A Look to the Ban on Residence of the People of the Book

The important issue which is considered by Muslims and also the People of the Book (Arabic: اهل الکتاب, Ahl al-Kitāb) is to be beneficiary of it is if according to the holy Quran and jurisprudential evidences the People of the Book (the Jews and Christians) with considering that they possess a book, a revealed scripture can live in Mecca or these teachings have treated with them like infidels and the enemy of Islam and have banned and prohibited them to live. This paper using the descriptive-analytic method has examined this issue and with applying jurisprudential tools has studied and criticized the reasons of this prohibition and ban. The result indicates the lack of efficiency of the Quranic verses which are referred to and also the mentioned traditions providing no indication for this claim. In normal circumstances with adducing to the first principle of human freedom in choosing the place of residence it is issued that the legal verdict is permissible.