Zunnar

Zunnar (also spelled "zunar" or "zonar"; زنار zunār) was a distinctive belt or girdle, part of the clothing that Dhimmi (e.g. Jews, Christians and Zoroastrians) were required to wear within the islamic caliphate regions to distinguish them from Muslims. Though not always enforced, the zunnar served, together with a set of other rules, as a covert tool of discrimination.

Etymology
The word originates from the diminutive of the Greek zone, probably via Aramaic zunnārā. In Syriac, it denotes the girdle worn by monks.

Description
The zunnar was usually wider then a regular belt (as to make it distinguishable) and was often worn with patches of varying colours. The requirement to wear it has been attributed to the so-called Covenant of Umar, however this covenant seems to have been a set of practices that were only formalised in around the 9th century. It seems likely that the belt was only one part of the intention to oblige non-Muslims to keep their usual costumes as to prevent them from being confused with Muslims.

In case of omission of belt, the punishment could be whipping, imprisonment or public humiliation. Although the wearing of the zunnar was not always enforced, it could always be implemented at the discretion of any Muslim ruler as was done for instance under the Abbasid caliph al-Mutawakkil or Fatimid caliph al-Hakim. Another example come from the year 1301 when the Mamluks purged Christians and Jews from administrative positions and additionally forced Christians to wear the zunnar and a blue turban.

Modern usage

 * In 2001, the Taliban in Afghanistan required Afghan Hindus to wear yellow badges.
 * Zunnar is a Palestinian article of clothing used mainly as a belt around the waist.