Covenant of Omar

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The Covenant of Omar (Arabic: العهدة العمرية‎, Al-'Uhda Al-'Umariyya) was a treaty concluded between Islamic Caliph Omar ibn Khattab and the Patriarch of Jerusalem, Sophronius. The treaty outlines the rights of Christians and Jews as "People of the Book" or "people of protection" to enjoy religious freedom under Muslim rule, while outlining their responsibility to pay taxes (jizya).[1] Both Palestinian Christians and Muslims see the document as having the force of law, even after more than thirteen centuries.[2]

Contents

[edit] Background

After successfully defeating the Byzantines in the Battle of Yarmuk, Omar is reported to have travelled to Jerusalem on horseback, and stepped down from his steed to enter the holy city by foot.[3] The Covenant of Omar was concluded with Sophronius after he handed him the keys to the city.[4]

[edit] Text

In the name of Allah, the Most Merciful, the Beneficent. This is what the slave of Allah, Umar b.Al-Khattab, the Amir of the believers, has offered the people of Illyaa’ of security granting them Amaan (protection) for their selves, their money, their churches, their children, their lowly and their innocent, and the remainder of their people. Their churches are not to be taken, nor are they to be destroyed, nor are they to be degraded or belittled, neither are their crosses or their money, and they are not to be forced to change their religion, nor is any one of them to be harmed. No Jews are to live with them in Illyaa’ and it is required of the people of Illyaa’ to pay the Jizya, like the people of the cities. It is also required of them to remove the Romans from the land; and whoever amongst the people of Illyaa’ that wishes to depart with their selves and their money with the Romans, leaving their trading goods and children behind, then their selves, their trading goods and their children are secure until they reach their destination. Upon what is in this book is the word of Allah, the covenant of His Messenger, of the Khulafaa’ and of the believers if they (the people of Illyaa’) gave what was required of them of Jizya. The witnesses upon this were Khalid ibn Al-Walid, 'Amr ibn al-'As, Abdur Rahman bin Awf and Muawiyah ibn Abi Sufyan. Written and passed on the 15th year (after Hijrah)

[edit] Resonance

William Spencer notes that the Covenant of Omar was respected by Palestine's Arab rulers for 400 years after it was signed, violated for the first time when Seljuk Turks, new converts to Islam from Central Asia, migrated into the Middle East and seized control of the Holy Land.[5]

Palestinian Christians and Muslims today continue to see the document as having the force of law, even after more than thirteen centuries. The Palestinian Basic Law, the constitution, of the Palestinian National Authority is said to reflect the spirit of the Covenant, stipulating that "freedom of belief and performance of religious rituals are guaranteed (unless) they violate public order or public morals."[2] The Covenant enjoys popular recognition as well. During a solidarity march protesting the Danish cartoons in Gaza in which officials from the Greek Orthodox church and other members of Gaza's small Palestinian Christian community were well represented, one of the Muslim protestors carried a framed copy of the Al-Uhdah Al-Omariyah (Covenant of Omar).[2]

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ Pasachoff and Littman, 2005, p. 118.
  2. ^ a b c The Convenant of Omar. The Handstand (February-March 2006). Retrieved on 2008-03-27.
  3. ^ Shahin, 2005, p. 8-10.
  4. ^ Al Aqsa Mosque. Essential Architecture. Retrieved on 2008-03-27.
  5. ^ Spencer, 1995, p. 24.

[edit] Bibliography

  • Pasachoff, Naomi E. & Littman, Robert J. (2005), A Concise History of the Jewish People, ISBN 074254365X 
  • Shahin, Mariam (2005), Palestine: A Guide, Interlink Books, ISBN 156656557X 
  • Spencer, William (1995), Islamic Fundamentalism in the Modern World, ISBN 1562944355 
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