Situation of Jews in Islamic Societies (2)

Behavior of official Jews towards Muslims
Generally, Jews of the Middle Ages deviated governmental tasks, whether politics or administrative tasks. Rather they preferred to do self-employment works like trading following the teachings of Torah.
It is said in Torah: “love self-employment jobs and distance from governmental works; because whatever you do with your own hands is one thousand time better than official jobs.” In other parts it is given: “official works bury their doers within them. Musa Ibn Meimun, a Jewish physician and philosopher, has said in his book: gaining one dirham from knitting or carpentry is sweeter than precious gift from a king.
However, most Jews with the feeling of security and comfort in the Islamic community, while assuming official and governmental jobs, could get prominent posts. An example is Ismail Ibn Naghazale who was minister in the Islamic state of Andulous for a 30-year-period.
The authors of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem have acknowledged that at the time, living in Muslim lands was far easier than the rest of the world, and it was possible for Jews to establish their cultural centers. So for hundreds of years, the vast majority of Jews lived in Muslim lands. They then brought the example of the Jews in Islamic Spain who were excellent in the political authorities. Hasday Ibn Sheprut in the tenth century, Shamuel Naghid and his son Joseph in the eleventh century were the most famous ones.
The existence of free space and social conditions in Muslim countries, led to periods of history, Islamic countries host most of the Jewish world.
Raphael Pata, estimates the Jewish population of the world in the twelfth century, one and a half million people out of which 4/1 million people, i.e. 93.3% of them lived in Islamic lands and an important part of them were living in Islamic Spain. At this time, only a hundred thousand people (6.7 percent of all Jews) lived in Christian Europe.
However, in the fall of Andalusia, the nations of the enemies of Muslims joined Jews suffered persecution and suffering of the people and the cities and regions Alcazar, Aragon, Valencia, Cordoba, Seville, Toledo, and Barcelona and some other cities harsh and widespread riots were held against them while thousands of Jews were killed and thousands more were forced to flee and thousands others escaped from the ordeal by converting to Christianity and became known as Marranos.
During the rule of the Mongols, the situation of Jews in less than a decade experienced dramatic developments, and the political authority of them blossomed. During this time they had the control of Muslims and in response to it all those love and caress that Muslims had given them, showed their complexes all the more fully and took revenge on Muslims.
The person responsible for the temporary political rise was a man named Sa'd Addoleh who was appointed as the State Court in 682. In 678 he had worked as a doctor at the court of Arghoon. Then he was appointed as the head of Finance and became the ruler of Iraq for a short period of time then in the year 688 he was appointed as the Court states. In this position, the star of Jews started shining. Sa'd Addoleh who was a fanatic Jewish and had taken control of the court and the government, with the establishment of the Ministry immediately dismissed his opponents and gave critical jobs in the Court in the states and cities to the relatives, in a way that sent one of his brothers named Fakhr Addoleh to rule Baghdad government.
He appointed one other brother the ruler of Bakr and Rabia. He appointed one other the ruler of Fars and one of the thugs was appointed to the Kufa mosque, the city was destroyed and the means and tools and materials had to use government statistics and the mosque, which is the tomb of the Elders of religion, the ruins of income. Azerbaijani government was left to Labeed ibn Abi Rabi, Jews and nobility of Tabriz to his other cousin, Mohazab Addoleh. Another brother was appointed to the city in Arab Iraq. According to his order no Muslim had the right to work as the tribunal and the government as well as the right to enter the camp of Khan (Arghoon). Thus the different provinces of Islamic affairs in the territory of Ilkhans was in Jewish hands, and they reached its apogee.
Around the year 687 a Jewish group of Tbilisi residents who saw the situation of the government well, came to Baghdad and were given jobs. The team spared no threats against Muslims in Baghdad.
Sa'd Addoleh and his hostility and hatred of Muslims showed long lasting hatred of Jews and by their plots realized their plans. Since the Mongol regarded Chengiz as a prophet and always tried to enforce Yasa law in society and there was always obvious and sometimes hidden war between the Persians and the Mongols on the issue involved, Jews wanting to take revenge on Muslims, saw this a pretext and said that the prophecy of Genghis Khan is given to Arghoon, and because the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him and his progeny) took it by war. As a result he ordered the heads of Muslims be cut off and be thrown in the ditch,
In this way, Arghoon, motivated by Sa’ad Addoleh and with the excuse of combating enemies, killed hundreds of people and this revenge was a venomous sword for Muslims.
