whatever may lawfully be inflicted upon those who persist in defiance and opposition.

As for the saying that some ordinary people attribute to the Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—

“Whoever harms a non-Muslim under Muslim protection has harmed me,”

this is a lie attributed to the Messenger of Allah—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—which no scholar has transmitted. How could it be otherwise, when harming them may be justified or unjustified? Indeed, Allah Most High says:

“And those who harm believing men and believing women for no wrong they have committed have certainly burdened themselves with slander and manifest sin.”

How, then, could he prohibit harming disbelievers unconditionally? And what sin is greater than disbelief? However, in Sunan Abī Dāwūd, al-‘Irbād ibn Sāriyah—may Allah be pleased with him—reports that the Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—said:

“Allah has not permitted you to enter the homes of the People of the Book without permission, to beat them, or to eat their fruit, provided they have given you what they owe.”

‘Umar ibn al-Khattāb—may Allah be pleased with him—used to say: “Humiliate them, but do not wrong them.”

Safwān ibn Sulaym reports from several sons of the Prophet’s Companions, who related from their fathers that the Messenger of Allah—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—said:

“Beware! Whoever wrongs a person protected by a treaty, deprives him of his due, burdens him beyond his capacity, or takes anything from him without his willing consent—I shall be his adversary on the Day of Resurrection.”

In Sunan Abī Dāwūd, Qābūs ibn Abī Zabyān reports from his father, from Ibn ‘Abbās—may Allah be pleased with them both—who related that the following words were spoken by