The classic dhimmi laws forbid Christians to build new churches or rebuild old ones, and even today, when those laws are not fully observed in the Islamic world, it is devilishly difficult for Christians to get permits to build new houses of worship and to repair old ones — even in secular Turkey and the “Arab Republic” of Egypt. This story comes to us from Egypt.
“Islamic Tolerance Alert: Muslim mob targets Christians for building church: Mosque blamed for igniting Islamic crowds to torch property,” by Aaron Klein for World Net Daily, July 26 (thanks to Weasel Zippers):
JERUSALEM — Hundreds of Muslims over the weekend tried to set a local Egyptian Christian’s home on fire after he announced he would turn the structure into a church, an Egyptian security source and local Christians told WND.
At least four Christian Copts and two Muslim policemen were wounded in the clashes that ensued this past Friday after about 500 local Muslims descended upon the small Christian village of Al-Hawasiliya, vowing to burn down the house.
Local Christians told WND the Muslim mob was provoked at local mosque services.
“The imams deliberately worked up the congregants against us,” a local Christian told WND yesterday.
The Muslims accused the Christian home owner of attempting to build a church without the proper local permits. Islamic Shariah law, not explicitly accepted by the Egyptian government, forbids the construction of any new churches in a Muslim state. Existing churches are allowed to remain but cannot be expanded and cannot conduct public ceremonies or ring church bells….