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Understanding Dhimmitude
UNDERSTANDING DHIMMITUDE brings together for the first time twenty-one talks and lectures in which Bat Ye'or explains in layman's terms the essential concepts from her studies, the fruit of over four decades of groundbreaking research. "Bat Ye'or's pioneering studies of the Islamic concept of dhimmitude have revolutionized our understanding of Islam's past, present and future. She remains one of the few analysts in the world with the courage and insight necessary to tell the truth." -Robert Spencer, Jihad Watch "[Bat Ye'or is] the acknowledged expert on the plight of Jews and Christians in Muslim lands, and their vigorous champion." -Sir Martin Gilbert "Bat Ye'or's scholarship is highly impressive, and her analysis is as persuasive as it is terrifying. (. . .) It is imperative that these issues are openly discussed. There are, however, alarming signs of attempts in the West to shut down such discussion on spurious grounds of prejudice. This is, of course, itself a prime example of the condition of 'dhimmitude' which Bat Ye'or so graphically describes." -Melanie Phillips, Jewish Chronicle "It is not surprising that [Bat] Ye'or's study of jihad and dhimmitude has been stimulating substantial and disturbing discussion in academic and ecumenical circles. (. . .) Perhaps the single most significant contribution of the author is her definition and development of the concept of 'dhimmitude' (. . .) [Bat] Ye'or's books on dhimmitude and jihad have an essential place in the ecumenical world; ignoring them will only perpetuate illusion." -James E. Biechler, Journal of Ecumenical Studies "Bat Ye'or has enriched our understanding of how Islamic societies are structured by defining the concept of dhimmitude. Her contribution to Islam critique can't be underestimated. Yes, she and her late husband, the human rights activist and historian David Littman, are the king and queen of the genre." -Professor Johannes J.G. Jansen
- GenresNonfictionIslam
244 pages, Paperback
First published June 5, 2013
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58 people want to read
About the author
Bat Ye'or
22 books32 followersBorn Giselle Littman née Orebi, her pseudonym means Daughter of the Nile.
She has provided briefings to the United Nations and the U.S. Congress and has given talks at major universities such as Georgetown, Brown, Yale, Brandeis, and Columbia.
She acquired the English nationality by marrying an Englishman. Now she lives in Switzerland.
She has provided briefings to the United Nations and the U.S. Congress and has given talks at major universities such as Georgetown, Brown, Yale, Brandeis, and Columbia.
She acquired the English nationality by marrying an Englishman. Now she lives in Switzerland.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
September 11, 2014
THe publication and my reading of this book could not have been more timely . Owing too the current crisis happing in Iraq and Syria with Christians being slaughtered by ISIS, a fundamentalist group, this book examine the place in society occupied by Christians, Jews and other people of the book. The book means the Bible. The concept of Dhimmi is supposed to to convey a protected status, albeit one that is not completely equal with the majority stakeholders of society. In Islamic and Arabic society the majority stakeholder were Muslims and the minorities were mostly Christians and Jews.
To be a Dhimmi meant that one had to pay a protection tax, could not own land and even had to pay a tax onland that was not yours but only that you were using. Once the tax was paid the Dhimmi was left alone in almost complete autonomy. Yet, there were other strictures that had to be complied with. Christians and Jews could not repair their houses of worship save by special permission from Muslim authorities this led in certain places to houses of worship being in a state of disrepair. In other places the Muslims were more liberal about this and their were some pretty nice houses of worship .
Dhimmis could not own weapons, nor could they defend themselves, if faced with an attack they could only beg for mercy. Dhimmis could not defend or testify in a court of law.
That being said there is considerable debate both within the Jewish community and without as to whether the Jews in Arab lands fared better or worse then their co religionists in Europe. Jewish authors like Mark Cohen and Joel Benin would argue that Jews had a good time, while other scholars which the current author Bat Ye'or would maintain that the concept of Dhimmitude made life miserable for Christians and Jews. Of course things depended on where you lived and on how the authority choose to interpret Islamic Law. Some places were more lenient then others.
The author argues and with a certain amount of validity that the concept of Dhimmitude was designed to humiliate and subjugate Christians and Jews who were following a corrupted religion based in the the true revelation. THe author notes that prior to the first wave of conquest from Islam the Arab lands were mostly Christians with strong Jewish communities. Dhimmitude made the original inhabitant slaves in their own land. Dhimmitude was meant to waste away the community and fossilize it.
While the author maintain that life as a dhimmi was bad it did get better under colonial administration post World War 1. Then there was equality. When the colonial powers left. Things got bad for the Jews because of Zionism. Christians joined with the Muslims against Zionism in order to cement their place in society and escape Dhimmitude. This ended up back firing.
THe author paints a negative picture of Islam, and I am not so shire that it was all that negative. First off it was Christians who were the first anti-Semites . The Dhimmi laws were inherited from the Byzantines. It was Christians who promulgated the first ant- Jewish laws. Many Christians helped the Muslims conquer their lands both out of self gain and because their Christians government became corrupted. It was Muslim armies who allowed some Jews to be resettled in Israel/Palestine after the Romans expelled them. Christian clerics upon being conquered so long as the Jews were right beneath them. In Iraq scholars from the three monotheistic faiths would consult on another on various religious issues. Rambam had many positive things to say about the Muslims and Islam.
In the end I would say that Jews and Christians enjoyed both prosperous times and times of persecution depending on the time and place. At least their were no major holocausts like their were in Europe. The book comprises 21 speeches or lectures given over by the author along with some given over by her late husband David Littman. The past needs to be studied more objectively from both angle and I think that as we move toward the future the best solution is a separation of religion and state and that secular democracy is the way to go.