Finally, in year 690, great Iranian men killed him and reacted severely to the Jews.
However, as Muslims regained their previous power and dominated over the situation, never decided to take revenge and did not answered brutal and cruel measures taken by Jews.
Jews in the Ottoman Empire and modern Islamic world
In the period of Ottoman rule, a vast area of the country, i.e. businesses and governments was opened for Jews. Jews with their dark record, once again gained the highest official positions. And even special medical kings of Al-Ottoman, were selected from among them. Jews in the Ottoman Empire were mostly owners of farms and businesses and industrial sites and built many temples and from there they found their way to the Balkan Peninsula, from which they had been driven away and then infiltrated into the heart of Europe.
It is worth mentioning that this suitable social, economic, politic and cultural situation for Jews in the Islamic countries was prepared in the first half of twentieth century despite their plots in the occupation of Palestinian lands and the heightening of their oppressions and cruelties against Palestinian people. Jews settling in Islamic countries had full welfare and security and had the control of most critical positions in social, economic and even politic grounds.
At the time when Jews entered Palestine with religious purposes and sometimes as a result of pressures from eastern European countries, residents of these land welcomed them greatly as it is the habit of most Arab people. Theodor Herzl, the founder of Zionism, has confessed clearly to the kind behavior of Palestinians towards the first Jewish migrants.
But unfortunately, Jews did not respond these hospitality save by ungratefulness and oppressing. Using freedoms given to them in the contemporary Egypt, Jews concentrated on activity in economic, commercial and cultural aspects and step by step turn this country as a place for their Zionist activities:
Jacob Asnoo, the founder of theater in Egypt, and Davud Hasni, a famous Egyptian musician, were also Jewish. Some of them like Yusef Bateshto and Nahim Nahum Afandi and Adolph Ghatavi made their way into high official governmental positions and even Yusef Ghatavi Pashai who was a Jew was appointed as the minister of treasury in the era of Malik Foad.
In 1948 approximately forty to fifty thousand Jews lived in Egypt five thousand of them had adopted Egyptian nationality. They all enjoyed full rights in political, social and economic citizenship and many of them had a liking for commerce, banks and industries and had dominated over the economy and had it at their monopoly.
This tribe in Egypt established a large number of schools, institutes and associations and many temples were built in their hands, so that in the first half of the twentieth century, their number was only about 29 in Cairo. Egyptian government gave some of these temple to Jews for free.
Ms. Sana Abdul-Latif Hasan Sabri in pages 177 and 178 of her book quoting from Morris Mezrahi’s Egypt and the Jews, mention some Jews who had been prominent in fields like culture, economy, and politics: Victor Zeradil, a famous journalist; Davud Hazzan, a famous lawyer and the son of Rabi of Alexandria and a relative of Mustapha Kamel; Lion Castro, a famous lawyer and journalist and an advisor of Sa’ad Zeghlol.
Following Jews had been active in the fields of industry, trade, banking, agriculture, exports, railways and other economic areas of Egypt:
Chikoril, Shimla, Suarez Manasseh, Mosiri, Qtavi, Samuhe, Bashitu, Harary and more.
But in the arts, Damile Diane, the actor plays the tragedy in Egypt before the First World War and the names Zaki Murad and Leila Mourad and David Hosni in the field of singing and music, is noteworthy.
On the other hand, two of the heroes of boxers in Egypt, named Isaac and Emile Nishio were also Jewish, as well as two tennis player, a carpenter and Koohin over the country participated in the Olympics. Among the 288 participants at the Olympic Games 1928 in Egypt, five were Jews and Jacques Jowhar, sports consultants of Fouad and Farouk, were also Jewish.
Professor Kamel Sa’fan in pages 42 to 56 of the book Judaism: history and belief provides rather useful information about Jews’ freedom of action and their extensive activity in modern Egypt. In the following paragraph, a part of this description is given:
Egyptian Jews in 1908 founded the Society of the children of Zion, and approved of the achievements of the first Zionist Conference in Basel (1897). These Jews before World War I, in various ways, supported and endorsed the Ottoman state. Behind this approval, they could easily intensify their efforts to buy lands in Palestine.
