledge, divine authority, and divine revelation. The term , then, refers to those who have been given access to such knowledge and revelation: Al-Baqara| 2:62 is similar to this, but there is also a verse (Al-Hajj| 22:17) which lists the same groups in another context, that of how God will judge them on the Day of Resurrection, but now adding two more groups to the list: The last-named group, "the polytheists" (the , ), are the opposite of the first-named, "the believers" (the Muslims). What is less clear, however, is the status of the groups mentioned in between, who now also include the "Magi" (), that is to say, the Zoroastrians (who are named only once in the Quran, in this verse). This was a matter of dispute among medieval Muslim scholars, who questioned whether the Zoroastrians had a clear prophet and scripture, as well as whether their doctrines on the nature of God and creation were in accordance with those of Islam and the other religions recognized as having received a revelation. Usage The Quran emphasizes the community of faith between possessors of monotheistic scriptures, and occasionally pays tribute to the religious and moral virtues of communities that have received earlier revelations, calling on Muhammad to ask them for information. More often, reflecting the refusal of Jews and Christians in Muhammad's environment to accept his message, the Quran stresses their inability to comprehend the message they possess but do not put into practice and to appreciate that Muhammad's teaching fulfills that message. The People of the Book are also referenced in the jizya verse (Q9:29), which has received varied interpretations. The Quran permits marriage between Muslim men and women who are People of the Book (Jews and Christians). ==History==

Muhammad's era (610–632) , a treaty between Muslims and Christians, was purportedly recorded between Muhammad and Saint Catherine's Monastery, which is depicted in this icon. The Ashtiname of Muhammad, a treaty purportedly made between Muhammad and the Christians of Saint Catherine's Monastery, stated that if a Muslim man wished to marry a Christian woman, marriage could only occur with her consent and she must be permitted to continue attending church to pray and worship. The Ashtiname states that Christians cannot be forced to fight in wars and that Muslims should fight on their behalf; it also states that Christian churches are to be respected and forbids stealing from them. The earliest source to unambiguously apply the term 'Sabian' to the Mandaeans was al-Hasan ibn Bahlul () citing the Abbasid vizier Abu Ali Muhammad ibn Muqla (–940). However, it is not clear whether the Mandaeans of this period already identified themselves as Sabians or whether the claim originated with Ibn Muqla. Later Islamic usage When the Umayyad general Muhammad ibn Qasim (–715) conquered Brahmanabad, he is said to have granted Hindus, Buddhists, and Jains the status of People of the Book. Islamic scholars differ on whether Hindus are considered People of the Book. The Islamic conquest of India necessitated the definition be revised, as most of India's inhabitants were followers of the Indian religions. Many Muslim clergy in India considered Hindus as people of the book, Dhimmi Dhimmi is a historical The word literally means "protected person". According to scholars, dhimmis had their rights fully protected in their communities, but as citizens in the Islamic state, had certain restrictions, and it was obligatory for them to pay the jizya tax, which complemented the zakat, or alms, paid by the Muslim subjects. Dhimmis were excluded from specific duties assigned to Muslims, and did not enjoy certain political rights reserved for Muslims, but were otherwise equal under the laws of property, contract, and obligation. Under sharia, the dhimmi communities were usually subjected to their own special laws, rather than some of the laws which were applicable only to the Muslim community. For example, the Jewish community in Medina was allowed to have its own Halakhic courts, and the Ottoman millet system allowed its various dhimmi communities to rule themselves under separate legal courts. These courts did not cover cases involving religious groups outside their own community or capital offences. Dhimmi communities were also allowed to engage in certain practices that were usually forbidden for the Muslim community, such as the consumption of alcohol and pork. Historically, dhimmi status was originally applied to Jews, Christians, and Sabians. This status later also came to be applied to Zoroastrians, Hindus, Jains, and Buddhists. Moderate Muslims generally reject the dhimma system as inappropriate for the age of nation-states and democracies. ==Usage by Jews and Christians==

In Judaism, the term "People of the Book" (Hebrew: עם הספר, Am HaSefer) has been reappropriated as a term to designate the Jewish people, in reference to the Torah or to the entire Hebrew Bible. Members of some Christian denominations have also embraced the term "People of the Book" in reference to themselves, foremost among them the Puritans as well as the Seventh-day Adventist Church and the Baptists. ==See also==