User:Neptunerover/History of Arab Cristians sandbox
During certain historic eras, Arab Christians have lived harmoniously with followers of other religions in the Middle East (especially Muslims and Jews). Through the rapid expansion of Islam from the 7th century onwards, substantial Christian populations came under Islamic rule. Many Christians chose not to embrace Islam but maintain their original beliefs. As "People of the Book", Christians in the region were given certain rights under the theory of Islamic law of Shariah to practice their religion free of interference or punishment (with certain restrictions regarding the nature of public worship).
Arab Christians existed earlier than the Arab Muslims, since many Arab tribes embraced Christianity in the first century, including the Nabatean (which is a descendant of Aramea) and Ghassanids (originally Qahtani, who spoke Arabic-Yemen and Greek), who protected the southeastern limits of the Byzantine Empire in the Arab north. Arab Christians gave much input to the Arab civilization and still do so. Many Arab Christians are medical specialists, writers, and government officials. Certain Arab Christians are highly regarded poets.
Further reading[change | change source]
- Twice a Stranger by Bruce Clark. Publisher: Granta Books (March 5, 2007)# ISBN 1862079242, # ISBN 978-1862079243 has very limited information on Assyrian Christians.
- Not Even My Name: A True Story by Thea Halo. Publisher: Picador; 1st Picador USA Pbk. Ed edition (June 2, 2001) ISBN 0312277016, ISBN 978-0312277017
- A History of the Modern Middle East by William L. Cleveland. # Publisher: Westview Press; 3 edition (July 1, 2004) ISBN 0813340489, ISBN 978-0813340487
- Sources in the History of the Modern Middle East by Akram Fouad Khater. Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Company (April 9, 2003) ISBN 0395980674, ISBN 978-0395980675