In Alexandria, they founded a committee to help Jewish refugees and thereby, housing, food, clothing and health care to support these refugees, and then they moved to Palestine. In the meantime, the Egyptian government not only did not stop their activities, but also generously supported them and put them in special camps in Qobari and Shatebi (page 43).
In the first half of the twentieth century, in addition to the Jewish temples in each of the cities of Port Said, Damanhur, Kafr El-Zayat, Tanta, Zagazig, Mansoura, Mit Omar, and al-Mahalla Al-Kubra, they founded 29 temples in Cairo and built 20 temples in Alexandria (p. 46).
In the context of the activities of the Jewish press in Egypt it should be said that they published Rasul Al-Sahyoni in 1901 and the French Journal of the Egypt in 1912. In 1917 the publication of French newspaper Jewish movement was stopped after five years and was replaced with Al-Sahyuni magazin. In 1920, Israel magazine was issued in three languages: Hebrew, Arabic and French. It was published separately and the release continued until 1940. In 1934 the magazine Shams emerged in Arabic language.
In 1935, the weekly magazine named Kadima was published. In 1936, the newspaper had Jewish Tribune was published which was considered as the language of the Zionist movement. It was published by Jock Raban. (Pp. 47- 48). In addition, managers of advertisemnt parts of two massive press organizations Al-Ahram Institute and Daralhlal were Jews (p. 49).
But in the economic sphere, it is enough to know that between 1897- 1947, Jewish families Rollo, Mosiri, Adah, Adas, Qatavy, Shikoril, Hano, Janito, Suarez, Jrin, Menshe and Mizrahi had dominated the Egyptian economy. 98% of the Cairo stock brokers were Jews in whose hands was the pulse of Egyptian trade.
In the meantime, food industry, textile, pharmaceutical, chemical, engineering, oil and construction materials was monopolized by Jews.
On the other hand, Joseph Qatavy (a Jewish) was Egyptian finance minister and founder of the Bank of Egypt (the first bank in Egypt which was established in 1920). He brought his co-religionists, Joseph Shikoril to the bank's board of directors. When Talaat Harb (1876- 1941) was trying to set up a bank of Egypt and Palestine, the Jews threatened that they will withdraw their funds and barred him from this action.
Theaters in Cairo, Alexandria, Suez and Port Said's more, it was Joseph Mvsyry Jewish and import foreign films dubbing and sound management and the films he was in a monopoly.
Finally, it is also noteworthy that David Nahum, Jewish rabbi of Egypt was a member of Al-Arabiya center until his death in 1950.
Openness and too much freedom for the Jews of Egypt led them to use the interests and intentions of the Zionist for their privileged position. They In 1908, an organization called "Jamia Bani Sahyon" was founded with the goal of the Jewish settlement in Palestine and encourage and invite Jews to immigrate to this land and necessary facilities for migrants on their way to Palestine.
Also on October 28, 1917, five days before the issuance of the Balfour treaty (in November 2) by the orders of Haim Weizmann, the Zionist leader, three thousand of the Jews in Egypt did an Israeli protest and urged for the hasting in the realization of the contents of the treaty! (Page 48 52).
For these reasons, in April 1955, when Rabbi Jewish Elmer Berger, executive director of the Council of Jews in America, during his visit to Egypt, saw that despite social and economic problems of Egypt, the Jews of Egypt are living in the best conditions possible openly said that Americans must come and see how fifty thousand Jews are, in the best situation, living with Egyptian people and have made bondage with its history (p. 58).
What was said was an overview of the situation of the Jews in contemporary Egypt whose number in1950 reached to 75 thousand people, while in Morocco 225 thousand people and in Iraq and Algeria 120 thousand and in Tunisia a hundred thousand Jews lived.
The government, led by Great Britain in 1921, recognized Iraq’s Zionist associations. Aharon, Sassoon, in 1919 he founded a committee Zionist in Baghdad that Iraq had sixteen branches in different cities. The committee proceeded to organize groups of Jewish youth, and some supplies to help refugees in Hebrew and Arabic monthly edited. Also, some Jewish temples requiring Jews to immigration, was under pressure.
In 1942 an organization called "Babel Scout Movement" was established in which the Jewish youth were trained in firearms and explosives. It will soon became a dangerous organization with weapons and military forces. This organization, in 1950, began to throw explosives into the café where gathered educated Jews, so that it is forced to migrate to Palestine. With the same purpose threw bombs into America data center and the Jewish Temple "Masuda Shimtov".
