William Muir

“ But the body of native Syrians, urban and rural, remained after the conquest substantially the same as before; and through long centuries of degradation they clung, as the surviving remnant still clings, to their ancestral faith. ”

“ But whilst the purpose of receiving the submission of Jerusalem was not the sole motive for 'Omar's journey to Syria, he must have desired eagerly to be one of the first to enter the Holy City, round which clustered so many sacred memories of the prophets, and which was the goal 139
of the night-journey of the Prophet of Arabia. It should be added that Sir William Muir rejects the Contract of 'Omar as unworthy of him; and the six "desirable" conditions enumerated above certainly seem to belong to a later generation. ”

“ Non-Muslims.
Jabala, the "king" of Ghassan, according to one account, remained Christian. Being a high-born Arab, he objected to pay the capitation tax of the subject races, but 'Omar refused in spite of his lineage to let him off with the zakat alone which the Muslims paid. Jabala therefore went into voluntary exile with many of his tribe to Asia Minor. Later on, however, 'Omar repented of his severity, and in the year 21 he invited him to return upon his own terms. ”

“ The six "desirable" conditions are that they should wear distinctive clothing, the ghiyar, a yellow patch on their dress, and the girdle (zannar) ; that they should not build houses higher than those of the Muslims; nor ring their wooden bells (nalcus) , nor read their scriptures in a loud voice; nor drink wine in public, nor let their crosses or swine be seen that their dead should be wept and buried in silence; and that they should not mount a horse, only mules and asses. ”

“ Poll-tax.
In addition to this tax on land (census soli) the new Muslims—in Syria, Christians, Jews, and Samaritans—had to pay a capitation tax (census capitis) or jizya. Learned Mohammadans consider this tax as a ransom from death accorded to the "people of the book" (including in this term Magians as well as Christians and Jews) , in opposition to idolaters, who have to choose between conversion and the sword. The jizya is not payable by women, children, or persons incapacitated, but only by men capable of bearing 137
arms—"those wearing a beard." ”