The Islamic State (IS) has announced, in a statement dated 19 Ramadan 1435 (July 17, 2014), that it has decided to give Christians living in Ninawa, Iraq, three days, ending July 19, to leave the "caliphate." The order, per the statement, came after Christian community leaders there failed to show up for a meeting called by the IS at which the status of the Christians within the IS was to be discussed.
The statement said that IS leader Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi, who is referred to as 'Ameer Al-Mu'mineen Ibrahim the Caliph, was gracious enough to allow the Christians these three days to exit the "caliphate's border." The statement added that during the above meeting, Christians were presented with three options: converting to Islam, remaining Christian and accepting the conditions of dhimma (protection) including paying the jizya poll tax, or facing "the sword."
Notably, the statement said that Christians were allowed to leave the IS-controlled areas by "themselves only." This could mean that they could not take others with them, or that they could not take their possessions with them.
Below are excerpts from the IS statement:
"After informing the leaders of the Christians and their followers with the date of attendance for [the purpose of] clarifying their status under the [rule of the] caliphate state in the wilaya [province] of Ninawa, [they] avoided [the call] and didn't show up on the specified date, about which they were notified previously. And it was planned [during that meeting] to present them with one of three [options]:
"1- Islam [i.e. to convert to Islam]
"2- Dhimma agreement (and it [entails the] collection of jizya from them)
"3- And if they refused that, then they have nothing but the sword
"And 'Ameer Al-Mu'mineen the caliph Ibrahim [i.e. IS leader Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi]… was gracious [enough] with them [i.e. Christians] by allowing them to evacuate the borders of the caliphate state themselves only, to the date ending with Saturday, 21 Ramadan, 1435 [corresponding to July 19, 2014], at twelve noon. And after this date, the sword will be the only thing between us…."
Source: twitter.com/Sahwat_News, July 18, 2014.
