Now let us deal with Aurangzeb%u2019s imposition of Jizya tax which had drawn severe criticism from many Hindu historians. It is true that Jizya was lifted during the reign of Akbar and Jahangir and that Aurangzeb later reinstated this. Before I delve into the subject of Aurangzeb%u2019s Jizya tax, or taxing the non-Muslims, it is worthwhile to point out that Jizya is nothing more than a war tax which was collected only from able-bodied young non-Muslim male citizens living in a Muslim country who did not want to volunteer for the defense of the country. That is, no such tax was collected from non-Muslims who volunteered to defend the country. This tax was not collected from women, and neither from immature males nor from disabled or old male citizens. For payment of such taxes, it became incumbent upon the Muslim government to protect the life, property and wealth of its non-Muslim citizens. If for any reason the government failed to protect its citizens, especially during a war, the taxable amount was returned. It should be pointed out here that while Jizya tax was collected from able-bodied non-Muslim adult males who did not volunteer to join war efforts in a Muslim-administered country, a similar form of war tax was also collected from able-bodied Muslim adult males who refused to join war efforts to defend the country. There was, therefore, no discrimination between able-bodied Muslim males and able-bodied non-Muslim males when it came to the payment of war-tax, as long as the person in question would not volunteer in war-efforts for defense of the Muslim-administered state. Zakat (2.5% of savings) and %u2018Ushr (10% of agricultural products) were collected from all Muslims, who owned some wealth (beyond a certain minimum, called Nisab). They also had to pay sadaqah, fitrah and Khums. None of these taxes were collected from any non-Muslim. As a matter of fact, the per capita tax collection from Muslims was several fold that of non-Muslims.
RE:THE TRUTH ABOUT AURANGZEB
by Aniruddha Kaul on Mar 28, 2007 06:56 PM Permalink
By your logic all able-bodied muslims in india should also pay a war tax as muslims are creating all the wars in india. whether it was 92 riots or burning of trains, everywhere muslims are involved. they are doing terrorism in jammu and kashmir. they are supporting bangladesh and pakistan. so all muslims must collectively bear the cost of war on india by muslims
RE:THE TRUTH ABOUT AURANGZEB
by rafiuddin farooqui on Mar 29, 2007 10:20 PM Permalink
. Non-believers are called Dhimmis in Muslim States. The Non-Muslims have to pay levy, tax or Jizya.
2. The Non-Muslims Young Man who are eligible to pay not serving in the Army. The Old, Woman, children exempted.
3. This is not paid as bribe for practicing their faith, but rather as compensation for not serving in the Army.
4. The Muslim Government responsible for their protection by all means from crusading armies, tribal or communal warfare.
5. The special tax required of non-Muslim dhimmis under Islamic law, was actually less than zakat 2.5 percent.
6. All eligible Muslims have to pay zakat 2.5 percent.
7. All Muslims and Dhimmis have to pay Zakat on Farming 10 percent if the production is more than the Nisab(fixed amount decided by the Economist) or the person is eligible.
8. The Zakat is must for Muslims also some western writer miss-informed. Our First Caliph Abu Baker Siddiq R.A. Said if any body is not giving Zakat take by anyway if its war. So-called journalists scream that the Jizya is a tool of inequality, they fail to see that there is a tax levied on Muslims as well, the Zakat, which non-Muslims are not required to pay.
FOR YOU KIND INFORMATION. We Muslims are ready to pay Jizya 2.5% and we will not pay house tax, land tax, income tax, sales tax and other taxes.
We are ready to join Police, Army and Air force give us chance and the Jobs.
The Government should give us Guarantee to protect from the Communal and other warfare%u2019s and genocides.
Today we are paying hell of taxes directly and indirectly and the fools still talk about the Jizya and other things. You people must understand this is all Propaganda against Islam. This already gave Islam a boost from West to East and North to South people reading about Islam and coming into the fold of Islam.
