Israel Quote by Bernard Lewis
![“[...] the governor of the Hijaz sent an order to the district governor of Mecca prohibiting the trade in slaves. The district governor was instructed to read the order aloud at the Shari a court of Mecca in the presence of the ulema and the sharifs. This took place on October 30, 1855 [...] This…” quote by Bernard Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/d4f/bernard-lewis-11653_slave-trade_the-governor-of-the-hijaz-sent-an-order_1731904.jpg)
““[...] the governor of the Hijaz sent an order to the district governor of Mecca prohibiting the trade in slaves. The district governor was instructed to read the order aloud at the Shari a court of Mecca in the presence of the ulema and the sharifs. This took place on October 30, 1855 [...] This was the moment for which the sharif had been waiting. On his instructions, Shaykh Jamal issued a fatwa denouncing the ban on the slave trade as contrary to the holy law of Islam. Because of this anti-Islamic act, he said, together with such other anti-Islamic actions as allowing women to initiate divorce proceedings and to move around unveiled, the [Ottomon] Turks had become apostates and heathens. It was lawful to kill them without incurring criminal penalties or bloodwit, and to enslave their children. "The Turks have become renegades. It is obligatory to make war against them and against those who follow them. Those who are with us are for heaven and those who are with them are for hell. Their blood is lawful and their goods are licit.””
About This Quote
Source Historical Document: Ottoman Empire correspondence, 1855
A religious scholar declared a political decree illegal, labeling its supporters as apostates and justifying violence against them.
In simple terms: A scholar called a law unjust and said it was okay to fight those who supported it.
Key Takeaway
Beware of using religion to legitimize violence.
Themes
religion
politics
violence
legitimacy
law
Mood
tense
critical
historical
Type
political
religious
controversial
When to use this quote
- political dissent
- religious edicts
- colonial resistance
- interfaith tension
Key Concepts
apostasy
jurisprudence
colonialism
sectarian conflict
Questions to Reflect On
- What criteria should separate legitimate protest from incitement?
- How can societies prevent religious rhetoric from justifying violence?
A Different Perspective
The argument conflates political opposition with religious betrayal, oversimplifying complex motives.
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