AHL AL-KITAB

(Arabic: People of the Book), in Islamic thought, those religionists such as Jews, Christians, and Zoroastrians who are possessors of divine books (the Torah, the Gospel, and the Avesta), as distinguished from those whose religions are not based on divine revelations. The latter, referred to as Sabaeans, are treated like the People of the Book, but without being called so. In Islam, Ahl al-Kitab are peoples who have, according to the Quran, received and possessed the divine scriptures.

Prophet Muhammad granted many privileges to Ahl al-Kitab like the freedom of worship; thus, during the early Muslim conquests, Jews and Christians were not forced to convert to Islam and had only to pay a special tax for their exemption from military service. Muslim authorities were responsible for their protection and well being. According to a saying of the Prophet, "He who wrongs a Jew or a Christian will have myself [the Prophet] as his indicter on the day of judgement." After Muhammad's death, his successors sent strict instructions to their generals and provincial governors not to interfere with Ahl al-Kitab in their worship and to treat them with full respect. Muslim men are permitted to marry women from Ahl al-Kitab even if the latter choose to remain in their religion, but Muslim women are not allowed to marry Christian or Jewish men unless they convert to Islam.