Kuyper: Conclusion

The Crescent is far from its demise. As long as it retains its successful rule over the hearts of its mass of 245 million people, it will be a bad mistake for anyone to dismiss Islam as a negligible factor. As in the past, Islam retains its strong position of power, especially in Africa, but even Europe cannot afford to ignore it. Do not forget the following remarkable contrast. The millions of Christians who came under the rule of the Sultan during the seventh and eighth centuries, have almost all converted to Islam. To the contrary, Muslims who currently are ruled by Christian powers have fully persevered in their faith.

Comment: Date of writing: December 24th, 1907! Worthwhile read. Short!

Kuyper: the difficulty of Muslim missions

For the Muslim to convert to Christianity is from their point of view to descend to a lower level. Islam came after Christ. Islam has a later and higher revelation. Who wants to go back from the latest and highest to an earlier and lower? A convert from Islam is a traitor in the eyes of Muslims. As far as Muslims are concerned, such a person has died morally and the entire Muslim neighbourhood works together towards his reversion under the weight of contempt and of social deprivation.

Comment: Ibid

Abraham Kuyper's "Mystery of Islam"

Reading online, "Mystery of Islam" by Abraham Kuyper. Kuyper is famous for among other things this quotation: "No single piece of our mental world is to be sealed off from the rest and there is not a square inch in the whole domain of human existence over which Christ, who is sovereign over all, does not cry: ‘Mine!’"

Section: "Christian Dhimmi Status"

Christians in a land militarily occupied by Muslims have only three choices. The first is to adopt Islam so as to be absorbed into the faithful. The second is to pay the special tax known as jizya, which turns them into dhimmi or second-class citizens. The third is simply to be killed by the sword. Choosing to pay the tax is in effect to submit and thereby to accept conditions of tolerance that were painful and humiliating. These treaties or, as they are sometimes called, “covenants” were all designed to socially oppress and humiliate. When Omar conquered Jerusalem, he included the following conditions in the decree of capitulation often referred to as the “Covenant of Umar:”

1. Christians are free to worship in their churches, but Muslims are allowed to attend at any time, day or night;
   
2. they will never perform their worship services on the street;
   
3. they will not teach the Qur’an to their children;
   
4. they will not convert anyone to their religion;
   
5. they will not hinder anyone from becoming Muslim;
   
6. they will always give Muslims the highest seat of honour in their meetings;
   
7. they will not dress like Muslims
   
8. they will never write in Arabic, the glorious language of Islam;
   
9. they will not adopt Muslim names;
   
10. they will not ride on large saddles;
    
11. they will never carry weapons;
    
12. they will shave their beards;
    
13. they will never place crosses on their churches;
    
14. they will never play their carillons;
    
15. they will bury their dead without public display;
    
16. they will never harbour a slave that belongs to a Muslim;
    
17. they will never peek into Muslim houses;
    
18. they will never raise a hand against a Muslim.
    

These conditions were to be accepted at the time of the capitulation for themselves and their descendants. Should they ever fail to strictly observe any of these conditions, they would in effect concede to Omar the right to apply any penalty against them that is due to a sovereign over against rebel subjects.