(Part IV) Islam's Vision for the World: Systematic Discrimination

The world cried out against segregation during the mid-twentieth century in the United States resulting in the civil rights legislation. It shamed the South African advocates of apartheid later in the century ending one of the most discriminatory regimes in history. Yet the world has been silent, for the most part, about the Islamic Umaric code which legalized discrimination against all non-Muslims. However, this discrimination is somewhat unique. Unlike the racist discrimination in the United States and South Africa, Islamic discrimination has a religious basis. One wonders, though, Where is the outrage against this discrimination? Especially since it is wider in scope, more systematic, and in many cases much more severe.

From the very beginning of the Islamic conquest Muslims structured all of life so that unbelievers were constantly aware of their inferior status. Systematic discrimination limiting the rights of all non-Muslims took the form of political policy. This practice imposed great limitations on a non-Muslim's mobility in society.

The intent of these policies was to remind non-Muslims of their minority status. For instance, under these restrictions non-Muslims were forbidden to testify against Muslims in a court of law. If an unbeliever witnessed a Muslim committing a crime his testimony is not permitted in court. Yet a Muslim can bring a charge against a non-Muslim at anytime (often without any proof). Similarly a non-Muslim, in most Islamic countries, cannot hold political office or other positions of honor. They have no say in the formulation of policies which affects their lives. They are not even allowed to speak like Muslims. This extends right down to the common Muslim greeting salaam aleikum (Peace be with you). Such speech could earn you a beating or worse. Often, they do not even have the right to choose where they live or work. Likewise, they are forbidden the right of retaliation against insult (a basic Middle Eastern honor custom). It is easy to see how these discriminatory practices often lead to outright persecution and violence against non-Muslims.

This systematic discrimination put enormous pressure on Christians until it has all but marginalized their faith, and has made them socially and politically irrelevant. It makes conversion to the majority religion an attractive option especially to the younger generation.

Equipping Pastors International desires to strengthen the church where Islam is oppressing and systematically discriminating against her. We are now working hard in North Africa and the Middle East to help the church persevere and endure under discriminatory practices that are designed to bring about its death. We believe that we will see enormous changes in this region over the next decade that radically alter the religious and political environment. This will of course require the church in the West to be aware, and to cry out against these practices in the same way it did over segregation in the States, and apartheid in South Africa. In the same way these forms of institutional discrimination were dismantled the systematic discrimination of Islam can be defeated, and the Christians and the church can again thrive in the region.

*I am indebted to Philip Jenkins in general for many of the ideas in this series, and in particular for much of what has been said in this post. See his book The Lost History of Christianity: The Thousand Year Golden Age of the Church in the Middle East, Africa, and Asia--and How It Died.