Preservation of Cultural Heritage

community included, among other provisions, a clause stipulating that the items present in Christian churches would be preserved—such as the statues of Mary and Christ and the sacred wood on which, according to Christian belief, Jesus was crucified: “This is the assurance of safety granted by the servant of God, Umar son of al-Khattab, the leader of the believers, to the people of Aelia. He grants them security for their lives and their property, for their churches and their crosses, for the sick among them and the healthy, and for all those who follow their faith. Their churches shall not be inhabited by others, nor shall they be destroyed. Nothing shall be diminished from them, from their premises, from their crosses, or from any of their possessions. They shall not be compelled in matters of their religion, nor shall any one of them be harmed.” (Tarikh alTabari, Vol. 3, p. 609) These things were part of Christian culture, yet the agreement stated that the Christian community would have the right to ensure that their churches would not be demolished and that no harm would be done to their cultural heritage. They were free to protect their culture in whatever way they wished. From this precedent set by the second caliph, it