what is the purpose of the constitution of medina

• Determining the rights and responsibilities of the local population as well as the immigrants from Makkah
• Making agreements with the non-Muslim population of Madinah, especially the Jews, to ensure peace and harmony
• Creating a strategy and plan to defend the city against invasions
• Making resources available for the immigrants to make a living

Full Answer

What is the Constitution of Medina?

Constitution of Medina. Constitution of Medina, document from early Islamic history based upon two agreements concluded between the clans of Medina and the Prophet Muhammad soon after the Hijrah (Latin: Hegira), or emigration, to Medina in ad 622. The agreements established the muhājirūn, i.e., the early Muslims who followed Muhammad,...

What is the significance of the city of Medina in Islam?

The Prophet (PBUH) declared it openly to the people of the city, including Muslims and non-Muslims. As a result, the Muslims formed an Islamic state where people of all religions and backgrounds could coexist in peace. When the Muslims moved to Medina, there were large factions and tribes already there.

What is the best book on the Constitution of Medina?

The Constitution of Medina: Muḥammad’s First Legal Document. Princeton, NJ: Darwin, 2004. NNNThis is so far the only book dedicated to the treaty. It includes a critical edition of the two versions of the document (i.e., Ibn Ishaq’s and Abu ʿUbayd’s) based on many sources, both in book and manuscript form.

What was the purpose of the Charter of Medina?

The charter didn’t allow the people of Medina to take part in any fighting or bloodshed. This applied to all the participants, including Muslims and non-Muslims. They were all forbidden from taking part in any activities that would disrupt the peace in the land and cause tribulation.

Why is the Constitution of Medina important?

The Constitution of Medina establishes the umma as a community united across tribal boundaries and separate from pagan society. It also incorporates the Muhajirun into Medinan tribal structure, as the Muhajirun had abandoned the security of their Meccan clan links and were concerned about their future in Medina.

What was the purpose of Madina charter?

The Medina Charter, which provided a basis for a city-state between the Muslims and the Jews in the medieval Muslim city of Medina, was the first written constitution in Islam and the first documented case of constitutional law. It is also a historical example of conflict resolution in Islam.

What kind of document is the Constitution of Medina?

The Constitution of Medina, written on behalf of the Islamic prophet Muhammad in 622 CE, outlines the rights and duties of the people living in the city of Medina (present-day Saudi Arabia).

What were the main points of the charter of Medina?

The Medina Charter was composed of 4712 articles that individually addressed different elements of discord in Yathrib. The first 23 articles addressed the Muslim immigrants from Mecca and the Muslims of Yathrib. The second 24 articles were directed towards the Jews, Christians, and other non-Muslims of the community.

What is the significance of the Constitution of Medina quizlet?

What is the significance of the Constitution of Medina? It is the basis for continuing concordance between the surviving Arabian cultures.

What was the treaty of Medina?

The so-called “Constitution of Medina” (henceforward, “the treaty”) is the most significant document that survived from the time of the Prophet Muhammad. It created a new ummah, or community, not long after his arrival at Medina (Yathrib) in the Hijrah (622 CE).

When was the Constitution of Medina written?

Constitution of Medina, document from early Islamic history based upon two agreements concluded between the clans of Medina and the Prophet Muhammad soon after the Hijrah (Latin: Hegira), or emigration, to Medina in ad 622.

What are the main clauses of the charter of Madinah?

The Jewish tribes that were listed in the Medina Charter are Bani 'Auf, Bani al-Najjar, Bani al-Harith, Bani Saidah, Bani Jusyaim, Bani al-Aus, Bani Tha'labah, Bani Jafnah, and Bani Shutaibah. These Clauses stipulated that the Jews and the Muslim community are together as one ummah.

What are the main clauses of the Charter of Madinah?

