Bebawi authored a number of books defending Islam against western campaigns

By Sobhy Mujahid, IOL Correspondent

CAIRO, June 13 (IslamOnline.net) – A high-level panel that includes Egypt's mufti and minister of Islamic endowments will discuss Saturday, June 19, a thesis submitted by a Christian researcher to the Egyptian Police Academy.

The study, entitled "Rights and Duties of Christians in an Islamic State and its Impact on National Security", would be the first PhD in the Shari`ah by a Christian in the Middle East, Dr. Nabil Loqa Bebawi told IslamOnline.net.

Elaborating on his choice of the subject, he said that after the 9/11 attacks "the western and U.S. media started propagated false concepts about Islam that were adopted by the governing groups in Washington."

Bebawi, a professor of criminal law, stressed that the "Islamic civilization and Islam are under a vicious smear campaign."

The Christian scholar regretted that this campaign pictured Islam as a faith inciting terrorism and having no humanitarian values.

"The Islamic civilization which was founded on the principles laid out by Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) presents fine example of tolerance and coexistence between people of different civilizations, cultures, religions and race" Bebawi averred.

"As a Christian living on Islamic lands, my thesis seeks to underline Islam's spirit of clemency in dealing with non-Muslims."

Bebawi stressed that Islam should not be hold to blame for the wrongdoings of what he termed as "extremists" hungry for power.

There have always been extremists in all civilizations and cultures, he said, noting that Christian extremists blew up a federal building in the American state of Oklahoma in 1995 killing 197 Americans and wounding 300 others.

Cherished Rights

The first part of the six-chapter thesis addresses the tolerance of Islam with on-Muslims living in an Islamic state, and even in the event of war.

The second tackles the religious rights of non-Muslims in an Islamic state, such as the right to build their own places of worship and the right to choose their own religious leaders.

In the third chapter, Bebaw reviews the rights granted by Islam to non-Muslims to move freely and choose their place of settlement across the state.

It also examines their rights to education, casting their votes, running for elections as well as freedom of speech.

The researcher takes as a case in point the Egyptian Constitution.

The fourth chapter of the thesis looks into how Islam grants non-Muslims the rights to social care, freedom of work and fair chance of promotion away from religious affiliations.

Duties Of Non-Muslims

The Christian researcher addresses in the fifth chapter the duties of non-Muslims in an Islamic state.

He asserted that the jizyah paid by non-Muslims is by no means a punishment or religious-based discrimination.

Non-Muslims pay it to benefit from public utilities built by the Islamic state and as a contribution to the expenditure of Muslim armies defending non-Muslims, Bebaw added.

Now, he noted, both Muslims and non-Muslims pay the same taxes under the citizenship and nationality laws.

In the concluding chapter, the researcher warns that violating the rights of non-Muslims affects stability and national security; a matter that is not approved by Islam.

Bebawi has authored a number of books in which he defended Islam against western campaigns.