Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) - Part 12 - The Charter of Medina

by Shahnawaz Khan Sat, 19-Apr-2025 Prophets 👁 77 views
Muhammad's(ﷺ) Charter - Jews and Muslims unite to defend against enemies
Medina and its suburb were at this time inhabited by three distinct parties, the Emigrants, the Helpers, and the Jews. In order to weld them together into an orderly federation, the Prophet granted a charter to the people, clearly defining their rights and obligations. This charter represented the framework of the first commonwealth organized by the Prophet.

It started thus:
'In the name of he Most Merciful and Compassionate Lord, this charter is given by Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) to all believers, whether of Quraish or Medina, and all individuals of whatever origin who have made common cause with them, who shall all constitute one nation."

The following are some extracts from the charter:
  • The state of peace and war shall be common to all Muslims;
  • no one among them shall have the right of concluding peace with, or declaring war against, the enemies of his co-religionists.
  • The Jews who attach themselves to our commonwealth shall be protected from all insults and vexations;
  • they shall have an equal right with our people to our assistance and good offices.
  • The Jews of the various branches and all others doiciled in Medina shall form with the Muslims one composite nation;
  • they shall practice their religion as freely as the Muslims. The allies of the Jews shall enjoy the same security and freedom. The guilty shall be pursued and punished.
  • The Jews shall join the Muslims in defending Medina all enemies.
  • The interior of Medina shall be a sacred place for all who accept this charter. All true Muslims shall hold in abhorrence every man guilty of crime, injustice or disorder;
  • no one shall uphold the culpable, though he be his nearest kin.
After dealing with the interior management of the State, the charter concluded as follows:
"All future disputes arising among those who accept this charter shall be referred, under Allah to the Prophet."

Thus this charter put an end to the state of anarchy that prevailed among the Arabs. It constituted the Prophet Muhammad(ﷺ) as chief magistrate of the nation.

Charter faces Mutiny (Inside enemies) - The Hypocrites and unsatisfied Jews
The party of the Ansars, or Helpers, included some lukewarm converts who retained an ill-concealed predilection for idolatry. These were headed by Abdullah Ibn Ubai, a man with some claims to distinction. They ostensibly joined Islam, but in secret were disaffected. They often were a source of considerable danger to the newborn commonwealth and required unceasing watchfulness on the part of the Prophet(ﷺ).

Towards them he always showed the greatest patience and forbearance, hoping in the end to win them over to the faith, which expectations were fully justified by the result. While the death of Abdullah Ibn Ubai, his party which were known as the party of the "Munafiqeen" (the Hypocrites) disappeared.

The Jews who constituted the third party of the Medinites were, however, the most serious element of danger. No kindness or generous treatment on the part of the Prophet would seem to satisfy them. They soon broke off and ranged themselves with the enemies of the new faith. They did not hesitate to declare openly that they preferred idolatry, with its attendant evils, to the faith of Islam.

Thus, the Prophet(ﷺ) had to keep an eye on his enemies outside Medina, on the one hand, and those within the city on the other. The Meccans who had sworn Muhammad's death were well acquainted, thanks to the party of the Hypocrites and of the Jews at Medina, with the real forces of the Muslims. They also knew that the Jews had accepted Muhammad's alliance only from motives of temporary expedience and that they would break away from him to join the idolaters as soon as the latter showed themselves in the vicinity of Medina. The safety of the state required the proscription of the traitors who were secretly giving information to the common enemy. About six men were executed for high treason of this nature.

Madina under Sabotage style attacks on Food, Cattle etc...
Towards the second year of the hijrah, the idolaters of Mecca began a series of hostile acts against the Muslims of Medina. They sent men in parties to commit depredations on the fruit trees of the Muslims of Medina and to carry away their flocks. Now came the moment of severest trial to Islam. It became the duty of the Prophet to take serious measures to guard against any plot rising from within or a sudden attack from without.

Reference: From "Stories of the Prophets" by Al-Imam ibn Kathir

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