The Jewish tribes that were listed in the Medina Charter are Bani 'Auf, Bani al-Najjar, Bani al-Harith, Bani Saidah, Bani Jusyaim, Bani al-Aus, Bani Tha'labah, Bani Jafnah, and Bani Shutaibah. These Clauses stipulated that the Jews and the Muslim community are together as one ummah.

What is the name of Islamic constitution of Pakistan?

The Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan (Urdu: آئین پاکستان), also known as the 1973 Constitution, is the supreme law of Pakistan.

Which is the first written constitution in the world?

The oldest written document still governing a sovereign nation today is that of San Marino. The Leges Statutae Republicae Sancti Marini was written in Latin and consists of six books.

What is the significance of the Medina Constitution?

Another important feature of the Constitution of Medina is the redefinition of ties between Muslims. It sets faith relationships above blood-ties and emphasizes individual responsibility. Tribal identities are still important to refer to different groups, but the "main binding tie" for the newly-created ummah is religion. That contrasts with the norms of pre-Islamic Arabia, which was a thoroughly tribal society, but Serjeant postulates the existence of earlier theocratic communities. According to Denny, "Watt has likened the Ummah as it is described in the document to a tribe, but with the important difference that it was to be based on religion and not on kinship". That is an important event in the development of the small group of Muslims in Medina to the larger Muslim community and empire.

What is the Constitution of Medina?

Constitution of Medina. The Constitution of Medina ( دستور المدينة, Dustūr al-Madīnah ), also known as the Charter of Medina ( Arabic: صحيفة المدينة ‎, Ṣaḥīfat al-Madīnah; or: ميثاق المدينة, Mīthāq al-Madīnah "Covenant of Medina"), was drawn up on behalf of the Islamic prophet Muhammad shortly after his arrival at Medina (then known as Yathrib) ...

Why was the Medina Constitution created?

The constitution was created to end the bitter intertribal fighting between the rival clans of Banu Aws and Banu Khazraj in Medina and to maintain peace and co-operation among all Medinan groups.

What was the name of the Jewish tribe that was expelled from Medina?

According to Islamic tradition, the invasion of Banu Qaynuqa, also known as the expedition against Banu Qaynuqa, occurred in AD 624. The Banu Qaynuqa were a Jewish tribe expelled by the Islamic prophet Muhammad for breaking the treaty known as the Constitution of Medina by pinning the clothes of a Muslim woman such that when she tried to move, her clothes tore and a part of her leg was displayed. A Muslim man who witnessed this act of shaming a woman, killed the Jewish man responsible for it in retaliation. The Jews came in group against the single Muslim man and killed him. This escalated to a chain of revenge killings, and enmity grew between Muslims and the Banu Qaynuqa, leading to the siege of their fortress. The tribe eventually surrendered to Muhammad, who on advise of Abdullah ibn Ubayy, expelled the Qaynuqa.

What was the role of Muhammad in the Medina Constitution?

Establishing the role of Muhammad as the mediating authority between the two groups and the others in Medina was central to the ending of Medinan internal violence and was an essential feature of the constitution. The document ensured freedom of religious beliefs and practices for all citizens who "follow the believers".

What is the main binding tie for the newly created Ummah?

Tribal identities are still important to refer to different groups, but the "main binding tie" for the newly-created ummah is religion. That contrasts with the norms of pre-Islamic Arabia, which was a thoroughly tribal society, but Serjeant postulates the existence of earlier theocratic communities.

Why were the Jewish tribes included in the Ummah?

One of the constitution's more interesting aspects was the inclusion of the Jewish tribes in the ummah because although the Jewish tribes were "one community with the believers", they also "have their religion and the Muslims have theirs".

What is the Constitution of Medina?