Iraqi Jews were scattered in cities across the country and any specific neighborhood, did not belong to them.
Their religious rights, social and political well and has had extensive economic activities. Therefore, higher living standards and life of others. Some of them also achieved key positions of state jobs.
On the other hand, the proportion of Jewish students in schools and universities was far more than other classes of society. An Iraqi Jew named Razi Nissan has claimed that more than 80% of the Jews of Iraq, including expert artisans, shop owners, managers and lawyers, staff and teachers and six members of parliament were Jewish, and in the late forties (Twentieth century) there was at least one Jewish minister in the Cabinet.
Syrian Jews had also suitable situations. Jewish Clergies and believers were in charge of affairs of their co-religionists in this country. The government had recognized them as official representatives of their tribe in their internal affairs, such as the supervision and guidance of the religious institutions, education and health Jews, etc.
The Jews of Lebanon lived in Deir Al-Qamar, Ein Al-Dare, Ein Rahltah, Al-Mukhtari, Rashia, Jezzine and Hasbya. Some of them also lived in Torablos and SIdah.
Lebanese Jews were completely free in the administration of their own organizations and every possible facilities were granted to their social services with the aim of financial help.
The situation of Jews in western Arabic countries (Algeria, Tunisia and Morocco) was also excellent and ideal. They reached abundance in the Islamic era in prosperity and enjoyed the open space of Islamic tolerance.
After the occupation of this country by the French, the Jews, riding the wave of the status quo, exploited to their own advantage. On the request of French colonizers, they were the interface between them and the Arabs.
The organization of Jewish Tunisia Union was recognized in 1922 by the French authorities governing this country, and in the same year, the Jews of Tunisia protested against the Palestinian revolution. The union, as well as publications published in Arabic and Arabic countries distributed among Zionist circles.
With the independence of Western Arabic countries, Jews had assumed prominent positions in government. An example is Albert Bisis who in 1955 was appointed as the minister of Housing and Urban Development, and Andre Baruch was considered one of the members of the Tunisian government after independence.
Morocco's Jews had the same situation as Tunisian Jews. Morocco had been from previous centuries the resort and haven for Jews expelled from Europe. They had an independent judiciary and the Special Court ruled by four Jewish Rabbis. In Rabat there is also a Supreme Court appeal in which the sentence was revised there.
On the visit of Jamal Abdel Nasser from Morocco, Jews put white hat with a blue Star of David on their heads, marched and protested against him.
In Algeria, the Jews enjoyed full citizen rights and of justice and good conduct and government, benefits and management of their affairs, was assigned to them. In 1830, a clan leader was determined for them that once a year, the selection was renewed.
Responsibility to support and protect the rights of Jews in Algeria and enforcement and tax collection was entrusted to this leader. Jews also established special courts in which some rabbis were responsible for judicial affairs of the tribe, but then for some reason they closed the courts and the independence of the Jews stripping and authority was confined only to the marriage and divorce.
On the other hand, the Zionist committees in Algeria, organized actions to send Jews to Palestine. In the fifties (twentieth century), they prepared a camp to welcome the immigrant Jews and after the tripartite war (Britain, France and Israel) against Egypt (1956), the Jews of this country celebrated to mark the anniversary of the founding of Israel and in 1960 in a ceremony commemorated Herzl's birthday.
According to what was mentioned above, it can be considered a relatively clear picture of the situation of Jews in Islamic countries. Of the entire period of their presence in these countries, from welfare and had complete freedom. So that sometimes even of religious tolerance and openness Muslims against their host country as well as used materials.
Amos Elon, Jewish author confesses that no massacre of Jews was occurred in the East, and the eastern states, unlike Europe, never hated Jews.
Alfred Lintal, American Jewish author speaks of Muslims' tolerance towards Jews. He says Jews always lived with Muslims in peace and considered Arabic countries a safe refuge for themselves.
Dr. Israel Shahak writes: Jewish population experienced a famous “golden age” when living in Islamic states.
Somewhere else he adds that: we have to accept that the situation of Jews among Muslims compared with Christians has been a lot better.
In this case, it is useful to see the confessions of two Jewish scholar:
Edward H. Flannery has stated that: in Arabic countries, there has been no opposition to Jews; on the contrary, Jews living in these countries could reach high positions and were given absolute freedom.
Rafael Batil has also expressed that: Jews living in Islamic states had laxity in social and economic affairs.