Muslims are to protect Christians - Covenant of Prophet Muhammad pbuh with the Monks of Mt. Sinai

The covenant that Muhammad pbuh made with Christian Monks of Mt Sinai?

The original letter is displayed in Museum in Istanbul, Turkey.
The existing tradition is that the original charter was taken from the Monastery by Sultan Selim I after the Ottoman conquest of Egypt in 1517.

https://www.lastprophet.info/covenant-of-the-prophet-muhammad-with-the-monks-of-mt-sinai

The document was written in the handwriting of Imam ‘Ali during the fourth year of the Hijrah which would place us approximately around 625 CE. Although Islamic Tradition has been passed down almost exclusively by Muslims, this is one of the rare cases in which a Sunnah and a Hadith have been transmitted consecutively by both Muslims and Christians.

 

I think maybe the Crusades changed all that. And the expulsion from Spain, in 1492 didn't help any, either. Plus, I'm sure the document was out of public view for quite some centuries.... And just whom were the Muslims supposed to protect Christians from, anyway???

I wouldn't think it prudent to rely on receiving any kind of protection from anyone, based on an ancient admonition. Especially these days...

 

It's a matter of changed / changing conditions. As Nigerians say, "Na condition wey make crayfish bend." (Changed conditions will necessitate actions you might not have taken, in the past.)

 

Since this is a covenant then we are only presented with one side of the "contract" and if Christian side violated the treaty then this would posibly void the covenant/treaty.
7th centry was not the end of wars, it was obvious that there will be wars and the monks may need protecting.

 

Right. Thanks Lerner. I overlooked the fact that this was primarily for the monks -- not necessarily all Christians. Your heading "Muslims are to Protect Christians" threw me off.

 

Besides - Atheist here -- so nothing in this for me...

 

Actually the wording of the treaty can be considered concerning all Christians.
When I discovered this document I was amazed and had a lot of questions.

"This he wrote unto the people of the Christian religion, and to such as profess the Christian religion in the East and West, near and far, clear-speaking and barbarous, known and unknown. He wrote it for them as a charter, and whosoever violates, alters, or transgresses the covenant that is therein, shall have violated the covenant of God, broken His promise, ridiculed his religion, and earned His curse, whether he be a sovereign or any other Moslem. If any monk or pilgrim entrench himself in mountain, valley, cave, township, level, sand or church, I shall be behind them defending them from any that shall envy them, by myself, my helpers, my people, my sect, and my followers, inasmuch as they are my subjects and the people of my covenant. And I exempt them from the vexation in victuals which is endured by the people ..."