201. The need for imposition of Jizya tax on people of other faiths.
Verse (9:29) of the Quran orders Muslim governments to impose Jizya tax on non -Muslims. To some this may appear like atrocities committed on people of other faiths. Once the misgivings are cleared about this particular type of taxation by Muslim governments it gives a clear picture and understanding about the intentions and the the objective of this kind of taxation. We need to understand the basis on which taxes are levied under the Islamic rule.
Let’s understand this first, Islam has made a compulsory tax known as Zakat to be paid by Muslims to the government . Muslims are required as a duty to pay a certain amount called Zakat based on their income, and holding of gold, silver, cash, commercial goods, cattle, goat ,sheep, camel, agricultural produce like grains, pulses etc.
The rate of Zakat is 2.5% of the value of gold, silver, cash held by the individual, 5% on the value of irrigated agricultural products, and 10% of the value of products from rain fed lands. We need to appreciate the considerate rate of the tax known as Zakat.
Zakat is the kind of tax that has to be compulsorily collected by the Islamic government on auditing the accounts of individuals. The Muslim society is duty bound to pay huge sums as Zakat to the Islamic governments.
This tax money is utilized by the government on the poor, on people who are in dire need,on people who are in debts, on slaves, on military forces dedicated to fight in the way of truth , and on nomads. In short all the good works carried out by the government are done with this tax money.
When the whole government is run with the Zakat money, non payment of any type of tax by non Muslims stands unjustified.
When only Muslims keep paying all the taxes, a stand needs to be taken to regulate the role of non Muslims in any one of the following ways:
1. By not imposing any tax on Muslims.
2.By making Zakat compulsory for non -Muslims.
3.By imposing a different type of tax on non Muslims.
Let’s look into the consequences of putting into practice the first option.
When Muslims alone are taxpayers under a rule their expectations would be much higher in demanding more rights from the government; that in turn may give rise to a voice against people benefit-ting from the govt;without paying any form of tax.
The non-Muslims themselves would hesitate to demand their rights from the govts;without paying their taxes. And would start believing themselves as second class citizens..
When tax is collected from a particular section of the people and refraining from doing the same from others would result in an ill feeling from a section of the society. Non-collection of taxes from a section of the community would automatically lead to denying indirectly their rights.Hence when implementing this option would result in objections from both sides.
Muslims would generally oppose any kind of collection of taxes from them, while exempting others from it. And the Non -Muslims would also would come to believe non taxation by the Muslim governments would deny them their rightful place and dignity in the society and would oppose it. Making the first option not feasible.
Now let’s look into the implementation of the second option.
For Muslims Zakat is a mandatory duty of taxation in addition to being a religious obligation.
When this kind of taxation is imposed upon others of different faiths, they would see a forceful implementation of an alien custom and culture, in their way of life. And would start suspecting all other types of customs and traditions of Muslims would entail.They will not be in a position to accept the same.
Islamic govt; cannot interfere in the individual rights of persons belonging to other faiths and impose Islamic taxation on them.
Zakat is a form of Islamic taxation levied based on the individual Muslim’s capacity and liability..And a Muslim’s complete cooperation in auditing his accounts is the only way to collect the Zakat Tax by the govt;in all its earnestness. For Muslims Zakat being a religious obligation they are expected to fear God in fulfilling their religious duties.
.As far as non-Muslims are concerned, Zakat is just another form of tax. Being a religious duty of an alien faith would not evince much interest and try to seek perfection in implementing the same. And would try to evade as much tax as possible, making it impossible to implement Zakat.
The position of an Islamic ruler is pushed to a stage where he can neither stay without taxing non Muslims nor tax them..
A Muslim govt;can avoid being hit with bad precedents by not imposing a baseless tax called Zakat on non Muslims,This is the reason Jizya Tax has been imposed on Non-Muslims.And Muslims under Islamic rule pay considerable amount as taxes to the govt;.
In an Islamic govt; Muslims were vulnerable to paying more tax than Non-Muslims, and people who are unaware of such facts tend to pass uncharitable remarks about Jizya Tax. The word disgraced in these verses refers to those vanquished in the wars.
