to Sana, ref Dhimmihood

Submitted by M. al-Content (Portugal), Dec 24, 2005 at 14:52

If you are correct in saying that Dhimmihood does not exist in most Islamic countries, then I think that may only be because most Islamic countries are populated almost entirely by Muslims.
Where non-Muslims are native but make up a very small part of the population, or are foreign workers who are cannot obtain citizenship, Dhimmihood is not needed as a means of control.

In contrast, in the Balkans under Ottoman rule, large non-Muslim populations needed constant formal control.
However, I would also say that Dhimmihood can be informal as well as formal. For example, if a doctor is Jewish, the law does not need to bar him from advancement if his superiors instinctively know that he is not to be allowed to progress beyone a certain level. "Glass ceilings" can be just as effective as concrete ones.

p.s. Last I heard, Algeria was not an Islamic country in the sense that non-Muslims would understand it ? That was what the FIS / GIA combo wanted to change ?

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