Remarkably 45% of the total population in medina consisted of nonmuslim arabs, 40% consisted of jews, and only 15%. The first written constitution of medina also known as the med. Among the first things the prophet did to settle down the longstanding grievances among the tribes of medina was drafting a document known as the constitution or charter of medina, establishing a kind of alliance or federation among the eight medinan tribes and muslim emigrants from mecca, which specified the rights and duties of all citizens and the relationship of the. The constitution of madinah abdul malik mujahid in islamic history, after the quran and sunnah, one of the key documents from the life of prophet muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, is the constitution of madinah. The constitution formed the basis of a multireligious islamic state in medina. The constitution of islamic state of madina the first written constitution of human history an excerpt from the book constitutional analysis of the constitution of madina written by dr. Hisdivision wasadopted bywensinck, watt and others, and itis also followed inthepresent study 2. Ubayds based on many sources, both in book and manuscript form. The following is a translation of the original text of the constitution of medina by muslim scholar and polymath muhamad hamidullah based on the following historical sources. Nov 30, 2004 this volume contains two versions of the socalled constitution of medina, also known as the medina charter, as collected by ibn ishaq an early historian of muhammad and abu abayd whose book of revenue contains one of two accepted versions of the document, the other belonging to fat. The constitution of medina some notes the document known as the constitution of medina 1 has been studied by western scholars among whom was already j.
He analysed the constitution of medina and formed 63 articles. However, formatting rules can vary widely between applications and fields of interest or study. The document is often referred to as the constitution of medina. The document is referred to throughout this study by the neutral arabic term kitab.
Article 1 country name, capital and language the country name is a sovereign ethnicity islamic republic with islam as its religion, gods book and the sunnah of his prophet pbuh are its basis of constitution, language is its. Article 1 country name, capital and language the country name is a sovereign ethnicity islamic republic with islam as its religion, gods book and the sunnah of his prophet pbuh are its basis of constitution, language is its language and capital is its capital. The first written constitution of medina also known as the medina charter or the charter of medina was drafted and declared by prophet muhammad peace be upon him in the year 622 ad to the people of medina who included not only immigrant and local muslims but also jews and other nonmuslims and their nonmuslim allied tribes. It was drafted in 622, and concerns the rights and responsibilities of the muslim, jewish, and other arabic and tribal communities of medina during the war between that city and its neighbors. It was executed and implemented for 10 years 622632 a. This is the modern version of constitution of medina.
Osman discusses his book the other a restructuring of the islamic concept on the relations between muslims and people. The constitution of medina and muhammad understanding. The first islamic state was founded not in the shadow of swords, as is commonly believed in some circles, but in the security of a social contract, called the constitution of medina. In the name of god the compassionate, the merciful. The constitution of medina 63 constitutional articles by. Constitution of medina professor roger louis martinez. The medina charter, written and promulgated by prophet muhammadpbuh for the multireligious ten thousandstrong citizens of the citystate of medina.
More recently the noted islamic scholar and jurist dr muhammad tahirulqadri analysed the constitution and categorised the headings of the articles according to the modem legal constitutions consisting of 63 articles. The socalled constitution of medina henceforward, the treaty is. Also see minhaj alsaliheen, page 777, and albidayah wa alnihayah, volume 3, page 177. Constitution of medina professor roger louis martinezdavila. How did the constitution of medina benefit nonmuslims.
The text of the constitution of medina shows that muslims adopted a protective attitude toward the rights and laws of the polytheists, and that these polytheists wished to act alongside muslims in the defence of medina. The medina constitution also instituted peaceful methods of dispute resolution among diverse groups living as one people but without assimilating into one religion, language, or culture. Email citation this is so far the only book dedicated to the treaty. It is a remarkable politicalconstitutional document and the first written constitution of democracy in human history, all later constitutions was founded upon it. By all counts, the medina constitution lit the torch of freedom by establishing a free state for a pluralistic community composed of muslims, jews, and pagans. The medina charter, written and promulgated by prophet muhammad for the multireligious ten thousandstrong citizens of the citystate of medina in 622 a. In 1986 the text of the constitution of medina was compiled into 47 articles by dr muhammad hamidullah who did this using various original islamic sources. The battle for global empire and the end of the ancient world, tom holland writes 31 the constitution of medina is accepted by even the most suspicious of scholars as deriving from the time of muhammad.
Ubayd s based on many sources, both in book and manuscript form. The constitution of medina 63 constitutional articlesnook book. The constitution or charter of medina predated the english magna carta by almost six centuries. The islamic constitution constitution of medina islamic. Oct 18, 2017 an analysis of the constitution of medina in a report titled a reassessment of medina charter according to professor leonard swidlers pluralism perspective states that the constitution is a significant document in displaying the prophets efforts in uniting the city and bringing the groups together around the law, which was explicitly announced to the people. Pdf the constitution of medina in 63 constitutional.
