When Caliph Umar refused to pray inside the Jerusalem Church

While on a tour of Jerusalem, Patriarch Sophronius invited Hadhrat Umar to offer Zuhr prayers inside the Church, but he refused. Read More

Monday January 22, 2024 0:09 AM , Team ummid.com

[The Church of the Holy Sepulchre (File)]

Mumbai: The conquest of Jerusalem, now under the occupation of the Zionists, is a golden page in the Islamic History as it shows not only how Caliph Umar ibn al-Khattab permitted Jews to live in the city but also how particular he was in respecting the places of worship of other faiths.

The Muslim troops, who were led by Hazrat Abu Ubaidah bin Jarrah and had military generals like Hazrat Khalid ibn al-Walid and Hazrat Amr ibn al-Aas in their ranks, besieged Jerusalem some time in November 636.

Patriarch Sophronius, a representative of the Byzantine government, as well as a leader in the Christian Church, was the In-charge or Governor of Jerusalem. After about four months of siege, he finally decided to surrender and handover Jerusalem to Muslims on the condition that that Caliph Umar came to Jerusalem to sign the pact and accept the surrender. Hazrat Abu Ubaidah wrote to caliph Umar about the situation and invited him to come to Jerusalem to accept the surrender of the city.

Caliph Umar arrives in Jerusalem

Consequently, Hazrat Umar ibn al-Khattab left Madinah, travelling alone on a camel and one servant. When he arrived in Jerusalem, he was greeted by Sophronius, who was amazed that the Caliph of the Muslims, one of the most powerful people in the world at that point, was dressed in no more than simple robes and was indistinguishable from his servant.

As per the historical records, Hazrat Omar arrived in Palestine in early April 637. He first went to Jabiya in the Old City where he was received by Hazrat Abu Ubaidah, Hazrat Khalid and others. Later a pact and treaty, known as Umar's Assurance, was composed. The treaty was signed by Hazrat Umar and Patriarch Sophronius, along with some of the generals of the Muslim armies.

Jerusalem came under the Muslim Caliphate without a single drop of blood being shed, a highly unusual incident considering the Holy City's long history which has been attacked 52 times, captured and recaptured 44 times, besieged 23 times, and destroyed twice.

Christian Patriarch asks Caliph Umar to pray inside the Church

Hazrat Omar was given a tour of the city, including the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. When the time for afternoon prayer, Zuhr, came, Patriarch Sophronius invited Hadhrat Umar to pray inside the Church, but he refused.

The Church of the Holy Sepulchre, also known as the Church of the Resurrection, is the 4th century church in the Christian Quarter of the Old City of Jerusalem. It is considered as the holiest site for Christians in the world. This Church hosts two sites considered holy for Christians around the world - the site where Jesus (Prophet Isa, may peace be upon him) was crucified at a place known as Calvary or Golgotha, and Jesus's empty tomb, which is where he was buried and resurrected, as per the Christian belief.

Hadhrath Omar insisted that if he prayed inside the Church, later Muslims would use it as an excuse to convert it into a mosque – thereby depriving Christendom of one of its holiest sites. Instead, Hazrat Umar prayed outside the Church, where a mosque - called Masjid Umar – the Mosque of Umar, was later built.

Temple Mount used as garbage dump

While on the tour of Jerusalem, Hadhrat Umar found the Temple Mount and Wailing Wall in poor state. Hazrath Umar was informed that the Christians had used the area as a garbage dump to offend the Jews.

It is also the same spot was from where Prophet Muhammad ﷺ ascended to heaven. Hadhrat Umar and his army (along with some Jews) personally cleaned it and built there a wooden mosque -Masjid al-Aqsa.

More than half a century after the capture of Jerusalem, the Umayyad caliph Abd al-Malik in 691 commissioned the construction of the Dome of the Rock over a large outcropping of bedrock on the Temple Mount.

The Treaty of Umar

As they did with all other cities they conquered, the Muslims had to write up a treaty detailing the rights and privileges regarding the conquered people and the Muslims in Jerusalem. This treaty was signed by Umar and Patriarch Sophronius, along with some of the generals of the Muslim armies. The text of the treaty read:

In the name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate. This is the assurance of safety which the servant of God, Umar, the Commander of the Faithful, has given to the people of Jerusalem. He has given them an assurance of safety for themselves for their property, their churches, their crosses, the sick and healthy of the city and for all the rituals which belong to their religion. Their churches will not be inhabited by Muslims and will not be destroyed. Neither they, nor the land on which they stand, nor their cross, nor their property will be damaged. They will not be forcibly converted. No Jew will live with them in Jerusalem.

The people of Jerusalem must pay the taxes like the people of other cities and must expel the Byzantines and the robbers. Those of the people of Jerusalem who want to leave with the Byzantines, take their property and abandon their churches and crosses will be safe until they reach their place of refuge. The villagers may remain in the city if they wish but must pay taxes like the citizens. Those who wish may go with the Byzantines and those who wish may return to their families. Nothing is to be taken from them before their harvest is reaped.

If they pay their taxes according to their obligations, then the conditions laid out in this letter are under the covenant of God, are the responsibility of His Prophet, of the caliphs and of the faithful.

– Quoted in The Great Arab Conquests, from Tarikh Tabari

At the time, this was by far one of the most progressive treaties in history. For comparison, just 23 years earlier when Jerusalem was conquered by the Persians from the Byzantines, a general massacre was ordered. Another massacre ensued when Jerusalem was conquered by the Crusaders from the Muslims in 1099.

The Treaty of Umar allowed the Christians of Jerusalem religious freedom, as is dictated in the Quran and the sayings of Muhammad ﷺ. This was one of the first and most significant guarantees of religious freedom in history.

While there is a clause in the treaty regarding the banning of Jews from Jerusalem, its authenticity is debated. One of Umar’s guides in Jerusalem was a Jew named Kaab al-Ahbar. Umar further allowed Jews to worship on the Temple Mount and the Wailing Wall, while the Byzantines banned them from such activities.

Historians have acknowledged that the surrender of Jerusalem to Muslims also marked the end of nearly 500 years of Roman rule and oppression. Michael Zank, Professor of Religion, Jewish, and Medieval Studies, has noted:

"With the exception of the reign of Julian (361-363) and the brief interlude of Persian rule (614-17), Jews were banned from entering the city until the advent of Islam, when they were readmitted."

Thus, the authenticity of the clause in the treaty regarding Jews is in question. What is not in question, however, was the significance of such a progressive and equitable surrender treaty, which protected minority rights.

The treaty became the standard for Muslim-Christian relations throughout the former Byzantine Empire, with rights of conquered people being protected in all situations, and forced conversions never being a sanctioned act. The Muslim rulers honoured the treaty till the fall of Ottoman Empire in the 20th century.

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