The Muslim conquest entailed the subjugation of large populations throughout the conquered territories. As we have seen in the first chapter, the Muslims were at first generally content with the submission of the local inhabitants and their agreement to pay tax, and in return allowed them in most cases to continue their lives as before. However, as time went by the growing presence of Muslims in cities that had previously been occupied solely by non-Muslims necessitated certain changes and adaptations in those cities where Muslims and non-Muslims lived side by side. This led, as we have seen, to the drawing up of Shurūt ʿUmar, a universal document which gradually replaced the former diversified treaties.

While the question of the enforcement of the Shurūt has been widely discussed, the question of its provenance has been neglected. The aim of the present chapter is to try and trace the origins of the various components of Shurūt ʿUmar. The principal question is therefore: what were the sources of the various elements of this document that defined the position of non-Muslims in this newly emerging society? My assumption is that an examination of the origin of the notions, concepts, and terms of which this document is made up will lead to a better understanding of its social significance and goals.