Charter of Madinah

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The Charter of Madinah (Mithaq al-Madinah) or the Constitution of Madinah was a charter outlined by the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) after the Muslim Migration to Madinah in 1 AH (622 AD). It was an agreement between different communities of Madinah, including Muslims (Ansar and Muhajirun), Christians, Jews, and pagans. The purpose of this charter was to establish and maintain cordial relations between different communities of Madinah and save Madinah from any foreign attack.

Background & Reasons

Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) started preaching Islam in Makkah in 610 AD, but most of the people of Makkah rejected his prophethood and decided to stick to their previous religion. They also made life difficult for Muhammad (PBUH) and a few of his companions. So, when around 13 years passed, and the hopes about the conversions of Makkans remained grim, Muhammad (PBUH) decided to migrate towards Madinah (then Yathrib). It happened when Muslims in Makkah received an invitation from the prominent people of Madinah who had embraced Islam.  Apart from that, the Muslims remembered a successful emigration to Abyssinia (Ethiopia) by fellow Muslims.

Muhammad (PBUH) and Muslims emigrated to Madinah in 622 AD. There, they saw that it was necessary to formalize an agreement with all the communities of Madinah to remain peaceful because the relations between the newly converts (tribes of Aws and Khazraj), Jews, and other communities were hostile. Also, it would enable them to remain safe from any aggression by the Makkans.

Important Points

·         All the people of Madinah will have the same cultural and political rights, and people of every religion will enjoy freedom of religion.

·         In case of a foreign attack on Madinah, all citizens (Muslims and non-Muslims) will defend the city.

·         Muslims and non-Muslims will not help enemies of each other.

·         In case of any disagreement, everyone will accept the decision of Muhammad (PBUH). 

Significance

The Charter of Madinah has great importance in the history of Islam. Through this agreement, Muslims proved that they live peacefully with people of other religions. People of every religion accepted Muhammad (PBUH) as an arbitrator due to his just attitude and diplomatic skills. According to some Muslim scholars, it was the first written charter in human history.

This agreement continued till the Jews breached the charter by helping Quraysh and with other misdeeds. After these incidents, all three Jewish tribes were expelled from Madinah by Muslims one by one.

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