and their establishment of monasteries where others congregate? They are distinguished from others only by things that intensify their disbelief and make them leaders in disbelief, such as acts of worship involving impurities, abstention from marriage and meat, and clothing that is a distinctive mark of disbelief. This is especially so because they sustain the Christian religion through the deceptive tricks they display—about which learned men have written works—their corrupt acts of worship, and their acceptance of their coreligionists’ votive offerings and endowments.

Among them, the sole condition for being a monk is abstention from marriage. Nevertheless, they allow him to be a batrak, a batraq, a priest, or another leader of disbelief whose commands and prohibitions they follow. They may also acquire wealth just as others do. Scholars therefore do not dispute that these are among the Christians most liable to be killed in wartime and to have the jizya collected from them in peacetime. Nor do they dispute that they belong to the same category as those leaders of disbelief about whom al-Siddīq, may Allah be pleased with him, made his statement and recited the words of the Most High:

“Fight the leaders of disbelief.”

This is further clarified by the words of Allah, Glorified and Exalted:

“Indeed, many of the rabbis and monks devour people’s wealth unjustly and turn others away from the way of Allah.”

The Most High also says:

“They have taken their rabbis and monks, as well as the Messiah, son of Mary, as lords besides Allah, though they were commanded only to worship one God. There is no deity worthy of worship except Him. Exalted is He above whatever they associate with Him.”

Would any scholar, then, say that the leaders of disbelief who turn their ordinary followers away from the way of