But before I carry on, I must say that my intention is not to start talking about what a peaceful religion Islam is, nor I intend to apologise for anything.
My intention, as a student of Islamic Studies and History, is to share some information from historical sources.
The history of church building is relatively well documented and thus it is possible to see what the situation with church construction was in the early conquest period of Islam. There are, for example, epigraphic, documentary and literary evidences of the continuation of church building in Edessa and a vibrant church and monastic culture during the seventh and eighth centuries in Mosul.
There are many examples, such as the ones in the Life of Simeon of the Olives who wished to build churches and monasteries in Nibis, and succeeded in getting a letter from the Arab governor saying that the 'laws of the Christians' be respected in the Arabs' territory.'
Another example is in Syriac from Life of Gabriel of Qartmin, the metropolitan bishop of Dara from 634 to 648. Here is what it says:
"Now this Mor Gabriel went to the court of the sovereign of the Arabs, who was 'Umar the son of Khattab, in the city of Jazire. He was received with great gladness and after a few days the Blessed One [i.e. Gabriel] petitioned the commander and received his written authority concerning the statutes and laws and orders and warnings and judgements and observances pertaining to the Christians; to churches and monasteries; and to priests and deacons, that they should not pay the head tax and to monks that they should be exempt from tribute, and that the use of wooden gong would not be banned; and that they might practise the chanting of anthems at the bier of dead man when he leaves his house to be taken for burial, together with many other customs. The sovereign was pleased that the Blessed One had come to him; and the holy man returned to the abbey with great joy."
The above mentioned is certainly a very brief peek into the early history of church construction under the Muslim rule, and there are certainly cases of restrictions and prohibitions, however, nothing can change the fact that Christians enjoyed their usual way of life and religious customs under the early Muslim rule.
It is unfortunate that there is much ignorance around this subject these days, but as the saying goes: "You are now ignorant, as we are now ignorant, of how things were at the beginning."
