-=>> BOB KLAHN wrote to ALL <=-   
      
    EH>> I couldn't care less what they do to the BoM. Their actions   
    EH>> aren't the same as Islam requiring me to be subjugated and   
    EH>> pay "jizya" (poll tax) to the Muslim overlords.   
      
    BK>>  Since "Islam" does not require any such thing, you need a   
    BK>>  reality check.   
      
    GP> Islam does require the tax in Muslim countries.  Muslims   
    GP> pay zakat, People of the Book and nonbelievers pay jizya.   
      
    GP> My understanding is, however, that some countries no longer   
    GP> strictly follow the rules of zakat and jizya (maybe having   
    GP> a newer tax structure?), but there are still some which do.   
    GP>  The rules have changed over time, and likely are different   
    GP>  now than they once were; for instance, once, moving away   
    GP>  from Muslim territory was punishable by enslavement were   
    GP>  they caught.   
      
    Ok, did a bit more research. I have yet to figure out how you   
    have a 'poll tax' without a vote. See, I understand a poll tax   
    as a tax to be allowed to vote. Is there any other form?   
      
    What I find is the term "poll tax" seems to be a misnomer. It's   
    just a tax.   
      
    I also found, the tax included an exemption to military service.   
    Which implies Muslims had universal military service, at least   
    in the early days.   
      
    Also, I wonder about the word 'jizya'. Why do they use that word   
    instead of translating it? I wonder if that has changed over the   
    centuries. I did find, the 'jizya' is Sunni, not just Islamic.   
    The Shia have a different system. Which makes me think the term   
    "jizya" was Sunni also, perhaps something changed over the   
    centuries, originally meaning something else.   
      
    Many Islamic majority countries are officially secular. I posted   
    something on this a while back. And don't forget, Sharia is   
    unique to every Islamic group. Even among the same branch of   
    Islam Sharia differs from community to community.   
      
    Now, moving away from Muslim territory for who? Muslims or   
    non-Muslims? From what I have read leaving Muslim territory was   
    always the proper alternative to paying the tax.   
      
    OTOH, again, national law might well be different. For example,   
    non-Muslims are supposed to be able to practice their relgion,   
    but Saud Arabia is clearly in violation of that rule.   
      
    A big difference is, Zakat is like a tithe, and is given to the   
    poor. One of the pillars of Islam. This may not be adhered to in   
    many countries, as Muslims actually seem to be no more able to   
    follow the teachings of their own religion than Christians are.   
      
    Summary: The whole thing seems to depend on the Islamic group in   
    question.   
      
      
      
   BOB KLAHN bob.klahn@sev.org   http://home.toltbbs.com/bobklahn   
      
   ... "Dave, put down those Windows Vista disks. Dave. Daaavvveee..." - HAL 9000   
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