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Jizya is taken from the non-Muslims, the combatants, the enemies of Allah, in exchange for something other than a council or road tax. In this framing, we pay with our blood, with our lives, in exchange for protection. This is how the commentators of the Quran describe it, with the classical fiqh scholars (fuqaha) detailing the rationale. The payment is because you are rebellious against Allah and His Messenger, and, out of mercy, Islam requires you to pay Jizya. The amount is not specified here, as the fuqaha have explained there are details about the rate, but the core principle is the exchange for protection rather than battlefield bloodshed.
When you pay the Jizya to the Imam, the commander of the Mujahideen, or whoever is in charge at the time, you are guaranteed protection for yourself, your property, your family, and your children, and you will have defense against any enemy that attacks you. The speaker then offers an example to illustrate the point: in 2024, an article in The Guardian reported that Islamophobia and attacks against Muslims in that year rose to approximately 73 percent. The comparison is made to other taxes—Roe tax, council tax, green taxes—emphasizing that even with these taxes, a value is not necessarily provided to Muslims. In contrast, Jizya is presented as a protection in exchange for the payment, ensuring that if an outsider attacks you, you will be protected.
The speaker reiterates that this is not about shedding blood on the battlefield for non-Muslims; rather, Jizya is paid, and in return, protection is guaranteed. The underlying rationale is tied to rebellion against Allah and His Rasul, with the aim of offering mercy through a contractual protection arrangement. The discussion centers on the concept that the non-Muslims who pay Jizya receive security for their lives and property and a defense against external threats in exchange for their non-participation in the military obligations required of Muslims.