Madinah and the Social Situation Before the Prophet Muhammad Essay

Introduction

Muhammad arrived in the city in 622 when the city had a high Jewish population (Rose, 2012). The Hijarah (migration) is a historically significant event, as it has a religious sanctity attached to it. It brought out great aspects of the prophet's character as one of the most splendid leaders in the historic revolution. Medina, whose old name is Yathrib, constitutes of 22 tribes a population of about 10,000 people. Half of these were Jewish and the other half comprised of Arabs. Two pagan tribes, Khazraj and Aus, practiced agriculture and were in continuous conflict with three Jews tribes; Banu. Nazir, Banu.Quraiz, and Banu.Qainuqah. The latter practiced trade and agriculture and had a powerful militia (Rahman, 2015).

Is your time best spent reading someone else’s essay? Get a 100% original essay FROM A CERTIFIED WRITER!

Save 25%

Regardless of their staunch beliefs, the people sought military power and control over other people, leading to increased conflicts and bloodshed. Finding a solution to the conflict and chaos that plagued the region required a wise vision. Creating the Charter addressed specific societal issues by establishing the rules of government such as the rights, duties, collective protection, and defence of its citizens. Both Muslim and non-Muslim communities were provided with the constitution as the first option for seeking justice instead of the formerly used tribal armed forces action (Rahman, 2015). The revolutionary innovation was a social improvement as it provided the people of Medina with a central public institution for solving justice-related problems instead of having everyone seek it individually. Consequently, the change saw an end to the tribalism-fuelled chaos and laid a foundation for the creation of the wider state institution (Gouda (2013),

Madina and its Tribes

Medina or "the radiant city" is a city located in the Hejaz region of the Arabian Peninsula and the governmental headquarters of the Al-Madinah Region of Saudi Arabia. At the heart of the city, there is the al-Masjid an-Nabiwi (or the Prophet Mosque) that is the burial location of the Islamic Prophet Muhammad. The city is considered as second-holiest in the Islam after the Mecca city. According to Gouda (2013), Medina was the Muhammad destination for Hijrah (migration) from Mecca. It became the capital city of the rapid increasing Muslim Empire which was under the leadership of Muhammads. The city was the Islam power base in the first century, and it is the place where the early Muslim community was developed. As highlighted by Lecker (1995), Medina city is the residence of the three oldest mosques being the al-masjid an-Nabawi, Quba Mosque, and Masjid al-Qiblatayn. Muslims have believed that the final order Surahs of the Quaran were disclosed to Muhammed in the Medina City. They are referred to as the Medinan Surahs in comparison to the prior Mecca Surahs. Similar to Mecca, the Medina city center has been closed to anyone who is non-Muslim as well as the members of the Ahmadiyya movement by the national government. However, some other parts of the city have not been closed (Gouda, 2013).

Medina City tribes comprise of BanuAus, BanuKhazraj, BanuAwf, BanuHarith, BanuNajjar, BanuJusham, BanuSa'ida, Banu Jaffna, BanuThaalba, and BanuShutayba. As stated byRose (2011), Medina is the second sacred city of Muslim. The city is situated in the Hijaz in Arabia which is approximately 250 miles north of Mecca. Medina has been recognized as situated in which the Hegira (or Mohammed's settled from Mecca) where he was directed, the capital city as well as Mohammed burial place. As to the Arabic tradition, Hijaz and Yathrib were the original people with the Amalekites who were only relocated by the Israelites (Yildirim, 2009). However, there exist diverse hints on when the displacement was made where some highlighted that it was under Moses while other say it was under the Joshua and other states it was under David, who is believed to have stayed in the Hijaz at the time of Absalom's rule. As presented by Lecker (1995), there are likely chances that Jews settled in the Hijjaz after Nebuchadnezzar sacked them from Jerusalem which possibilities of coming to the successive colonies such as after the Pompey's attack on Judea (64 BC), after the Titus take-over of Jerusalem (70 CE) and after Hadrian's persecution of the Jews (136 CE).

It is believed that Jews accessed rich and successful settlement areas at the Yathrib and they were at a good position of building their stronghold in the city and its surrounding. In the city, the main families were considered to be the BanuKainuka, the Banu al-Nadir, and the BanuKuraiza. The Kuraiza and the al-Nadir were referred to as the "Al-Kahinan" since their descendantswere traced from the Aaron (Yildirim, 2009).By the fourth century, the Arab tribes from Yemen had started to trespass on the Medina Jews. They comprised of two clans being the BanuAus and the BanuKhazraj. Through external aid and deceitfully massacre, the Arab clans were able to gain and accessed Medina and moved to the upper side by the end of the fifth century. Lecker (1995) posited that from the time, the Jews went silent for more than a century. For around four to five years before the Hegira, the Jews played a big role in the battle of the Bu'ath which was evidenced between BanuAus and BanuKhazraj. As stated by Dunn (2015) ,the BanuKuraiza and Banu Nadir were in a battle with the BanuAus whereas the BanuKainuka was close allies with the BanuKhazraj.

