[5] Traditions about the tolerance shown towards the monastery were reported in governmental documents issued in Cairo and during the period of Ottoman rule (1517–1798), the Pasha of Egypt annually reaffirmed its protections.

The Testamentum et pactiones inter Mohammedem et Christianae fidei cultores, which was published in Arabic and Latin by Gabriel Sionita in 1630 represents a covenant concluded between Muhammad and the Christians of the World.

He will be regarded as one who has corrupted the oath of God, disbelieved His Testament, rejected His Authority, despised His Religion, and made himself deserving of His Curse, whether he is a Sultan or any other believer of Islam.

Their judges should not be changed or prevented from accomplishing their offices, nor the monks disturbed in exercising their religious order, or the people of seclusion be stopped from dwelling in their cells.

Verily I shall keep their compact, wherever they may be, in the sea or on the land, in the East or West, in the North or South, for they are under My protection and the testament of My safety, against all things which they abhor.

No one has the right to interfere with their affairs, or bring any action against them—Verily this is for aught else and not for them; rather, in the seasons of crops, they should be given a Kadah for each Ardab of wheat (about five bushels and a half) as provision for them, and no one has the right to say to them this is too much, or ask them to pay any tax.

[6]Many early modern scholars accepted the authenticity of the work, including Franciscus Quaresmius, Balthasar de Monconys, and Kara Mustafa Pasha.

[9][10][11] However, since the 19th century several aspects of the Ashtiname, notably the list of witnesses, have been questioned by some scholars,[12] with several noting the lack of any reference to such documents in classical Islamic texts.

For example, in 2009, in the pages of The Washington Post, Muqtedar Khan[14] translated the document in full, arguing: Those who seek to foster discord among Muslims and Christians focus on issues that divide and emphasize areas of conflict.

However, modern interpretation has extended this tolerance to other faiths, such as Judaism and Hinduism: Quran (2:256) "There is no compulsion and coercion in regard to religion..."[16]In 2018, the final legal judgement in the Pakistani Asia Bibi blasphemy case cited the covenant.