Page 76 - Islam Denounces Terrorism

74 Islam Denounces Terrorism

The First Multilateral and Most Democratic
Constitution Ever: The Constitution of Medina

With the Constitution of Medina, the first constitution of the state
of Medina, our Prophet (pbuh) brought a democratic and peaceful
order never before seen on the Arabian Peninsula to an urban commu-
nity composed of various races, religions and tribes.

Under this constitution, all the communities in Medina were to
live together in peace, arrange their lives according to their own faith

and beliefs, and have the power to operate and regulate their own
institutions and laws. In doing this, they would live together in peace
and unity with all the communities in Medina.

The Constitution of Medina was written in 622 AD, under the
leadership of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) some 1,400 years ago, to
respond to the demands of peoples of differing beliefs, and has come
down to us as a written legal treaty. As a result, communities that were
hostile to one another for 120 years and consisted of different religions
and races were included under this constitution. By means of this
agreement, the Prophet (pbuh) showed that conflict could come to an

end between communities that used to attack one another at every
opportunity, were hostile to one another and never compromised with
one another, and that they could easily live together.
Under the Constitution of Medina, everyone was free to make his

own religious, political or philosophical choices, free from any pres-
sure from anyone else. They could establish a community with people
holding the same views. Everyone was free to exercise his own justice
system. However, nobody committing an offense was to be protected
by anyone else. The parties to the agreement were to help and support
one another, and would be under the protection of the Prophet
Muhammad (pbuh). Disagreements between parties would be brought

to the Messenger of God (pbuh). Indeed, even polytheists preferred the