until a Muslim passed by. The dhimmī would then say to him, “O Muslim, will you allow me to walk through with you?” The Muslim would answer, “Yes,” and the dhimmī would enter alongside him, wearing the ghiyār—the badge that distinguished the People of the Covenant. When the mosque attendant caught sight of him, he would shout, “Go back! Go back!” The Muslim would respond, “I have granted him permission,” and the attendant would leave him be.
In this connection, Ibn Ḥazm presents an insightful discussion demonstrating that the word al-mushrikīn (the polytheists) in the previous verse includes the Jews and Christians, contrary to the view of Abū Ḥanīfah (may Allah have mercy on him). It is essential to quote his remarks, for they contain valuable benefits and clear away certain doubts about some Qur’anic verses—points seldom found elsewhere. He, may Allah have mercy on him, said:
“As for Abū Ḥanīfah’s claim, he argued that Allah, exalted is He, has distinguished the polytheists from the rest of the disbelievers, for He says: ‘Those who disbelieved from among the People of the Book and the polytheists were not about to desist…’ (Al-Bayyinah 1), and He says: ‘Indeed, those who believe, those who were Jews, the Sabians, the Christians, the Magians, and those who associate partners with Allah—Allah will judge between them…’ (Al-Ḥajj 17). According to him, a polytheist is someone who ascribes a partner to Allah, not one who refrains from doing so.
“Ibn Ḥazm comments: He has no proof beyond what we have just cited.
“As for his reliance on the two verses, they provide him with no evidence, because Allah, the Exalted, also says: ‘In both of them are fruit, date-palms, and pomegranates’ (Al-Raḥmān 68), although pomegranates are themselves a kind of fruit; He says: ‘Whoever is an enemy to Allah, His angels, His messengers, Gabriel, and Michael…’ (Al-Baqarah 98), yet Gabriel and Michael are both angels; and He says: ‘When We took from the prophets their covenant—from you, from Noah, from Abraham, from Moses, and from Jesus…’ (Al-Aḥzāb 7), and all of these are prophets.”