The so-called “Constitution of Medina” (henceforward, “the treaty”) is the most significant document that survived from the time of the Prophet Muhammad. It created a new ummah, or community, not long after his arrival at Medina (Yathrib) in the Hijrah (622 CE ). The term “constitution,” however, is a misnomer, because the treaty mainly deals with tribal matters such as the organization and leadership of the participating tribal groups, warfare, blood-wit, the ransoming of captives, and war expenditure. The two recensions of the treaty are found in Ibn Ishaq’s Biography of Muḥammad ( sira) and Abu ʿUbayd’s Book of State Finance ( Kitāb al-amwāl ). The main bone of contention concerns the treaty’s unity—or lack thereof. Some argue that it comprises several treaties concluded at different times. While there is no consensus on this point, the best way to achieve progress is the introduction into the scholarly debate of new evidence from the primary sources.

What is the only book dedicated to the Treaty of Medina?

NNNThis is so far the only book dedicated to the treaty. It includes a critical edition of the two versions of the document (i.e., Ibn Ishaq’s and Abu ʿUbayd’s) based on many sources, both in book and manuscript form. Each translated clause is followed by the translations of J. Wellhausen (“Muhammads Gemeindeordnung von Medina,” see Wellhausen 1889, below); A. J. Wensinck ( Muhammad and the Jews of Medina, translated and edited by W. H. Behn: Klaus Schwarz Verlag, Freiburg im Breisgau, 1975, pp. 52–61); W. M. Watt ( Muhammad at Medina, Oxford: Clarendon, 1956, pp. 221–225); and R. B. Serjeant (“The Sunnah Jāmiʿah ,” see Serjeant 1964, below). The translation is interspersed with philological and historical discussions. The appendices look into the time of the document, its unity, its recensions, the preservation of Ibn Ishaq’s recension (which is sometimes accompanied with an isnad ), and the term muwadaʿa.

What was Muhammad's new unity based on?

They were clients of various Arab tribes in whose territory they dwelt and by whose names they used to be called. Muhammad’s new unity was based on territory, and the main Jewish tribes lived outside of it. Muhammad’s ummah was a unity sharing the same religious orientation and included the Jews as “an umma of believers.” They were entitled to complete protection that also included their din.

What is the main bone of contention?

The main bone of contention concerns the treaty’s unity— or lack thereof. Some argue that it comprises several treaties concluded at different times. While there is no consensus on this point, the best way to achieve progress is the introduction into the scholarly debate of new evidence from the primary sources.

Who said the problems of the Constitution have largely been solved?

Relevant sources include Lecker 2004, Wellhausen 1889, Gil 1974, Hamidullah 1975, Denny 1977, Serjeant 1964, Goto 1982, Rubin 1985, Arjomand 2009, and Rose 2009. Serjeant argues that “the problems of the ‘Constitution’ have largely been solved even if relatively minor adjustments have still to be made.” However, many problems are still open to further research.

Who wrote the first constitution?

Hamidullah, Muhammad. The First Written Constitution in the World: An Important Document of the Time of the Holy Prophet. 3d rev. ed. Lahore, Pakistan: Sh. Muhammad Ashraf, 1394/1975.

Did Gil say the Jews were not parties to the Treaty of Medina?

According to Gil, the Jews were not party to this treaty, but were included in it as clients of the Arab (i.e., the non-Jewish) clans. Some of Gil’s proposed amendments do not conform to Arabic usage. Goto, A. “The Constitution of Medina.”.

What is the Constitution of Medina?

The Constitution of Medina, sometimes also called the “Ummah Document” 1, is a charter that contains the first legal and administrative principles regarding the obligations and rights between the Muslims and the inhabitants of Yathrib, later also called al-Madinah, or simply Medina (ANTHONY, 2020).

What did the Medina delegation promise?

Thus, the Medina delegation promised both to themselves and their countrymen to accept the Prophet and his companions when he arrived in the city , protecting him as if he were one of them. Upon arriving, Muhammad drafted the aforementioned Constitution, establishing something that can be called an alliance or even a federation between the eight tribes of Medina and the Muslims of Mecca, specifying the rights and duties of all.

How many articles are in the Ummah?

