Islam has always taught justice and protection for all human beings, regardless of their faith. One of the clearest examples of this principle can be found in the conduct of Caliph ʿUmar Ibn al-Khattab, whose actions reflected the mercy and fairness taught by the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him.
It is narrated that one day ʿUmar saw an elderly Jewish man begging for alms. Moved by compassion, he asked why the man was begging. The old man replied: “I am poor and old, but I still have to pay the jizyah.” ʿUmar took him by the hand, brought him to his home, gave him some money, and then instructed the treasurer of the Bayt al-Mal (State Treasury): “By Allah, we have not done justice if we take the tax from him when he is young and leave him abandoned in his old age.”
ʿUmar exempted the man from paying the jizyah and ordered that he be supported by the public treasury. This gesture became a symbol of the compassionate justice of Islam — a system that does not exploit or humiliate anyone, but guarantees dignity, safety, and fairness to every individual, Muslim or non-Muslim.
The Qur’an says: “The alms are for the poor and the needy…” (Qur’an 9:60).
Muslims fulfill their social duty through zakāt, while the jizyah represented a civic contribution by non-Muslim citizens under Islamic governance. Both were intended to promote justice, security, and collective welfare.
The story of ʿUmar and the Jewish elder remains a timeless lesson in humanity and coexistence, showing that Islam, when understood in its true spirit, protects the rights of all people and promotes peace among different faiths.
Respect for Non-Muslims in Islam: The Example of Caliph ʿUmar and the Jewish Elder
