Just as the Prophet had established a code ofbrotherhood amongst the
believers, he was alsokeen on establishing friendly relations between
the Muslims andnon-Muslim tribes of Arabia . He established a treaty
aimed at ruling out all pre-Islamic rancor and inter-tribal feuds. He
was meticulous not to leave any area in the charter that would allow
pre-Islamic traditions to sneak in or violate the new environment he
wanted to establish. Herein, are some of its provisions.
"In the Name of Allaah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful. This
is a document from Muhammad, the Messenger of Allaah, concerning the
Emigrants(Muhaajireen) and the residents of Al-Madeenah(Ansaar) and
those who followed and strove with them.
They are one nation to the exclusion of other people.
The Emigrants of Qurayshshall unite together and pay blood money among
themselves, and shall ransom honorably their prisoners. Every tribe of
the Helpers unites together, as they were at first, and every section
among them will pay a ransom for acquitting its captured relatives.
Believers shall not leave anyone destitute among them by not paying
his redemption money or blood money in kind.
Whoever is rebellious or whoever seeks to spread enmity and sedition,
the hand of every God-fearing Muslim shall be against him, even if he
were his son.
A believer shall not kill another believer, nor shall support a
disbeliever against a believer.
The protection of Allaah is one (and is equally) extended to the
humblestof the believers.
The believers are supported by each other.
Whosoever of the Jews follows us shall have aid and succor; they shall
notbe injured, nor any enemy be aided against them.
The peace of the believers is indivisible. No separate peace shall be
made when believers are fighting in the way ofAllaah. Conditions must
be fair and equitable to all.
It shall not be lawful for abeliever, who holds by what is in this
document and believes in Allaah and the Day of Judgment,to help a
criminal or give him refuge. Those who give him refuge and render him
help shall have the curse and angerof Allaah on the Day of
Resurrection. Their indemnity is not accepted.
Whenever you differ about a matter, it must be referred to Allaah and
to Prophet Muhammad .
Killing a believer deliberately with no good reason entails killing
the killer, unless the sponsor deems it otherwise."
It was solely by his wisdom and dexterity, that the Prophet erected
the pillars of the new society. This phenomenon no doubt left its mark
on the virtuous Muslims. He usedto bring them up in the light of
Islamic guidance, he sanctified their persons, enjoined them to
observe righteousness and praiseworthy manners and was keen on
infusing into them theethics of amity, glory, honor, worship and
obedience to Allaah and His Messenger.
The following are some of the virtues that he used to inculcate in the
minds of the Companions:
A man asked the Messenger of Allaah which of the merits is superior in
Islam. He remarked: "That you provide food and extend greetings to
onewhom you know or do not know."
'Abdullaah bin Salaam said: "When the Prophet arrived in Al-Madeenah,
I went to see him and I immediately recognized through his features
that he would never be a liar. Thefirst things he said were: 'Extend
peace greetings amongstyourselves, provide food to the needy, maintain
relations of kinship, observe prayer at night while people are asleep,
then youwill peacefully enter the Garden ( Paradise ).'"
He also said: "A Muslim is the brother of a Muslim; he neither
oppresses him nor does he fail him. Whosoever removes aworldly grief
from a believer, Allaah will remove from him one of the griefs of the
Day of Judgment. Whosoever shields a Muslim, Allaah will shield him on
the Day of Resurrection. "
He also said: "Abusing a Muslim is an outrage and fightingagainst him
is disbelief."
"To remove something harmful from the road, is charity."
He also said: "Charity erases sins just as water extinguishes fire."
He also said: "He is not a perfect believer, who goes to bedfull and
knows that his neighbor is hungry."
He also said: "Show mercy to people on earth so that Allaah will have
mercy on you in heaven."
He also said: "Try to avert fire even by half a date (in charity); if
not, then by tendering a good word."
He also said: "Clothing an under-clad Muslim, entitles you to a
garment from Paradise; feeding a hungry Muslim will make you eligible
(by Allaah's Will) for the fruits of Paradise, and if you provide
water to a thirsty Muslim, Allaah will provideyou with a drink from
'the Sealed Nectar'. "
He also said: "Do not have malice against a Muslim; do not be envious
of other Muslims; do not go against a Muslim and forsake him. O slaves
of Allaah! Belike brothers with each other. It is not allowed for a
Muslim to desert his brother for over three days."
The Prophet used to promote the habit of abstention from asking others
for help, unless one is completely helpless. He used to talk to his
Companions about the merits, virtues and Divine reward in observing
the prescribed acts of worship. He would always bring
forthsubstantiated proofs in order to link them physically and
spiritually to the Revelation sent to him. Hence, he would apprise
them of their duties and responsibilities in terms of the call of
Islam, and atthe same time emphasizethe importance of comprehension
and contemplation.
That was his practice in order to boost their morale and inspire them
with noble values and ideals, so that they could become models of
virtue to be emulated by subsequent generations.
'Abdullaah bin Mas'ood once said: "If you are willing to follow a good
example, then you can take recourse to the tradition of the people who
have passed away, because the living are likely to fall an easy victim
to oppression (so they might waver in faith). Follow the steps ofthe
Companions of Muhammad . They were the best in this nation, the most
pious, the most learned and the least pretentious. Allaah chose them
to accompany the Prophet and establish His religion. Therefore, it is
imperative to get to know their grace, follow their righteous way and
adhere as much as you can to their manners and assimilate their
biographies. They were always on the straight path."
Then, there is the example of the Messenger of Allaah whose moral
attributes, perfection, talents, virtues, noble manners and
praiseworthy deeds, entitle him to occupy the innermost portions of
our hearts, and become the dearest example that the self yearns for.
He would hardly utter a word, and his Companions would race to
assimilate it and work in its light.
Those were the attributesand qualities on the basisof which the
Prophet wanted to build a new society -- the most wonderful and
honorable society ever known in history. On these grounds, he strove
to resolve the longstanding problems, and later gave humankind the
chance tobreathe a sigh of relief after a long wearying journey in
dark and gloomy avenues. Such lofty morals lay at the very basis of
creating a new society, with integrated communities that were immune
to all fluctuations of time and circumstances, and powerful enough to
change the whole course of humanity.
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