- Published in print:
- 2007
- Published Online:
- June 2013
- ISBN:
- 9780804754583
- eISBN:
- 9780804779487
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Stanford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.11126/stanford/9780804754583.003.0003
- Subject:
- Society and Culture, Jewish Studies
In the nineteenth century, the numbers of the “despised” Jews in Iran had declined substantially compared to the increasing population of Muslims. Aside from such factors as insecurity, political ...
More
In the nineteenth century, the numbers of the “despised” Jews in Iran had declined substantially compared to the increasing population of Muslims. Aside from such factors as insecurity, political unrest, epidemics, poor sanitary conditions, earthquakes, and occasional famine, the decline in Jewish population in Iran can also be attributed to the distress felt by the Jews that precipitated their conversion or emigration. Accusations of blood libels, conversion, persecution, and mistreatment during the early Qajar period were among the afflictions that the Iranian Jews had to deal with. This chapter, which examines the plight of Jews and other religious minorities in Iran under Nasir al-Din Shah (early period, 1848–1866), looks at how Mashhad Jews were forced to embrace Islam in 1839, along with misgovernment in Mashhad and Herat.Less
In the nineteenth century, the numbers of the “despised” Jews in Iran had declined substantially compared to the increasing population of Muslims. Aside from such factors as insecurity, political unrest, epidemics, poor sanitary conditions, earthquakes, and occasional famine, the decline in Jewish population in Iran can also be attributed to the distress felt by the Jews that precipitated their conversion or emigration. Accusations of blood libels, conversion, persecution, and mistreatment during the early Qajar period were among the afflictions that the Iranian Jews had to deal with. This chapter, which examines the plight of Jews and other religious minorities in Iran under Nasir al-Din Shah (early period, 1848–1866), looks at how Mashhad Jews were forced to embrace Islam in 1839, along with misgovernment in Mashhad and Herat.
- Published in print:
- 2007
- Published Online:
- June 2013
- ISBN:
- 9780804754583
- eISBN:
- 9780804779487
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Stanford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.11126/stanford/9780804754583.003.0007
- Subject:
- Society and Culture, Jewish Studies
The general spirit of the dhimmah concept became fully ingrained in many parts of Muslim society in Iran during the nineteenth century. The Jews and other dhimmis were considered secondary to Muslims ...
More
The general spirit of the dhimmah concept became fully ingrained in many parts of Muslim society in Iran during the nineteenth century. The Jews and other dhimmis were considered secondary to Muslims and had to endure discrimination, persecution, humiliation, and other forms of abuse during the early Qajar period (1786–1848). Some Jews were forced to convert to Islam as a result of these ordeals. Although pressure from other countries and Western Jewry led to some changes in the Jews' political status and their daily experience during the reign of Nasir al-Din Shah, there was little cause for optimism. Fearing social resentment and riots, the government did not fully implement the Shah's policies to improve the plight of the Jews. In other words, the Jews' social and religious status essentially remained the same.Less
The general spirit of the dhimmah concept became fully ingrained in many parts of Muslim society in Iran during the nineteenth century. The Jews and other dhimmis were considered secondary to Muslims and had to endure discrimination, persecution, humiliation, and other forms of abuse during the early Qajar period (1786–1848). Some Jews were forced to convert to Islam as a result of these ordeals. Although pressure from other countries and Western Jewry led to some changes in the Jews' political status and their daily experience during the reign of Nasir al-Din Shah, there was little cause for optimism. Fearing social resentment and riots, the government did not fully implement the Shah's policies to improve the plight of the Jews. In other words, the Jews' social and religious status essentially remained the same.
