Одним из первых правовых институтов возникших в исламе является институт судебной власти. Подобно системе общего права, мусульманское право развивалось частично в процессе развития судебной системы. Если в начале судебная система была частична независимая, то впоследствии оно стало инструментом в руках властей. Вместе с этим судебная власть в мусульманских государствах никогда не была послушным инструментом в руках правителей, хотя и есть исключения.
The rights of religious minorities occupies special place in Islamic law. The status of religious minorities in Islamic state has always been a matter of concern for Islamic authorities as well as jurists. Nowadays, when the majority of Islamic scholars as well as critics call for the harmonisation of Islamic law and international human rights standards, the special attention in this connection deserves the question of equal co-existence of Muslim with non-Muslims in Islamic countries. In the contrast, traditionalist scholars (ulamas) claim that Islamic law cannot be harmonised with any other legal systems of the worlds, since it is God"s law, emphasising its immutability and sacred nature.
The present study attempts to examine and analyse the period of reign of each caliph of Umaiyad dynasty and give critical evaluation of their policy and actions towards non-Muslim subjects of caliphate. Particularly, the emphasis is given to the position of Christians, which were one of the major groups in caliphate.