There seems to be some obvious ways
in which the “symbiosis” of Non Muslims and Muslims shaped both organisms over
time. When any different groups of
people are “forced” to live with each other, there are often ways in which
their living situation has shaped the individual involved. For example, if you live on a college campus
in the very same room as another organism with a different set of beliefs whom
you’ve never lived with before, you will learn to at least exist peacefully
with them (one would hope). You might
learn to appreciate their set of belief systems, adopt their habit of leaving
the door open during the day, or get hooked on their favorite television
show. You may also share things like a
microwave or a television. This is
similar to the situation with the
Muslims, Jews, and Christians living in Islamdom. Before exploring the issue at hand, or how
the “symbiosis” of Non Muslims and Muslims has shaped the parties involved,
some terminology needs to be addressed.
First up is this word “symbiosis.”
The life definition of symbiosis is the prolonged association between
two or more different organisms of different species, often to their
benefit. Does “symbiosis” accurately
label the relationship between the Non Muslims and Muslims in Islamdom? Sure the Muslims, Jews and Christians were
different and they were associated and at times they even benefitted each
other. But, the extent to which the
relationship between Muslims and Non Muslims was symbiotic is arguable. Also, what is meant by how did they symbiosis
of non-Muslims and Muslims “shape” both organisms over time? By “shape,” I mean fit. Thus, in what ways did the symbiosis of Non
Muslims and Muslims fit both organisms over time?
Instead of discussing the symbiosis
of the two categories of Non Muslims and
Muslims, we should examine the symbiosis of Muslims and Jews and Muslims and
Christians. Let’s start with the “Jews
of Islam.” There are a couple of ways in
which the relationship between the Jews and the Muslims shaped both organisms
over time. Jews and Muslims had
extensive and intimate contacts involving intellectual association, cooperation
and comingling. This reflects the
easy-going nature between the Jews and the Muslims. These two “organisms” seem to coexist
peacefully. The symbiosis fit them
well. Jews provided a lot of prophetic
information for Muslim scholars as they were very educated about the
Prophets. This ties in the idea of
“benefit” that is included in the definition of symbiosis. The Jews benefited the Muslims in this
way. However, the Jews were also able to
make a way for themselves living in Islamdom as well. This was often through the practice of
medicine or the handling of money. This
brings to mind a personal friendship. I
was best friends with a Jewish girl named Judith, who I called Jewdy. As a Muslim, being friends with her was very
easy because we had so much in common.
For instance, we shared some of the same dietary restrictions and she
understood the importance of my prayer obligation. Dietary laws, martyrdom, etc. are some of the
ways in which Muslims and Jews “fit” or shared in common. A Jew was much more likely to convert to
Islam first than to convert to Christianity during the pre modern age. To me it seems that Jews and Muslims “fit”
and could live together sharing with and benefiting thoughts and ideas and even
faith (as some Jews converted to Islam).
The
relationship between the Christians and the Muslims though strikes me as less “beneficial”
to either party in comparison to the relationship between Muslims and
Jews. It seems that their relationship
was a little less “involved.” In matters of conversion, there were some
Christian converts. These always sparked
the interest of the Muslims who found some benefit then out of spreading Islam. When the Jews converted to Islam, it was less
significance to the Muslims and more of something that was “inevitable.”
It seems
that in large part, the relationship between the Muslims and Non-Muslims “fit”
all parties meaning that it worked for them.
They were able to not only live peacefully but also share and adopt each
other ideas, become close friends in some instances and share intellectual property.
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