Year: 2009

Religious extremist group Hizb ut-Tahrir America allows that “Dhimmi” Jews are permitted to have schools, but “it has nothing to do with schools as we know them today.”  The term “Dhimmi” is a term of a non-Muslim group living in willing servitude under religious extremist masters, known as “Dhimmitude.”

Hizb ut-Tahrir America’s report on “Dhimmi’s and Schools”

“Q4. It is recorded in Sahih Al-Bukhari, in The Book of Al-Jizyah, in the chapter of expelling the Jews from the Arabian Peninsula, narrated by Abu Hurairah (ra) who said: ‘While we were in the Masjid, the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم came out and said: ‘Set forth to the Jews,’ so we set out until we reached Bayt Al-Madraas (a building where the Jews taught the Torah), then he صلى الله عليه وسلم said to them, ‘Become Muslim, and you are safe, and know that this land belongs to Allah and His Messenger. I wish to expel you from this land, so whoever (wants to sell some of their precious belongings), then he should do so, otherwise know that this land belongs to Allah and His Messenger’. ”

“This Hadith has confused us. We see from the Hadith that the Jews had their own schools, so some of us understood that this is only related to the Jews that were isolated, such as Bani Quraydha or Khaybar, where it is not a problem that they have their own schools. But some of us derived that it is more accurate that these were Dhimmi’s (Ahl Al-dhimma) from those left over after the events of Bani Quraydha and Khaybar, which means that it is permitted to allow private schools for Dhimmi’s and this is the problem! Please clarify this matter.”

Answer:

“The subject of Al-Madraas”

“You strayed into the topic of whether this is related to Dhimmi’s or the Jews, which led you to become confused about the Hukum of whether or not they were Dhimmi’s, linking this to the permissibility of allowing private schools for Dhimmi’s.”

“The matter is simpler than that. The matter is not related to schools, but rather is related to permitting Dhimmi’s to teach their religions. The word “Al-Madraas” is an attachment to their place of worship, where they teach their Torah and scriptures, and it is permitted for the Dhimmi’s to teach their religions amongst themselves. This is different from schools as we know them today.”

“To clarify the matter, it was stated in Al-Qamoos Al-Muheet that the word “Madraas” has two meanings: The first meaning is a place where Jews read their Torah. The second meaning is a place where they gather for their celebrations to eat and drink.”

“It was also stated in Lisaan Al-Arab that the word has two meanings: The first meaning is a place where they gather for their celebrations to pray in. The second meaning is a day where they eat and drink.”

“So you can see that a Madraas is no more than an attachment to their places of worship, where they teach their religion amongst themselves, or it is a day on which they eat and drink (such as celebration for them) or something similar. In either case, it has nothing to do with schools as we know them today.”

R.E.A.L. Postings referencing Hizb ut-Tahrir