To be a Dhimmi meant that one had to pay a protection tax, could not own land and even had to pay a tax onland that was not yours but only that you were using. Once the tax was paid the Dhimmi was left alone in almost complete autonomy. Yet, there were other strictures that had to be complied with. Christians and Jews could not repair their houses of worship save by special permission from Muslim authorities this led in certain places to houses of worship being in a state of disrepair. In other places the Muslims were more liberal about this and their were some pretty nice houses of worship .
Dhimmis could not own weapons, nor could they defend themselves, if faced with an attack they could only beg for mercy. Dhimmis could not defend or testify in a court of law.
That being said there is considerable debate both within the Jewish community and without as to whether the Jews in Arab lands fared better or worse then their co religionists in Europe. Jewish authors like Mark Cohen and Joel Benin would argue that Jews had a good time, while other scholars which the current author Bat Ye'or would maintain that the concept of Dhimmitude made life miserable for Christians and Jews. Of course things depended on where you lived and on how the authority choose to interpret Islamic Law. Some places were more lenient then others.
The author argues and with a certain amount of validity that the concept of Dhimmitude was designed to humiliate and subjugate Christians and Jews who were following a corrupted religion based in the the true revelation. THe author notes that prior to the first wave of conquest from Islam the Arab lands were mostly Christians with strong Jewish communities. Dhimmitude made the original inhabitant slaves in their own land. Dhimmitude was meant to waste away the community and fossilize it.
While the author maintain that life as a dhimmi was bad it did get better under colonial administration post World War 1. Then there was equality. When the colonial powers left. Things got bad for the Jews because of Zionism. Christians joined with the Muslims against Zionism in order to cement their place in society and escape Dhimmitude. This ended up back firing.
THe author paints a negative picture of Islam, and I am not so shire that it was all that negative. First off it was Christians who were the first anti-Semites . The Dhimmi laws were inherited from the Byzantines. It was Christians who promulgated the first ant- Jewish laws. Many Christians helped the Muslims conquer their lands both out of self gain and because their Christians government became corrupted. It was Muslim armies who allowed some Jews to be resettled in Israel/Palestine after the Romans expelled them. Christian clerics upon being conquered so long as the Jews were right beneath them. In Iraq scholars from the three monotheistic faiths would consult on another on various religious issues. Rambam had many positive things to say about the Muslims and Islam.
In the end I would say that Jews and Christians enjoyed both prosperous times and times of persecution depending on the time and place. At least their were no major holocausts like their were in Europe. The book comprises 21 speeches or lectures given over by the author along with some given over by her late husband David Littman. The past needs to be studied more objectively from both angle and I think that as we move toward the future the best solution is a separation of religion and state and that secular democracy is the way to go.
May 30, 2020
This historical book unveils a secretive and forbidden knowledge of the plight of non-muslims, namely Jews and Christians, living on their own lands conquered by Jihad, which is the core principle of Islamic expansion. It chronicles the inferior and humiliating status of Dhimmis, non-muslims who are allowed to continue with their religion by paying various taxes such as Jizya and Kharadji, from 7th century onwards till today. These historical facts help the readers understand the situation in the Middle East such as the anti-Zionist-Israel conflict as well as Islamic terrorist attacks in the western world.
I gave a 3/5 rating because a lot of content was repeated throughout the book. Repeated because the chapters are lecture speeches given by Bat Yeor, throughout her career as a historian. The reader can understand what the whole book is about by reading the last few chapters and the letters.
Nevertheless, one cannot help admiring the Jewish author's pioneering research while facing harsh criticisms from both Christians, Jews and Muslims.
Dhimmitude is like the Hindu caste system or South African apartheid but yet, different in terms of method and social effects. One has to read this book to receive a better picture of being a Dhimmi.
I gave a 3/5 rating because a lot of content was repeated throughout the book. Repeated because the chapters are lecture speeches given by Bat Yeor, throughout her career as a historian. The reader can understand what the whole book is about by reading the last few chapters and the letters.
Nevertheless, one cannot help admiring the Jewish author's pioneering research while facing harsh criticisms from both Christians, Jews and Muslims.
Dhimmitude is like the Hindu caste system or South African apartheid but yet, different in terms of method and social effects. One has to read this book to receive a better picture of being a Dhimmi.
September 28, 2025
This isn’t the book I’d recommend starting with if you’re new to Bat Ye’or, though it is where I started. The lectures themselves are often quite repetitive, circling the same key themes with minor variations. But to dismiss the book on that basis alone would be to miss something quietly significant happening between the lines.
Before each lecture, Ye’or offers brief vignettes: descriptions of the audience, the hosting professors, the intellectual atmosphere in the room. These small observations become, over time, a kind of chronicle. From the 1970s onwards, you can begin to sense a shift, the academic world growing colder, the hosts more radical, the crowds increasingly hostile. There’s a tension rising in the margins, a creeping resistance to her very presence.
What struck me most is how familiar it all feels. If we imagine that today’s discourse around this topic is suddenly new or unusually fraught, this book insists otherwise. The cultural tone, the ideological temperature, it’s all there, decades ago. Reading it now is like finding a time capsule, a warning, that doesn’t just echo the past, but literally foreseeing the present.
Before each lecture, Ye’or offers brief vignettes: descriptions of the audience, the hosting professors, the intellectual atmosphere in the room. These small observations become, over time, a kind of chronicle. From the 1970s onwards, you can begin to sense a shift, the academic world growing colder, the hosts more radical, the crowds increasingly hostile. There’s a tension rising in the margins, a creeping resistance to her very presence.
What struck me most is how familiar it all feels. If we imagine that today’s discourse around this topic is suddenly new or unusually fraught, this book insists otherwise. The cultural tone, the ideological temperature, it’s all there, decades ago. Reading it now is like finding a time capsule, a warning, that doesn’t just echo the past, but literally foreseeing the present.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews