Medina Charter of Prophet Muhammad and Pluralism
The clash of civilizations, cultures, tribes, and religions seems to be
prevalent throughout all of history. At the same time, history reveals
simultaneous conflict and efforts to resolve tensions and division feeding
animosity through mediation, diplomacy, and dialogue. Many conflicts seem
too complicated for an agreement to be established on just one point,
whether or not the conflict revolves around territory, religion, or ethnic
discrimination. So what approach is best to mediate issues in a
contemporary world that seems to be driven by economics, natural
resources, and ethnic or religious ideologies?
The Medina Charter serves
as an example of finding resolve in a dispute where peace and pluralism
were achieved not through military successes or ulterior motives but rather
through respect, acceptance, and denunciation of war - aspects that reflect
some of the basic tenets of the religion Prophet Muhammad, peace be
upon him, was guiding and promoting.
Through an examination of the Medina Charter, I will show how pluralism
was advanced and instated in Medina and the reasons reflecting on such a
document could help avoid the divide and misunderstanding plaguing much
thought, rhetoric, and media today between Muslims, Christians, and Jews
all over the world.
When the Prophet was forced to immigrate to Medina, the population was "a
mixture" (akhlat) of many different tribes (predominantly Arabic and Jewish),
who had been fighting for nearly a century, causing "civil strife," and it was
for this reason that the Prophet was summoned there (Peters 1994, 4).
Tribal fighting and a lack of governance in Medina (known as Yathrib)
meant disputes were dealt with "by the blade" on many occasions, which
deepened the divides and fueled conflicts. Karen Armstrong explains aptly
the mentality and workings of the tribal system dispersed through war-torn
Arabia, where the Prophet was striving for peace (Armstrong 2006, 19).
"The tribe, not a deity, was of supreme value, and each member had to
subordinate his or her personal needs and desires to the well-being of the
group and to fight to the death, if necessary, to ensure its
survival" (Armstrong 2006, 24).
Such a system was, in a political sense, representative of the little
cooperation between the tribes in the Yathrib. In this region reigned power
hungry strategies, an emphasis on arms and strength in military, and a belief
that clearly mediation was unachievable except by a trustworthy outsider
who had no connections to the issues or the tribes. Not only did the Prophet
fit these prerequisites, but his personal ambition as given to him by God
was also one of spreading peace and unity, creating a community, or
ummah, made up of diverse groups, through the teachings of the Quran
and in the name of Islam.
The Quran states that the Lord "teaches by the pen" (96:1-5). This is
indicative of the Medina Charter in that it is a reflection of these verses,
which show that God is educating people and changing thought patterns
through discussion. In this case, the discussion resulted in peace achieved
through contemplation and through seeking agreements in which tribes felt
they had benefited from the charter and had not been robbed of status or
unresolved antagonism from the past. "Many Islamic rituals, philosophies,
doctrines, [different interpretations of] sacred texts, and shrines are the
result of frequently anguished and self-critical contemplation of the political
events in Islamic society" (Armstrong 2006, 14).
Islam places great emphasis on reason - the reasoning of the universe, of
life, and indeed, of religion too. Al-Ghazzali (1058-1111) said, "Doubt is to
find truth. Those who do not have doubt cannot think. Those who cannot
think, cannot find truth."
Although this quote is more in reference to the philosophical side of Islam, it
reverberates from the heart of reason - something that is central to Islam.
Yetkin Yildirim writes about the use of one's own knowledge and the
absolute approach of reason. If the answer is neither in the Quran, Sunnah,
or Hadith, then one's own reasoning or ijtihad is required (Yildirim 2006,
109-117). So the Prophet, through the Medina Charter, was practicing Islam
through action. For with reason, discussion, and contemplation, a peace
treaty was created.
The mere formation of the Charter and peace were tremendous feats, and
the content of the Charter itself reflects this magnitude. The formation of an
ummah through respect and acceptance resulting in pluralism shows us one
of the ways in which the Prophet combated jahiliyyah, or ignorance - the
state of mind causing violence and terror (Armstrong 2006, 19). Examining
some of the clauses in the Charter also shows how the Prophet managed
to take leadership and create a lasting peace. The first clause, "They are a
single community (ummah)," (Sajoo 2009, 94) depicts the ultimate message
and goal of the rest of the charter.
It marked the creation of a community,
and the Charter served as a unifying document in a city of diverse groups,
cultures, religions, and languages. The Prophet came to Medina with
tolerance - an aspect of Islam which is fundamental to the manner in which
the religion operates in foreign lands. "It is for this tolerance in the Islamic
view that Muslims have looked at the religion of the people in the lands they
conquered with respect; they did not intervene with their beliefs nor touch
their churches" (Can 2005, 172). Clause 25 epitomizes the level of
tolerance in the charter and also serves as an example of Islam in practice.
