Muhammad never fought against the Christians; on the
contrary, He treated them kindly and gave them perfect freedom. A community of
Christian people lived at Najrán and were under His care and protection. Muhammad
said, “If anyone infringes their rights, I Myself will be his enemy, and in the
presence of God I will bring a charge against him.” In the edicts which He
promulgated it is clearly stated that the lives, properties and honor of the
Christians and Jews are under the protection of God; and that if a Muhammadan
married a Christian woman, the husband must not prevent her from going to
church, nor oblige her to veil herself; and that if she died, he must place her
remains in the care of the Christian clergy. Should the Christians desire to
build a church, Islám ought to help them. In case of war between Islám and her
enemies, the Christians should be exempted from the obligation of fighting,
unless they desired of their own free will to do so in defense of Islám,
because they were under its protection. But as a compensation for this
immunity, they should pay yearly a small sum of money. In short, there are
seven detailed edicts on these subjects, some copies of which are still extant
at Jerusalem. This is an established fact and is not dependent on my
affirmation. The edict of the second Caliph [Umar] still exists in the custody
of the orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem, and of this there is no doubt. (‘Abdu’l-Baha,
‘Some Answered Questions’)
