Very often, one may heard that compared to the situation in Europe, Jews living in Islamic countries had a significantly better fate. The fact that they were allowed to pay a tax in exchange for their independence saved them from pogroms and forced conversions, some say.
The reality is in fact more complex and complicated than this wishful thinking. Being a Jew in diaspora rarely brought the gift of comfortable life. For those who did not have the chance to listen to stories of people that used to live in those countries, a book like The Jews of Islam by Bernard Lewis may help to have a better picture.
The book covers globally the main trends and historical events regarding the situation of Jewish communities in predominantly Muslim countries, starting from the early days of Islam. The landscape resulting is very diverse, including within the same region at different periods of time, depending on what interpretation of Islam prevail and what group - religious, tribe - was in power.
The obvious influences traded between Christians, Muslims and Jews, including in the field of religious practices are part of the co-existence. The significant influence on the Ottoman Empire Jews had in diverse fields as textile industry, arts and printing, is also noteworthy. However, these influences did not avoided pogroms or discrimination practices, especially in Shi'a dominating lands.
Although the focus is predominantly global - and I was curious about various specific cases - The Jews of Islam offers a comprehensive picture of the ethnic landscape. Acknowledging the historical contexts is an important part in better understanding the specificities of each Jewish communities and Lewis' book can contribute to dissipating the stereotypes and ready-made interpretations about this region and the realities of religious interactions.
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