Christians under the Fāṭimids, Ayyūbids and Mamlūks (original) (raw)

Centuries after the Islamic conquest, despite intermittent attempts to purge them, Christians continued to hold influential and lucrative positions in government service in Egypt. Commonly accused of abusing their power, they were valued for their skills but expendable. Diverting antagonism towards non-Muslim officials deflected it away from rulers themselves and offered some satisfaction to the aggrieved, especially in times of social distress. Indeed, the pressure to humiliate non-Muslims tended to come primarily from the disadvantaged elements within the populace rather than the ruling élite that was guilty of employing Christian officials. Increasingly, such initiatives were encouraged by Muslim polemicists who reminded readers that reducing the status of dhimmīs vis-à-vis believers was required by the sharīʿa. Occasional outbreaks of persecution, often more violent and destructive than moderate Muslim jurists or rulers countenanced, induced Christians to convert to Islam, and contributed to the decline of Christianity under Islamic rule.