What do the esteemed scholars, the leading authorities in religion, say concerning the churches in Cairo and elsewhere that were closed by order of the rulers? If the non-Muslims under Muslim protection claim that these churches were closed unjustly, that they are entitled to have them reopened, and petition the ruler—may Allah Most High strengthen him and grant him victory—to that effect, are their claims to be accepted? Must their request be granted, or not?

If they say that these churches have existed since the time of the Commander of the Faithful, ʿUmar ibn al-Khattāb—may Allah be pleased with him—and other Muslim caliphs; that they ask to be allowed to remain as they were in the time of ʿUmar and others; and that closing these churches contravenes the ruling of the Rightly Guided Caliphs—is this statement of theirs to be accepted or rejected?

If these protected non-Muslims approach an envoy or someone else arriving from lands at war with the Muslims and ask him to petition the ruler to reopen the churches, or correspond with the rulers of those lands so that they may request this from the Muslim ruler, are they entitled to do so? Does doing so invalidate their covenant of protection, or not?

And if someone says that, unless their request is granted, harm will befall the Muslims