Question

How did Muslim conquerors usually treat Christians and Jews in the lands they conquered?

Answer 1

Do you want a politically correct or honest answer?

PC) With the utmost dignity and compassion, because men of faith do no wrong.

H) Just the same as Templars treated Muslims during the crusades, innocents were slaughtered, relics were stolen, and women were raped.

Answer 2

They killed everyone who didnt believe or convert to their religion

Answer 3

Depends. If you look back on the classic era of the Islamic empires, for the most part they were left alone. Though they spread by the sword, people weren't "massacred" en masse as a matter of practice -- not denying that it happened from time to time, though.

What usually happened back then is that you were either not allowed to rise up very far in society or administration and were required to pay the jizya -- a tax on non-Muslims -- to the state unless you converted. The Umayyads restricted anyone who wasn't Muslim, or even Arab, from rising too far in goverment. The Abbasids, who came into power after throwing the Umayyads down, were different and opened the door to anyone making their period of rule a "Golden Age" for Islam.

Though it's true that Crusaders slaughtered Muslims (it wasn't only the Templars), Muslims such as Saladin often avoided practicing the same fate on their foes. Case in point, Jerusalem.

Though Kingdom of Heaven is largely fiction, it was based on historical references. Saladin did allow both Christians and Jews to leave the city largely unharmed. All this despite the blood spilled by Crusaders centuries earlier in 1099 when they nearly killed everyone there after taking it in the First Crusade, Jews included. His actions had caused a number of Western writers to consider him as chivalric as any knight earning him respect even from his enemies.

Answer 4

They overthrew their countries in the name of Allah. Atheists, or those the Qur'an calls Infidels had to convert to Islam and if they resisted, they were killed.

For Christians and Jews, well they occupied their nations and were forced to pay the Jizya, that is a tax. With it they built the Mosque of Omar that is in Jerusalem today.

Non-Muslims often had to dress in common clothes and were prohibited from riding horses--a reminder of their subjection.

And when they paid their tax, they must approach the collector with their faces down, not looking in his eyes. Again, to remind them they were inferior and in subjection. Then the collector would slap them in the face before taking their money.

In most conquered countries, the Christians usually converted after a couple generations. Then they did not have to pay the tax.