"The Jews
... are a community (ummah) along with the
believers. To the Jews their religion (din) and to the Muslims their religion" (Sajoo 2009, 96) This statement ties in with the verse from the Quran (2:256) which says, "There is no compulsion in religion." For in the eyes of God, as it says in the Quran "... those who believe ... Jews, Christians, and Sabaeans ... and does right - surely their reward is with their Lord" (2:62).
The Medina Charter reflects pluralism both in the content and in the history of the document. F. E. Peters explains that "the contracting parties, although they did not embrace Islam, did recognize the Prophet's authority, accepting him as the community leader and abiding by his political judgments" (Peters 1994, 199). As there is no account of an uprising in history books and because the Prophet was there at the suggestion of the tribes, we know that he was never rejected. Because of the laws he introduced, the existing groups clearly did not feel threatened by his new presence or his new governance. The society was pluralistic, and it was not repressive.
The Prophet - as clause 25 shows - never imposed Islam upon the people of Medina, which meant that they could still practice without disruption their religions and customs, aspects of life that were important to them. He did not create an ummah through denouncing all ways of life except for Islam or by recognizing Islam as the singular religion; instead he united all inhabitants of the city under one banner of ethical living and moral principles - commonalities between all humans and all religions.
The Prophet drew upon the essence of unity, respect, tolerance, and love to combine and create a pluralistic community. Clause 40 exemplifies this: "The 'protected neighbor' (jar) is as the man himself so long as he does no harm and does not act treacherously" (Sajoo 2009, 97). People were safe and respected and free to exert their beliefs and would be protected in doing so. This protection, however, could not shield them from treachery or wrong doing.
The Medina Charter is arguably the first constitution ever written incorporating religion and politics (Yildirim 2006, 109-117). And even though the politics of the region have changed since it was written - in recent times for the worst - Islam's values have continued to spread and are lived throughout the whole Muslim world. Despite the hold of power that some governments still have over their people, the true face of Islam shines through in how people live, communicate, and approach life.
I speak from personal experiences when I traveled through Iran, Turkey, and Northern Iraq in January, 2009. And despite what the media had to say about the people in those lands, my time there was spent in the houses of complete strangers, who showered me with hospitality that transcended any I had experienced before. Although the governing body has changed, the points of the Medina Charter and tenets of Islam preached by Prophet Muhammad still exist amongst the people. My heritage was accepted with curiosity and respect - just as the Prophet implemented in Medina between the tribes. My place in the society was welcomed with honest enthusiasm, and I felt a part of a community - like the community that Prophet implemented in Medina.
I was exposed to mainstream Islam, which we hear so little about in the West due to the confusion which unjustly joins Islam and extremism together. I saw tolerant Muslims who saw me as another person who wanted peace and respect - not treachery. This is what the Prophet also accomplished in Medina - a community which was not based upon religion or ethnicity but one built on unity and acceptance. One built on tolerance. One built on peace. It seems the Prophet was aware that spirituality and faith cannot be governed, and for this reason alone, he sought unity and respect as opposed to discriminating between tribes and their beliefs.
In contemporary times, an analysis of the Medina Charter can give us insight into Islam and religious pluralism (Sachedina 2001). Medina marked the first real occurrence of coexistence between religions and groups in Islam and mirrors the Quran which "in its entirety provides ample material for extrapolating a pluralistic and inclusive theology of religions" (Sachedina 2001, 26). The Quran is the unquestionable and the absolute; therefore, it is the key to understanding religious pluralism in Islam.
Clause 39 of the Medina Charter says, "The valley of Yathrib is sacred for the people of this document" (Sajoo 2009, 97). And so too is the universe, which is sacred to all of humanity. The Quran reveals that "the people are one community" (2:213), so if we are one (which we are) in the world, in the universe, then regardless of religion, it is God's mercy and compassion which will save us. By differentiating between beliefs, we neglect that under one sun we all pray to a greater entity, a greater being. We were all created by God, so unity seems imperative and practical.
The Medina Charter is very relevant to current tensions existing between the Muslims, Jews, and Christians. Unfortunately, it seems that ignorance and fear, suspicion and disrespect plague the interaction and stereotypes that exist between these three great Abrahamic religions. In the post-September 11th era, a new wave of antagonism has arisen, and people around the Western world generally fear Islam. Sadly, people confuse the actions of nationalists and fundamentalists, who so unjustly hide behind a Holy Book claiming that their intentions are those of God, with what the actual religion promotes. As Rumi believed, the essence of all religions is the same, for they all teach love.