Constitution of medina project gutenberg selfpublishing. Hamidullah that it was the first written constitution fn1 in the world is not without basis. This book is an attempt to remedy this situation, and includes the two known versions of the constitution, founded on many sources. The constitution of medina 63 constitutional articles free. The text of this translation of the constitution of medina is copied as a whole from the book, sunshine at madinah, published by islamic publication international. The first written constitution of medina also known as the medina charter or the charter of medina was drafted and declared by prophet muhammad peace be upon him in the year 622 ad to the people of medina who included not only immigrant and. Constitution of medina political science bibliographies. Nov 09, 2012 he analysed the constitution of medina and formed 63 articles. A short note on medina charter constitution society. The constitution of medina islamic studies oxford bibliographies. Article 1 article 2 article 3 article 4 article 5 the 63 constitutional.
The constitution was meant for the ten thousandstrong multi religious citizens of the state of medina. The first written constitution of medina also known as the medina charter or the charter of medina was drafted and declared by prophet muhammad peace be upon him in the year 622 ad to the people of medina who included not only. The charter of madinah mankinds first written constitution. The constitution of medina and muhammad posted june 29, 2018 by mark anderson leave a comment some muslims claim the constitution of medina proves that muhammad was a peaceloving ruler, who guaranteed jewish and christian rights. Youtube, youtube channel, video marketing, youtuber, igtv, erika vieira, video, instagram hatecast clint taylor.
Remarkably, 45% of the total population in medina consisted of pagan arabs, 40% consisted of jews, and only 15% were muslims, at the start of this treaty. Today, it is critical to understand the key role of the constitution of madinah, especially in the wake of the arab spring. D is truly a remarkable politicalconstitutional document. The following is an english translation of the constitution of medina, as recorded by ibn hisham. Among both specialists in islamic studies and the general public, this document is commonly known as the constitution of madina. The constitution of medina founding the first islamic state the constitution of medina is the earliest known written constitution.
Muhammad tahirulqadri article 1 constitutional document this is a constitutional document given by muhammad peace be upon them, the prophet, messenger of god. Osman discusses his book the other a restructuring of the islamic concept on. In this article i will collect the description of the constitution from various biographers and introduce my understanding based on all these different sources. Before michael lecker published his book on the constitution of medina in 2004, there was near. This ebook is based on dr qadris book constitutional analysis of the constitution of medina. Here in these precious documents, it is possible to glimpse the authentic beginnings. International journal of middle east studies, 4104, pp. Jan 10, 2016 in the bestselling book, in the shadow of the sword. The khandaq translates to trench which was built around the city of medina. Abu ubayd recorded the text in his another book which is lost now but from which the text was quoted by a scholar of the mamluk period. The prophet then wrote a contract between the muhajirun and the ansar with which he concluded a covenant and a truce with the jews, confirmed them in their religion and their property, and imposed obligations on them and guaranteed them certain rights. Many historians consider the english magna carta to be the first written constitution. He has published a e book of the 63 constitutional articles.
The messenger of god wrote a document between the emigrants and the ansar, and in it he made a treaty and covenant with the jews, establishing them in their religion and possessions, and assigning to them rights and duties. This pdf is based on dr qadris book constitutional analysis of the constitution of medina. In the bestselling book, in the shadow of the sword. The battle for global empire and the end of the ancient world, tom holland writes the constitution of medina is accepted by even the most suspicious of scholars as deriving from the time of muhammad. Yet the creators of the document called it kitabliterally, a written document. The constitution of medina 63 constitutional articles. Dec 28, 2011 the constitution of medina and not the magna carta was the first ever constitution describing a pluralistic society. The preamble declares the document to be a book kitab of the prophet muhammad to operate between the believers muminin and muslims from the quraysh. After emigration to medina, muhammad drafted the constitution of medina, establishing a kind of alliance or federation among the eight medinan tribes and muslim emigrants from mecca, which specified 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, specifically the jews and other.
The constitution, charter or covenant of medina predated the english magna carta by almost six centuries. This is so far the only book dedicated to the treaty. Its principles are based on the quran and the sunnah. Here in these precious documents, it is possible to glimpse the authentic beginnings of a. As former dictatorships fall and states try to establish a new framework for running governments and societies, the muslimmajority arab nations must keep the lessons of our historys first constitution in mind. Jul 15, 2018 the constitution, charter or covenant of medina predated the english magna carta by almost six centuries. Medina charter wikisource, the free online library. Constitution of medina, document from early islamic history based upon two. Muhammad hamidullah, one of the most eminent muslim researchers and scholars of the 20th century, the charter of madina mithaqulmadina was the first constitution written by mankind.
The first ever constitutional analysis of the constitution of medina was done by islamic scholar dr muhammad tahirulqadri. The constitution of medina founding the first islamic. Ibn ishaqs record of the constitution of medina ibn ishaq, biographer of the prophet muhammed born c. Originally published in pen and ink for random house in 1987, sam has, at the request of welcome books, gone back to the original blackandwhite art and. Establishing the role of muhammad as the mediating authority between.
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