How should Muslims treat non-Muslims?
The Prophet ﷺ stood when a Jewish funeral passed and answered to a companion who questioned it: "Was it not a soul?" The classical tradition is explicit: Islam's ethics of justice and kindness do not end at confession of faith.
10 passages from 6 books in the library
The classical tradition holds that Islam's ethics of justice and kindness do not end at the boundary of faith. The Prophet ﷺ stood for a passing Jewish funeral, answering a companion's question with "Was it not a soul?" In his books al-Ghazali states plainly that it is not permissible to harm a dhimmi — a non-Muslim living under Islamic rule — and condemns taxing non-Muslims through any form of injustice. Ibn Battuta, traveling widely, even records being struck by the courtesy of non-Muslims he met. Dignity and fair dealing are owed across the lines of belief.
Drawn from the classical sources below — in the scholars' own words.
The classical approach.
These passages are drawn from 6 books by Imam al-Ghazali and Ibn Battuta — part of the classical Sunni tradition that carries over a thousand years of reflection on the Qurʾān, the authentic Sunnah, and the consensus of the early community. Nothing below is a paraphrase. The words are the scholars' own, translated from the original Arabic manuscripts.
11th–12th century · Ṭūs, Khurāsān
Reviving the inner life of Islam through the Iḥyāʾ ʿUlūm al-Dīn — one of the most influential works ever written in any religious tradition.
More on Imam al-Ghazali →
· Provenance →
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"The only remaining source is the tax on non-Muslims, taken with various forms of injustice that"
14th century · Tangier, Morocco
The Riḥlah — a 30-year, 75,000-mile journey across three continents, and the most important travel account of the pre-modern world.
More on Ibn Battuta →
· Provenance →
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"The royal residence and palaces are similar, mostly populated by the common folk, non-Muslims,"
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"Among the Muslims present, I was surprised by the greater courtesy of the non-Muslims."
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"are non-Muslims under a treaty, from whom half of their agricultural produce is taken,"
11th–12th century · Ṭūs, Khurāsān
Reviving the inner life of Islam through the Iḥyāʾ ʿUlūm al-Dīn — one of the most influential works ever written in any religious tradition.
More on Imam al-Ghazali →
· Provenance →
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"If it is suggested that a non-Muslim dhimmi should be allowed to enjoin good upon a Muslim,"
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"power, and is therefore prevented, as God has not allowed non-Muslims to have authority"
11th–12th century · Ṭūs, Khurāsān
Reviving the inner life of Islam through the Iḥyāʾ ʿUlūm al-Dīn — one of the most influential works ever written in any religious tradition.
More on Imam al-Ghazali →
· Provenance →
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"Shared ownership with a dhimmi, non-Muslim citizen, or a mukhatib, a slave with a contract"
11th–12th century · Ṭūs, Khurāsān
Reviving the inner life of Islam through the Iḥyāʾ ʿUlūm al-Dīn — one of the most influential works ever written in any religious tradition.
More on Imam al-Ghazali →
· Provenance →
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"leaving their market stalls to children and non-Muslims. They would hire wardens to guard"
11th–12th century · Ṭūs, Khurāsān
Reviving the inner life of Islam through the Iḥyāʾ ʿUlūm al-Dīn — one of the most influential works ever written in any religious tradition.
More on Imam al-Ghazali →
· Provenance →
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"As for the dhimmi, a non-Muslim living under Islamic rule, it is not permissible to harm"
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"If the heresy reaches the level of disbelief, his case is worse than that of the dhimmi,"
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