The Ummah Document, in the version provided by Lecker (2004), comprises 47 articles, in his translation to the English language below:

Why is the Ummah document important?

The Ummah Document has an extremely important character for the Islamic community of the time , since it better defined the relationship of Muslims with each other and also with the other religions that made up the context of 7th century Arabia , being notorious for the development of the small (and growing) number of Muslims who inhabited Medina.

What was the agreement between the Muslims and the Muslims in Medina?

Soon after arriving in Medina, Muhammad drew up a written agreement with the peoples of the town establishing relationships and obligations between the Meccan refugees , now known as “The Immigrants” (Muhajirun) and the Medinan Muslims, now known as “The Helpers” (Ansar). The agreement put forth articles such as “No believer will kill another believer because of an unbeliever, and no believer will aid an unbeliever against another believer”. Many of the smaller Jewish clans of the town were also included in this compact and were guaranteed the same security and rights as Muslims. All these groups together were “one community” (BROWN, 2011, p. 27)

Was the Constitution a treaty?

For Bernard Lewis (2002) in his The Arabs in History, the Constitution was not a mutual treaty in the modern sense, but an unilateral proclamation on the part of Muhammad. According to Welch (2009), the Constitution reveals the great diplomatic skills of the Prophet.

What are the obligations of the Ummah?

Obligations and expectations of aiding in debt, ransom, and other financial obligations that would previously fall to the clan are extended to all Believers here, thus moving the young community toward a conception of solidarity beyond tribe, one in which the ummah becomes a supertribe. As the size of the community swelled beyond a face-to-face community, these obligations took the form of Islamic law that we are familiar with: familial obligations, free and fair commercial exchange, prohibition of usury, obligation of zakāh, and encouragement of charity and debt forgiveness, etc.

When was the Kitāb concluded, why, and with whom?

Some scholars think that al-Shāfiʿī’s reference is to the Kitāb of Medina, and hold that the Kitāb was concluded soon after the Hijra and before the Battle of Badr. The other possibility is that the Prophet ﷺ had concluded a general, unwritten truce before Badr, and the actual Kitāb that has reached us was written after Badr. This second possibility is suggested by a set of sound hadith reports, which we shall reproduce below as they also help us understand the context of the treaty.

What does Ummah mean in the Qur'an?

Generally, ummah could mean, as it does in places in the Qur’an, (i) the community of the followers of all prophets since the beginning of time. On other occasions, (ii) it means the community that a prophet preaches to in any given era, and hence inclusive of his opponents (the more common term for which was qawm ). For instance, in a hadith in Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim, the Messenger ﷺ said, “By Him who holds Muḥammad’s soul in His hand, anyone who hears of me from this ummah, a Jew or a Christian, then dies without believing in what I have brought will be among the people of Fire” (Muslim no. 153), which means that in one meaning the term ummah encompasses all human beings after his commission until the end of time. This is glossed by scholars as ummat al-daʿwah. However, (iii) in this document, the Prophet ﷺ defines the ummah in the way that becomes the primary meaning of the term for all time, in accordance with the Qur’anic verses that were revealed about this time: “O you who believe… You are the best ummah …” (3:102-110) and “Thus we have made you the middlemost/best ummah …” (2:143). In this context, ummah could only mean a community defined by belief in and support of the Prophet Muḥammad’s ﷺ mission. The law revealed in the ensuing years was addressed to this community and its posterity, and through it to all humankind until the end of time. This community is addressed in the Qur’an as al-muʾminūn, the Believers, or yā ayyuhā alladhīna āmanū: O ye who believe.

What is the Ummah in the Pact of the Believers?

Ummah. The opening clauses of the Pact of the Believers establish the ummah as a religious and political community. Hamidullah translates ummah here as a political community, but it is evident that not only political order but also active struggle for faith is a constituent of the community.

Who prescribed blood money for each clan?

