Multi-Religious Affairs Under the Muslim Legal System: A Historical Study of Umar’s Transformative Approaches in Islamicjerusalem after the First Muslim Conquest (637CE)

For a long time Islamic Jerusalem (Bayt al-Maqdis) has seem to be a vulnerable region attracting attention from various parties. With the coming of the Muslims to liberate Islamicjerusalem in 637CE, the situation inside and outside the territory seems to have experienced various kinds of approaches. The first Muslim conquest of Islamicjerusalem led by cUmar (13-23 AH/ 634-644 CE) brought certain legislative indications, mentioned through cUmar’s Assurance of Am?n (Safety) for the people of Aelia. Accordingly, this research attempts to examine transformative approaches adopted by Umar in implementing Muslim legal system within multi-religious communities in Aelia (Islamicjerusalem) due to the first Muslim conquest. This research employed inter-disciplinary research methodologies. While, historical research methodology is widely used to investigate significant historical facts and records during Umar’s period, Islamic research methodology is also be employed to provide a basis of Muslim understandings towards the implementation of concept of sovereignty. The study found that Umar attempted to implement the Muslim law in Islamic jerusalem with transformative mind and subtle approach. He always initiated changes with full respect for others’ beliefs. Umar had also showed a strong commitment to implementing it over the people of Islamic jerusalem away from any kind of oppression and maltreatment. This study concludes that Islamic jerusalem after the first Muslim conquest could also be the best model in representing the implementation of the Muslim legal aspects of sovereignty within the multi-religious and multi-cultural communities, where Muslims only formed the minority.