There are likely chances that Jews presence in Medina city played a major role in preparing Mohammed teaching ways. At a time when the prophet visited medina, he was persuaded to be friendly to the Jews (Yildirim, 2009). Jews were incorporated in the treaty which was taken between Mohammed and the Medina inhabitants. Also, he executed several concessions to the Jews by religion and inherited the Kiblah (Jerusalem) with the meditation of winning the Jews toward his cause. However, the Jews had to ridicule Mohammed and were ready to engage him in arguments with intentions of exposing his ignorance.

Constitution in Islamic Sources

The Medina Constitution or the Charter of Medina was established between Muhammad (Islamic Prophet) after he arrived at Medina in 622 CE. The document is considered as prophet Muhammed book operation between the Muslim and believers who were from the tribe of Yathrib and Quraysh as well as other under them and setting war having declared creating one nation that was separated from all other people. The arrangement was able to establish collective responsibilities of the nine regional tribes with special emphasis on the blood money as well as a ransom payment (Lecker, 1995).Qurayshi migrants were the first group that was mentioned,and the other eight tribes followed. Eight Jew tribes were considered as part of the Yathrib community,and there were established differences of religious separation. Banu Ash Shutbah tribe was considered as a Jewish group. Also, the constitution was able to establish Muhammed as being the mediating role player between the groups and prohibited the wage of war. Mainly, the Medina Constitution was the core basis of the multi-religious Islamic state (Yildirim, 2009).

As highlighted byHamidullah (1968), the constitution was established with targets of ending the harsh intercommunity fights that were between the clans of BanuKhazraj and BanuAws in Medina. The constitution has the power of maintaining peace as well as a good relation among all Medinan groups (Yildirim, 2009). It established the role played by prophet Muhammed who held the mediating powers between the two groups as well as others in Medina. Thiswas directed toward ending the Medinan internal wars and remained a crucial feature for the constitution. In particular, the constitution was able to restore religious freedom of practices and beliefs for all the citizens who used to follow the 'believers" (Faruqi, 1983).

Conversely, the document assured all parties representatives, Muslim and the non-Muslim must have been represented in case of consultations in negotiation with other foreign nations. According to the constitution, it was declared that "a woman was only issued with protection after her family consent." Moreover, the document was able to impose a taxation system that supported the society or the community at the time of conflict. The role of Medina as a haram was declared by the document where there was an agreement that no people blood incorporated in the pact was to be spilled (Lecker, 1995).

A brief history of this indicates that a group of a delegation from Medina from the twelve significant clans requested Muhammed to be an external neutral to take up the role of being the chief arbitrator for the community (Yildirim, 2009). Initially, there were wars and fights in Medina that involved the pagan,and the Jewish residents form more than a century before 620 CE. There recurred disagreement and blood spills over the resultant claims. Mainly after the Battle of Bu'ath where all clans were involved which indicated that the tribal conception of feud blood, as well as the eye for an eye rule, would not work anymore. The only solution was to have a person had the role and powers of adjudicating the disputed cases (Yildirim, 2009). All delegation from Medina and the citizen agreed to accept Prophet Muhammed in the community and they were ready to protect him since he was part of them. After Prophet Muhammed migrated to Medina, he considered drafting the constitution where a kind of federation and alliance was established among the eight Medinan tribes and the Muslim migrants from Mecca. The constitution specified the duties and rights of all citizens as well as relationship or connection of diverse communities in Medina. Muslim community and other communities such as the Jews and the People of the Book were included (Yildirim, 2009).

Rather than the new document, there are various versions in the early Muslim sources. Ishaq'sSirahRasul Allah is considered as the mostly-read version with other copies found in Abu Ubayd'sKitab al-Amwal and Sayyid al-Nas. The Western Scholars and Muslims recognized the chronological legitimacy of the constitution. According to the Montgomery Watt, the document was written in the early Medinan period since the document was organized and draft earlier. The document had a positive attitude toward the Quraysh and ensured that Muhammad was given an important place. According toRubin (1985), the constitution was organized after the Battle of Badr. However, others such asJung (2007) claimed that the constitution was completed before the Badr Battle. As argued by Yildirim (2009), the RB Sergeant, 3:101-104 of the Qur'an referred to the document. In the argument, the document went to the recession a theory that was initially projected by Richard Bell (Yildirim, 2009).In the initial recession, the document was able to sanction the institution of the confederation. In the succeeding recession, the document was in a position to reprove the Khazraj and Aws to put up with the treaties. In the last recension, the constitution together with following verses which encouraged Muhammad's enthusiast to cross towards the Mexican forces that were battled at Uhud (Faruqi, 1983).

The Concept of the Nation and Citizenship

According to the argument by Yildirim (2009), the Medina constitution has an equivalent remarkable and everlasting involvement where there is the normal concern of a pluralistic community. According to the constitution opening articles, it has been stated that Muslims of Yathrib and Quaraysh, as well as those who followed and joined and labored, they are considered as one community with the exclusion of all men. According to the provisions, it has been highlighted that the immigrant Muslims from Mecca and the native Muslims of Medina make up one community....