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Dhimmis in the past were taxed and it was certainly a form of oppression, I will not disagree with that as most Muslim rulers used it to simply have Non-Muslims acknowledge their government.
It is important to note that they were to be protected as part of the Dhimmi contract and failure to do so was a sin.
They were allowed to practice their own religion and laws (Halakha), even if it offended Muslims and were given the same rights as Muslim citizens.
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This is untrue. They were not given the same rights and are still not. Look at the slaughter of Christians in Egypt today....if Muslims burn a church it cannot be rebuilt unless they petition the Govt.
A Dhimmi has no standing in court, the word of a Muslim, by law, weighs more. I refer you to the laws of Saudi Arabia as an example...check their 'blood debt' laws where one will pay 1/2 the penalty for accidental death of a Kafir over a Muslim.
Naturally born Muslims or converts
They are natural-born Muslims.
A quick question for you...."Is Muhammed, as an individual, relevant in today's world"...Is he 'The perfect example of Manhood'.
I think Muhammad is relevant for Muslims in the sense that he is viewed as being an the perfect example of a Muslim and so we are supposed to imitate him.
This is one of the primary problems....Muhammed took slaves raped them as they were property, executed bound prisoners etc...all fun and games in that day and age yet Islamic scholars call him 'the perfect man' as you said to be emulated...he sent spies to murder his enemies, and allowed them to lie to protect themselves....all of the things Al Q points too as following his example......sadly, you will not find a prominent main stream Imam that will condemn anything Muhammed did.
There are some things he did that I would not but I wouldn't do things that Abraham did either (almost killing his son).
Another Quranic issue is dates and times......as you point out, in the Old Testiment, there is violence when God ordered the Jews to slay whomever....however, it was designated at a time and place....The God of Abraham did not say "Slay all Philistines forever" There was a start and an end
This does not exist in the Quran.....it says
8:67 It is not for a Prophet that he should have prisoners of war until he made a great slaughter in the land
8:59-60 Let not the unbelievers think that they can get the better: they will never frustrate them.
Against them make ready your strength to the utmost of your power, including steeds of war, to strike terror into the enemies, of Allah and your enemies, and others besides, whom you may not know but whom Allah does.
That is the most open ended verse for violence that I know of....you need to slaughter those that you might not even know, but Allah does? There is no time limit on this, It is not 'Old Testiment' but used today by every violent Muslim...just following not only the Quran but Muhammeds example.
It's similar to how Christians will view Jesus, they try to do good things just as he is told to have done.
Comparing Christs acts to those of a Warlord practicing a theopolitical conquest beggers the imagination.