Religious Tolerance and Social Hierarchy in the Abbasid Caliphate

The Abbasid Caliphate exhibited a degree of religious tolerance, allowing Jewish and Christian communities to conduct their affairs with relative ease, provided they accepted their subordinate social status. These communities maintained their own hierarchical structures, particularly in regions like Iraq and Palestine, where they were recognized figures within society. While they paid slightly higher taxes than Muslims, their societal roles were largely stable, except during periods of upheaval, which could lead to mob violence against them, similar to that faced by others. Generally, Christians and Jews were not enslaved and enjoyed certain rights as second-class citizens, although outbreaks of fanaticism and forced conversions were exceptions rather than the norm. Christians notably held positions as civil servants in the Abbasid Caliphate and the Fatimid Caliphate in Egypt but were barred from military command or ruling positions, which reinforced the established social hierarchy.