On the basis of the document, assess the significance of the new arrangements that the Prophet was seeking to establish in the new community he was building in Medina. How revolutionary were the changes he sought to institute? In particular, was he seeking to put an end to Arabia’s tribal order?
In the name of God the Compassionate, the Merciful.
(1) This is a document from Muhammad the prophet (governing
the relations) between the believers and Muslims of Quraysh and
Yathrib, and those who followed them and joined them and
labored with them.
(2) They are one community (umma) to the exclusion of all men.
(3) The Quraysh emigrants according to their present custom shall
pay the bloodwit within their number and shall redeem their
prisoners with the kindness and justice common among believers.
(4-8) The B. ‘Auf according to their present custom shall pay the
bloodwit they paid in heatheism; every section shall redeem its
prisoners with the kindness and justice common among believers.
The B. Sa ida, the B. ‘l-Harith, and the B. Jusham, and the B. alNajjar likewise.
(9-11) The B. ‘Amr b. ‘Auf, the B. al-Nabit and the B. al-‘Aus
likewise.
(12)(a) Believers shall not leave anyone destitute among them by
not paying his redemption money or bloodwit in kindness.
(12)(b) A believer shall not take as an ally the freedman of another
Muslim against him.
(13) The God-fearing believers shall be against the rebellious or
him who seeks to spread injustice, or sin or animosity, or
corruption between believers; the hand of every man shall be
against him even if he be a son of one of them.
(14) A believer shall not slay a believer for the sake of an
unbeliever, nor shall he aid an unbeliever against a believer.
(15) God’s protection is one, the least of them may give protection
to a stranger on their behalf. Believers are friends one to the other
to the exclusion of outsiders.
(16) To the Jew who follows us belong help and equality. He shall
not be wronged nor shall his enemies be aided.
(17) The peace of the believers is indivisible. No separate peace
shall be made when believers are fighting in the way of God.
Conditions must be fair and equitable to all.
(18) In every foray a rider must take another behind him.
(19) The believers must avenge the blood of one another shed in
the way of God.
(20)(a) The God-fearing believers enjoy the best and most upright
guidance.
(20)(b) No polytheist shall take the property of person of Quraysh
under his protection nor shall he intervene against a believer.
(21) Whoever is convicted of killing a believer without good
reason shall be subject to retaliation unless the next of kin is
satisfied (with blood-money), and the believers shall be against
him as one man, and they are bound to take action against him.
(22) It shall not be lawful to a believer who holds by what is in this
document and believes in God and the last day to help an evil-doer
or to shelter him. The curse of God and His anger on the day of
resurrection will be upon him if he does, and neither repentance
nor ransom will be received from him.
(23) Whenever you differ about a matter it must be referred to God
and to Muhammad.
(24) The Jews shall contribute to the cost of war so long as they are
fighting alongside the believers.
(25) The Jews of the B. ‘Auf are one community with the believers
(the Jews have their religion and the Muslims have theirs), their
freedmen and their persons except those who behave unjustly and
sinfully, for they hurt but themselves and their families.
(26-35) The same applies to the Jews of the B. al-Najjar, B. alHarith, B. Sai ida, B. Jusham, B. al-Aus, B. Tha'laba, and the
Jafna, a clan of the Tha‘laba and the B. al-Shutayba. Loyalty is a
protection against treachery. The freedmen of Tha ‘laba are as
themselves. The close friends of the Jews are as themselves.
(36) None of them shall go out to war save the permission of
Muhammad, but he shall not be prevented from taking revenge for
a wound. He who slays a man without warning slays himself and
his household, unless it be one who has wronged him, for God will
accept that.
(37) The Jews must bear their expenses and the Muslims their
expenses. Each must help the other against anyone who attacks the
people of this document. They must seek mutual advice and
consultation, and loyalty is a protection against treachery. A man is
not liable for his ally’s misdeeds. The wronged must be helped.
(38) The Jews must pay with the believers so long as war lasts.
(39) Yathrib shall be a sanctuary for the people of this document.
(40) A stranger under protection shall be as his host doing no harm
and committing no crime.
(41) A woman shall only be given protection with the consent of
her family.
(42) If any dispute or controversy likely to cause trouble should
arise it must be referred to God and to Muhammad the apostle of
God. God accepts what is nearest to piety and goodness in this
document.
(43) Quraysh and their helpers shall not be given protection.
On the basis of the document, assess the significance of the new arrangements that the Prophet was seeking to establish in the new community he was building in Medina. How revolutionary were the changes he sought to institute? In particular, was he
seeking to put an end to Arabia’s tribal order?
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