AINUL AMIRAH BINTI AINUL ANNUAR 1114590NURFARIZAN BINTI MOHD SHAHIMI 1114224MARINAH BINTI ABD MANAF 1119322

Foundation of Islamic Society

REFLECTIONS ON PROPHETIC HISTORY

RKQS 1051

SECTION 7

MDM. NADZRAH BINTI AHMAD

Yathrib before Islam: A brief survey.

Yathrib was known as Medina after the Prophet’s migration from Makkah and it is located 280 miles north from Makkah. The city’s wealth has been attracting Arab polytheists who came initially as a client to the Jews and ultimately succeeded in dominating them.

Medina, or was known as Yathrib before Islam,do not have a leader and stable government atall. They was only limited government chiefs ofmembers of his tribe and only they were onlyconcerned with their tribe.

There were three Jewish tribes living in Medina(Yathrib). All the three tribes were so powerful andthey were also more civilized than the Arabspeople.

For example, the Arabs were all farmers while theJews were the entrepreneurs of industry andbusiness. Basically they were controlling theeconomic life in Medina and the two Arab Tribeswhich are Aus and Khazraj, they were in debt withthe Jews continuously.

The Jews were divided into three tribes:

1) Bani Qunayqa

• they have no agricultural lands but they lived in awealthy settlement where they had a market in theoutskirts of medina.

•they also served as creditors and lend their money tothe Arabs because they carried on several craft especiallyfrom goldsmith and banking which made them rich.

2) Bani Nadir

•they possessed large agricultural lands in the oasis ofMedina

•they were also the allies of Kazraj tribe

3)Bani Qurayza

•they were also agriculturist like Bani Nadir

•obviously allied with the Quraysh against Muslims.

When the Prophet migrated to Medina, it was forpeace and unity among the people of Aus andKhazraj, as they were often at war with each otherand battle Bu'ath have destroyed their powercompletely.

Then, with the encouragement of the people ofMadinah, Prophet decided to offer his services to thecommunity that still includes Jewish people. Prophethas laid the foundation for the relationship betweenemigrants from Mecca known as Muhajirin andAnsar.

Later, the Treaty between Muslims, non-Muslim Arabs and Jews of Medina was put in writing and approved by all parties. It is known as The Treaty of Medina.The main part of the document are:

•In the name of Allah, the stipulation by Muhammad, the Prophet of God that all believers better than Quraysh tribe, tribes of Medina and from anywhere is one country.

•The prophet is the head of the nation

•Citizens of Medina are prohibited to make enemy among themselves

•Citizens of Medina must be cooperative in economic matters and defend Medina.

•The Jews shall practice their religion as freely as the Muslims.

•The Jews, their allies, and the non-Muslims are secured and shall enjoy the same security and freedom as the Muslims as long as they do not break the treaty.

•Medina is a sacred and safe place for everyone who recognize the treaty.

•All future disputes will be submitted to the Prophet Muhammad.

The name Yathrib was changed to Medinat-un-Nabawi, which means 'City of the Prophet' soon after the Prophet migrated there.

Characteristic Features of Madinan Society

1) Submission to God

• man is obliged to submit either to the One True God, the Creator, the

Sustainer, the Provider, the Sovereign, the Almighty.

• in reality there are only two choices: unity of God or plurality of gods

• total and unconditional obedience to God’s commands.

• life-long relationship man establishes with the Supreme Being.

• hardly falls victim to dejection, disappointment, and depression,

which may cause one or another psychological and social problems.

• highest forms of practical manifestation of man’s submission to God is

solat through which man several times a day reiterates his pledge to

remain loyal to God, and prepares himself mentally as well as

physically for demonstrating this commitment in his daily life.

• Devotion to the Almighty creates a very healthy environment in the

human settings.

• the Qur’Én refers to ÎolÉt as a shield with which man can comfortably

defend himself against evil thoughts and actions.

2) Intellectual Development and Freedom

• Man is an intellectual being. He has been granted faculties to

observe, analyze, and reflect (16:78; 17:36).

•Intellectual freedom leads to all kinds of development

ensuring social awareness of the people whereas intellectual

slavery mars the development, thus causing the people to

behave like non-human beings.

•Intellectual development as a result of intellectual freedom is

a state of life where society hardly makes mistakes in its

judgment on what is right and what is wrong.

•Classic example, if an individual makes a mistake, others come

forward to rectify it. ( The story of ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab)

•By following blindly, it snatches away from man his own

freedom to think, choose and act .

•The Quran, ask man to exercise his intellectual ability in every

matter, big or small, indicates that human development rests

mainly upon proper and constant application of reason.

3) Full Blooming of Knowledge

•Islam promotes knowledge and stamp out ignorance from human

life and thought.

•In Surah 96:1-5 he Prophet (s.a.w.) received consisted of the

message concerning the significance of knowledge.

•Islamic society people are barred from expressing views on any

matter without knowledge as mentioned in Surah 17:36.

•Prophet Muhammad make certain that Arabs not be remained

illiterate.

•After the death of Prophet Muhammad, emergence of new

educational culture; almost every house and every mosque turned

into centers of learning.

•Later on, the power of knowledge dominated the world..