Hamidullah (p. 45) gives the following corroborating hadith from Musnad Aḥmad on the authority of Jābir b. ʿAbd Allāh, “The Messenger of Allah prescribed for each clan its blood money, and then wrote, ‘Verily it is not permitted that a contract of clientage of a Muslim individual should be entered into without the permission of his patron ( walī ).’”

What did the Prophet do in Yathrib?

As soon as he arrived in Yathrib, the Prophet ﷺ established a mosque that doubled as his headquarters. He also established a marketplace and a system of brotherhood ( muʾākhāh) in which some forty-five Emigrants were coupled with a Yathribite Believer each. [36] Finally, as soon as the Qur’an commanded to do so, he started sending out expeditions (that comprised only the Emigrants at this point) to intercept Meccan caravans, securing alliances or pledges of neutrality with tribes in key locations between Medina and Mecca. The justification of this policy was given in the Qur’an: “Permission [to fight] has been given to those who are being fought, because they were wronged… evicted from their homes without right—only because they say, ‘Our Lord is Allah’” (22:39-40). The Quraysh, furthermore, were guilty of “averting [people] from the way of Allah and disbelief in Him and [preventing access to] al-Masjid al-Harām and the expulsion of its people therefrom” (2:217). The strategy of intercepting caravans may also have emerged organically as a way to counter the Quraysh’s prevention of Muslims from visiting the Sacred Mosque, as suggested in a report in which the chief of al-Aws Saʿd b. Muʿādh, a friend of the Meccan Umayyah b. Khalaf, went to perform ʿUmrah and stayed with Umayyah. While performing the circling of the Kaʿba, trying not to be noticed, Saʿd was accosted by Abū Jahl. Perhaps not knowing that Saʿd too had embraced Islam, Abū Jahl challenged him, “I see you wandering about safely in Mecca while sheltering men who have changed their religion and have claimed that you will help and support them. By Allah, if you were not in the company of Abū Ṣafwān, you would not be able to return to your folk safely.” Saʿd retorted stoutly, “By Allah, if you should stop me from doing this, I will prevent you from something which is more valuable for you, that is, your passage through Medina.” [37]

What is the significance of the Medina Constitution?

Another important feature of the Constitution of Medina is the redefinition of ties between Muslims. It sets faith relationships above blood-ties and emphasizes individual responsibility. Tribal identities are still important to refer to different groups, but the “main binding tie” for the newly-created ummah is religion. That contrasts with the norms of pre-Islamic Arabia, which was a thoroughly tribal society, but Serjeant postulates the existence of earlier theocratic communities. According to Denny, “Watt has likened the Ummah as it is described in the document to a tribe, but with the important difference that it was to be based on religion and not on kinship”. That is an important event in the development of the small group of Muslims in Medina to the larger Muslim community and empire.

What is the Constitution of Medina?

The Constitution of Medina ( دستور المدينة , Dustūr al-Madīnah ), also known as the Charter of Medina ( صحيفة المدينة ‎, Ṣaḥīfat al-Madīnah; or: ميثاق المدينة , Mīthāq al-Madīnah ), was drawn up on behalf of the Islamic prophet Muhammad shortly after his arrival at Medina (then known as Yathrib) in 622 CE (or 1 AH), following the Hijra from Mecca.

Why was the Quraysh written in the Medinan period?

Montgomery Watt states that it must have been written in the early Medinan period because if the document been drafted later, it would have both had a positive attitude towards the Quraysh and given Muhammad a prominent place. Hubert Grimme states that it was drafted after the Battle of Badr. However, Leone Caetani claims that the document was complete before the battle.

What was the basis of the Islamic state in Medina?

The constitution formed the basis of a multi-religious Islamic state in Medina.

Who drafted the Medina Constitution?

After emigration to Medina, Muhammad drafted the constitution, “establishing a kind of alliance or federation” of the eight Medinan tribes and Muslim emigrants from Mecca and specifying the rights and duties of all citizens and the relationship of the different communities in Medina, including that of the Muslim community to other communities: the Jews and the other “Peoples of the Book”.

