Islamapologeten Bernard Lewis

Alexandra Irene Larsen gir seg ikke, til tross for vektige tilsvar. Lars Gule har blant annet følgende sitat fra Bernard Lewis:

The Dhimmis were indeed second-class citizens, subject to both fiscal and social disabilities, and on a few rare occasions to open persecution. But by and large their position was infinitely superior to that of those communities who differed from the established church in western Europe in the same period. They enjoyed the free exercise of their religion, normal property rights, and were very frequently employed in the service of the state, though rarely in the highest offices. They were admitted to the craft guilds in some of which they actually predominated. They were seldom called upon to suffer martyrdom or exile for their beliefs (Lewis, The Arabs in History, Oxford/ New York: Oxford University Press, 1993, s. 101-103). 

Larsen skriver altså at "Nei, det arabiske samfunnet var tvert imot usedvanlig intolerant for sin tid." Mens en forsker hun selv liker å sitere skriver: "But by and large their position was infinitely superior to that of those communities who differed from the established church in western Europe in the same period."

Med andre ord: Det var i hovedtrekk klart bedre å være kristen eller jøde i det islamske midtøsten, enn å være ikke-kristen i det kristne Vest-Europa.