The Rights of Christians in Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyya’s Book: Rulings for Non -Muslims ‘aḥkām ahl al-dhimma’ and Their Alignment with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the Objectives of Islamic Law

Abstract This research examines how the social, historical, and political context of the Mamluk era influenced Ibn Qayyim al-Jawzīyah’s legal rulings on non-Muslims, particularly Christians, as presented in his book Aḥkām Ahl al-Dhimma . It analyzes whether these rulings align with Islamic principles of justice and equality from the Qur’an and Sunna, and with modern human rights values. The study finds that Ibn al-Qayyim’s harsh positions toward Christians—promoting their marginalization and unequal treatment—were shaped by the socio-political climate and based on unreliable sources like al-Shurūṭ al-ʿUmrīyah . These views contradict both the spirit of Islam and basic human dignity. The research stresses that such rulings have no place in modern societies. It calls on Muslim scholars to re-evaluate Islamic legal traditions concerning the rights of Christians and other non-Muslims in Muslim countries, using the maqāṣid al-sharīʿah approach to promote justice, equality, and harmony with universal human rights.