What rights do non-Muslims have?

Non-Muslim members have the same political and cultural rights as Muslims. They have autonomy and freedom of religion.

What was the Constitution of Medina?

The Constitution of Medina granted freedom of religion to all. Muslims had the right to freedom of religion. The same right was given to the non-Muslims minorities as well. People could believe in whatever they wished to as long as they didn’t violate any treaty.

What was the key to success for the Constitution of Medina?

The key to success for the Constitution of Medina was that all concerned parties obey all its laws. If anyone went against any of the laws or broke the treaties, they must face punishment. Similarly, they could not give an oppressor a free hand.

What did the Medina charter not allow?

The charter didn’t allow the people of Medina to take part in any fighting or bloodshed. This applied to all the participants, including Muslims and non-Muslims. They were all forbidden from taking part in any activities that would disrupt the peace in the land and cause tribulation.

What was the result of the migration of Muslims to Medina?

As a result, the Muslims formed an Islamic state where people of all religions and backgrounds could coexist in peace. When the Muslims moved to Medina, there were large ...

What was the importance of Medina?

The Constitution of Medina emphasized the importance of the communities helping each other and consulting with each other. The charter required Muslims and non-Muslims alike to fulfill all pledges and abide by the rules of the treaty. Going against these rules was tantamount to breaking the law and was completely forbidden.

Who is the final authority in Medina?

Allah and the Prophet (PBUH) are the final authority in case of a dispute. If any of the people of Medina had a dispute about anything, the Constitution of Medina stipulated that they must refer it to Allah and the Prophet (PBUH). Any ruling that comes from Allah or His Prophet (PBUH) is far above and beyond any ruling or solution ...

Who had the responsibility to defend Medina?

All people shared joint responsibility of defending Medina if it came under attack. The Muslims and the non-Muslims had the same responsibility. All communities were one when it came to protection and safety. Similarly, all had to take responsibility to protect Medina if it came under attack.

Introduction to the Ṣaḥīfah or Kitāb of Medina

Numerous sound hadith reports corroborate parts of this document. Its authenticity in its reported form as a single document, however, has been called into question, for we do not possess a single sound chain of authorities (isnād) for it.

Analysis

Before I further analyze this text, a note of appreciation is in order. Dr. Muhammad Hamudillah (d.

Medina at the time of the Blessed Hijra

Our story begins in Yathrib, an oasis in a valley in the Hijāẓ mountains that was less a town than a patchwork of neighborhoods inhabited by two warring Arab tribes and their Jewish allies.

When was the Kitāb concluded, why, and with whom?

Imām al-Shāfiʿī declared that he knew of no disagreement among the scholars of Sīrah that, when the Messenger of Allah ﷺ arrived in Medina, he made a truce (dhimmah) with the Jews without imposing jizyah (poll tax) on them.39 For a master jurist like him who was looking back after the Shariah had been completed, this was the most apt description of the Kitāb: it was no different from the dhimmah that became the Qur’anic law except that, rather than a fixed poll tax, the Jews were to contribute troops and expenses to the common defense.

What does the Kitāb of Medina mean today?

Why and how has the Kitāb of Medina become significant today? One influential and typical modern Muslim deployment of the Kitāb is by the leader of Tunisia’s Ennahda party, Rachid al-Ghannouchi.

Acknowledgments

This article has benefited immensely from encouragement and extensive feedback by my dear friend Dr. Jonathan Brown, and thorough and insightful suggestions by Drs. Samuel Ross and Anse Tamara Gray that inspired me to rethink and rewrite many parts. I am grateful to them all. I also want to thank Dr. Omar Suleiman, Sh. Ismail Kamdar, Br.

Overview

Background

Historical sources

Original text

Quraysh

Analysis

See also

Sources