4) Honor to Human Rights• Man recognizes very well position of each and every single individual around him and respects each and every person’s rights.•The used the term “Ihsan” referring to human rights of all the individuals in human society,that mentioned in Surah 4 : 36 in which stress upon particularly parents, next of kin, neighbor, spouses, and the less fortunate.

•Ihsan signifies good treatment, generosity, kindness, cooperation, sympathy, benevolence.

• One of human rights is justice.

•Justice; it is a rule, which governs every act of a man.

•For instance, once a newly married women expressed her desire to the Prophet (s.a.w.) to help her to get separated from her husband on the ground that he had beaten her severely, and the Prophet having realized the seriousness of the matter ordered the husband to divorce the woman.

•Other example; children’s rights; children honor their parents’ rights; wife and husband are always mindful of each other’s rights; and every individual respects others’ rights, there may hardly be any chaos in the society.

5) Predominance of High Moral Values

• Man is a human being endowed with moral dimension.

• Social bond makes it imperative for him to choose the most appropriate principles

of behavior in his interaction with the society.

•The distinction between human and animal is that of morality.

•By having moral values in an environment keeps social problems away.

•The image of individuals must possess high moral character; they are humble, avoid

conflict, keep away from wasteful spending as well as niggardliness, do not kill any

one unjustly, do not commit sexual offence, never bear witness falsely, never get

involved in what is frivolous, maintain their dignity, honor their promises and trusts,

help others around them, and are always conscious of their responsibilities towards

their children and subordinates.

•Prophet keep reminding his followers to have good moral conduct where he said;

“Keep away from assumption as it represents worst lie; do not unnecessarily probe

into others’ life, do not spy on others, do not hate one another, do not play tricks

against one another, do not develop jealousy against one another, do not harbor

mutual enmity, and become, O servants of Allah, brethren”.

6) Prosperity and Well-Being

•People submitted to Islamic values, they witnessed the emergence of a new phenomenon in which the poverty had no chance to creep into life.

•Distribution of zakÉt-money among the people below the poverty line has been prescribed for the rich (9:60) so as to eradicate poverty and enable the needy to gradually become self-reliant.

•The Prophet’s (s.a.w.) statement----“the upper hand is better than the lower hand”14----discourages his followers from begging and encourage them to be self-sufficient. •Islam takes many steps to prevent prosperity turning into poverty.

•Acts such as feeding the hungry, helping the needy, expiation of certain acts (kaffÉrah), liberating slaves and bonded labours, building mosques, managing educational institutions, and other welfare programs are example of overcoming the problem of poverty.

7)Men and Women: Equitable Standing •In pre-Islamic Arabia woman was at one extreme of exploitation

•But according to Islam, woman is neither a sex tool nor an object of pleasure for men in the society.

•It grants her highly honorable social positions of mother, wife, daughter, sister, friend, and co-partner in the life etc just as it places man in the society as father, husband, son, brother, and co-partner.

•Man and woman are co-players in life.

•Family and society are bound to total failure if both man and woman are not provided equitable opportunities to play their respective role in their different capacities.

•Each gender has their own rights and duties ; in terms of their respective positions they hold in the family and society.

8) Collectivism

• An individual is of prime value and the society is

merely a tool to meet individual’s ends.

•There is a balance between individuals and the society

•Does not allow individuals to exploit the society nor it

permits the society to block the progress of individuals.

• Each and every individuals must share with and care for

one another.

•Prophet Muhammad once said; Prophet (s.a.w.) himself

draws a picture of that society in these words: “See the

believers; they are like one single body in their mutual

interaction based on compassion, love and sympathy;

when any its organs suffers, the whole body falls sick

with sleeplessness and fever.

•The spirit of collectivism works as a catalyst

overpowering the attitude of hatred, ill will, vengeance,

backbiting, blackmailing, jealousy and rivalry.

9) Multi- Culturalism

• The term society have various elements reflecting multiplicity of color, cast, creed and culture.

•It helps to maintained the integrity of the society.

•As an example; mutual understanding, tolerance, and respect of each other ensure peace and harmony .

•Islam does not allow its followers to coerce others into accepting its faith and life-principles as mention in Surah 2:56.

•In an Islamic society do not condemn or revile other religious and cultural entities’ goddesses.

•Cooperation between Muslims and non-Muslims are most in terms forming a society or nation.

•A classic example of multi- culturalism is when Prophet (s.a.w.) and his followers had established very close relationship with the Jews in Madinah.

Conclusion

In surah Al Hujurat mention that all Muslims

are brothers (and sisters) of and equal to one

another and it is incumbent that they all

endeavour to ensure that peace and happiness

are established amongst themselves.

BiblilographyProf. Dr. Israr Ahmad Khan

Dr. Sohirin Solihin

Retrieved from: http://www.jewsnews.co.il/2014/04/25/before-islam-medina-was-originally-a-jewish-city/

Retrieved from: http://www.cyberistan.org/islamic/treaty22.html

Retrieved from: http://www.al-islam.org/restatement-history-islam-and-muslims-sayyid-ali-ashgar-razwy/muslims-and-jews

Shamim A. Siddiqi, The Commitment. (1996). The Process Towards Its Fulfillment.

Abdul Aziz Said & Meena Sharify,Cultural Diversity and Islam. (2003)

Abdul aziz A. Sachedina,Unity through diversity : The Shar'i Version. (1998). The American Journal of Islamic Social Science, 5(1), 59-59.

The End