Dhimmitude

[August1991]

We need to learn a new word: dhimmitude. I've written about dhimmitude periodically, lo, these many years since September 11, but it takes time to sink in. Dhimmitude is the coinage of a brilliant historian, Bat Ye'or, whose pioneering studies of the dhimmi, populations of Jews and Christians vanquished by Islamic jihad, have led her to conclude that a common culture has existed through the centuries among the varied dhimmi populations. From Egypt and Palestine to Iraq and Syria, from Morocco and Algeria to Spain, Sicily and Greece, from Armenia and the Balkans to the Caucasus: Wherever Islam conquered, surrendering dhimmi, known to Muslims as "people of the book [the Bible]," were tolerated, allowed to practice their religion, but at a dehumanizing cost.

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With only a small roll of brave journals, mainly in Europe, to salute, we have seen the proud Western tradition of a free press bow its head and submit to an Islamic law against depictions of Muhammad. That's dhimmitude.

Washington Times

A dhimmi (also zimmi, Arabic ذمي, usually translated as "protected") is a non-Muslim subject of a state where Islamic law is implemented. Dhimmis were officially allowed to practice their religion in return for paying a poll tax - jizya - and accepting multiple legal disabilities. The word often refers to Christians or Jews living in a Muslim country and having lesser rights under Muslim laws.

Wikipedia

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I don't entirely agree with this opinion piece. It is impossible to compare Christian minorities in the Middle East and Muslim minorities in the West. The comparison misses the essential difference between the Middle East and the West which has nothing to do with religion at all.

The West is a a liberal, analytical society.

Nevertheless, the article is worth a read.