The Position of the Jews in Egypt and Syria in the Late Middle Ages

The legal position of the Jews in the medieval Muslim world was clearly defined in Islamic law: Jews are considered part of “ the protected people ” (Arabic: ahl-al-dhimma , or: dhimm ī s ), together with other non-Muslim groups who live under Islamic rule, such as Christians, whose religion is acceptable to Islam. As dhimm ī s , individual Jews have the right to observe their faith and to run their affairs without interference, as well as the right to protection for their life and property, as long as they take upon themselves two commitments: for symbolic acts such when the was sitting down, to refrain horses or using saddles and bearing arms, to construct their houses at a lower elevation than those be-longing to Muslims, and to distinguish themselves from Muslims by avoiding the use of honorific names (such as names beginning with Ab ū ), and, of spe-cial importance — by dressing in distinct garb. In addition, the “ Pact of Umar ” also prohibited non-Muslims from building new houses of worship and even from making repairs to existing buildings that had into ruin, or displaying their religion publicly.¹