Samahat al-Islam fi Muamalat Ghayr al-Muslimin
- Author died
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- Editions
- The book is published on the website of the Saudi Ministry of Awqaf without publication details
Samahat al-Islam fi Muamalat Ghayr al-Muslimin (The Magnanimity of Islam in Dealing with Non-Muslims) is a contemporary treatise on Islamic jurisprudence and ethics by Abd Allah ibn Ibrahim al-Luhaydan, Associate Professor in the Department of Da'wah and Hisbah at Imam Mohammad Ibn Saud Islamic University. The work examines the legal and moral principles governing the treatment of non-Muslims in Islamic law, drawing from foundational scriptural sources, early historical practice, non-Muslim testimonies, and modern application.
Purpose and Scope
The treatise aims to elucidate the Islamic concept of tolerance and leniency (samahah) in relations with non-Muslims of all categories and traditions, including the People of the Book (Ahl al-Kitab) and others. The author situates the study within classical legal scholarship on non-Muslim subjects, referencing foundational treatises such as Ahkam Ahl al-Milal by Abu Bakr al-Khallal and Ahkam Ahl al-Dhimmah by Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyya. The work evaluates scriptural proof-texts, historical precedents, fair-minded external evaluations, and modern state application.
Structure and Contents
The book is arranged into an introduction, five core sections (matalib), and a conclusion:
- Signification and Importance (al-Madlul wa-l-Ahammiyyah): Explores the lexical origin of samahah, citing Ibn Faris's Mu'jam Maqayis al-Lughah, where the root denotes ease and flexibility. It highlights prophetic traditions underscoring ease in religion, including أحب الدين إلى الله الحنيفية السمحة ("The most beloved religion to God is the primordial, tolerant monotheism") and رحم الله رجلا سمحا إذا باع وإذا اشترى وإذا اقتضى ("May God show mercy to a person who is lenient when selling, buying, and demanding payment"), referencing commentaries by Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani.
- The Prophet's Magnanimity (Samahat al-Nabi fi Muamalat Ghayr al-Muslimin): Details the practical conduct and covenants of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ in interpersonal, contractual, and societal interactions with non-Muslim communities.
- Conduct of the Companions and Successors (Samahat al-Sahabah wa-l-Tabi'in): Outlines historical practices during the era of the Rightly Guided Caliphs, emphasizing that non-Muslims were never compelled to abandon their faith, were aided materially in times of need, and were provided social support when elderly or unable to work.
- Treatment in Non-Muslim Writings (Samahat al-Islam fi Kitabat Ghayr al-Muslimin): Documents historical and modern non-Muslim appraisals of Islamic governance, citing the letter sent in 13 AH by the Christians of Bilad al-Sham to Abu Ubaydah ibn al-Jarrah expressing preference for Muslim rule over the Byzantine Empire, as well as writings by orientalist Thomas Arnold in The Preaching of Islam.
- Modern Civilizational Application in Saudi Arabia (al-Tatbiq al-Hadari fi al-Mamlaka al-Arabiyya al-Su'udiyya): Argues that the protections afforded to non-Muslim residents in Saudi Arabia—safeguarding their lives, property, and honor—stem directly from the implementation of Islamic Sharīʿah rather than international conventions.
Conclusion and Reception
In the conclusion, the author stresses that genuine Islamic tolerance represents a middle path between excessive laxity and undue harshness. He advocates disseminating the jurisprudence of interacting with non-Muslims through contemporary educational and media outlets. The treatise has been made accessible via the official digital publications of the Saudi Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Dawah and Guidance.
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