jizia

English translation: tribute or sinecure tax on non Muslim subjects

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
Arabic term or phrase:jiziya
English translation:tribute or sinecure tax on non Muslim subjects
Entered by: Tamara Salvio

16:49 Mar 13, 2001
Arabic to English translations [PRO]
Arabic term or phrase: jizia
In the context of a Moroccan city with a large Jewish population (this has been translated from the French): In 1815 James Riley sketched a social tableau of the Jewish population and revealed that the great majority of Jews were miserable while the four wealthiest merchants paid half of the jizia of 3,900 dollars.
Tamara Salvio
United States
Local time: 15:07
Tribute paid by non-Muslim subject populations
Explanation:
"Jiziya" equates to tribute ("sinecure tax") paid hoistorically to Ottoman authorities by non-Muslim subject populations Arabic: ("dhimii") for their protection and observance of legal status.

HTH.
Selected response from:

Stephen Franke
United States
Local time: 15:07
Grading comment
Thank you for your quick response! This makes perfect sense in the context.

Best regards,
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
naTribute paid by non-Muslim subject populations
Stephen Franke
naJizya or capitation tax
Ghassan Ghosn


  

Answers


9 mins
Tribute paid by non-Muslim subject populations


Explanation:
"Jiziya" equates to tribute ("sinecure tax") paid hoistorically to Ottoman authorities by non-Muslim subject populations Arabic: ("dhimii") for their protection and observance of legal status.

HTH.

Stephen Franke
United States
Local time: 15:07
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in pair: 240
Grading comment
Thank you for your quick response! This makes perfect sense in the context.

Best regards,

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
AhmedAMS
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1 day 8 hrs
Jizya or capitation tax


Explanation:
I have no qualms with the above translation, but I would prefer to use Jizya or Jizyah with an added definition between parantheses or in footnote (capitation tax), as this word has been accepted in English. Webster's Third New International Dictionary defines it as such, adding that it was levied on non-Mulims in an Islamic state. In Hans Wehr's excellent Arabic-English dictionary, it's considered as a tribute or "head tax on FREE non-Muslims under Muslim rule (my emphasis).

It's evident from the aforementioned information that the 'Ottoman' part of the previous answer is too modern!. The Jizya started with Muslim conquests MANY centuries before the Ottomans came to power.

Ghassan Ghosn
Local time: 00:07
Native speaker of: Native in ArabicArabic
PRO pts in pair: 4
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