#14 Prophet Muhammad: the Medinan Period

During the previous thirteen years in Mecca, Quranic revelations focused on attaining spiritual peace through communion with God. In Medina, however, revelations emphasized right dealing between human beings, both to attain God’s blessing and to establish a just society wherein faith could flourish.

Muhammad (peace be upon him) had been invited to Medina by the Arab tribes who understood him to be the prophet foretold by the Jewish scribes in their community. The Medinan Arabs hoped that he would restore peace to their community, a community that had been rent apart by unending tribal blood feuds.

The Prophet (pbuh) accepted this invitation, and sent his persecuted followers ahead of him to Medina. Upon his arrival, he found himself with the challenge not only of restoring peace and social order, but also of providing for the displaced, immigrant community, as well as protecting the fledgling society from the aggression of the hostile Meccan tribes.

His first action–one ‎with far-reaching social implications–‎was the establishment of bonds based on faith, linking the Meccan immigrants with Medinan “helpers”. For tribal people, this was a tremendous change in social identity. The Medinan Muslims accepted this arrangement wholeheartedly, many dividing their property in half to provide for an immigrant family, while the new immigrants strove to contribute whatever they could to their new society.

Another significant action was the establishment of the Charter of Medina, the first constitution of the state. The Prophet (pbuh) included in this charter not only the Muslims, but the Medinan Jewish tribes as well. The charter established a base for peaceful coexistence between the tribes, promising freedom of religious practice, and pledging a mutual alliance against outside aggression.

In Medina, Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) rose to the responsibilities of community leader and head of state. This was not turning away from the spiritual realm, but taking the additional step ‎of implementing Islamic spiritual and ethical ideals in the practical realm of human society.

Through the many roles he was required to fill, the Prophet (pbuh) showed his followers how to retain integrity in politics, and how to balance the just use of authority with the enduring vision of mercy. He inspired his followers to build a social system based on individual and collective moral discipline, honesty and generosity, rather than self-centred, tribal or nationalistic greed.

As Medina became a stable and cohesive society, Quranic verses began to provide details for the righteous ordering of life in the world. Injunctions for fasting in the month of Ramadan were revealed, as well as “zakat”, the mandatory charity due to the poor to purify one’s wealth. The charging of interest–‎a practice that concentrated wealth in the hands of the rich at expense of those in need–‎was prohibited. Laws concerning marriage, divorce, child custody, rights of married women, inheritance and orphans were also revealed during this time period.

Revelations addressed specific issues in the community, yet embodied general principles applicable to similar situations in the future. Hence the fundamental rules for society, along with the ethical and spiritual ideas underlying them, formed what is known as the “Shari’ah”–‎literally the “broad path”–‎the Divine Law for humanity.

Although times may change, and new social challenges must be met, Muslims still find guidance from the role model of Prophet (pbuh), the ideal community of Medina, and the code of Shariah that synthesizes spiritual values with social institutions. For Muslims past and present, these continue to provide the essential blueprint for the formation of righteous human beings and ideal societies.