Peaceful Coexistent In The Spirit Of the Madinah Charter

Can we really coexist despite the many differences that we have? For me, the answer is definitely yes. It doesn’t matter whether you are a Muslim, a Jew, a Christian, a Hindu or others- yes we can coexist if we look at each other as human being and not as belong to any particular group or preferences. This is basically exemplifies in the Madinah Charter. Something which I see as a precious & priceless treasure, yet many people take it for granted!!.
The reason why I relate the issue of peaceful coexistent and the Madinah Charter is due to the fact that the charter upholds the spirit of human coexistent despite the many differences that people have. For those who do not know what the Madinah Charter is, it is basically the first written constitution in Islam & maybe to a greater extent, the first constitutional law that had ever existed in society. Moreover, it is this constitution that binds people of different tribes and faiths as one single and open community. You can find the Jews, the Muslims and various tribes living together and considered themselves as the people of Yathrib
(Madinah) rather than putting their ethnic preferences with regards to their identity.

Any principle that you may find in modern day’s constitution exemplifies in the Madinah Charter. For instance, the principle of equality whereby all citizens are treated equally irrespective of their different cultural backgrounds, preservation of basic rights like freedom of religion is well safeguarded, protection against oppression, principle of leadership, justice and so many other principles that it concerned with. In fact, even at the beginning while drafting the charter, the prophet consulted the leaders of each tribe, thereby demonstrating his willingness to listen to the needs of all tribes. That is why, I would say that the Madinah Charter exemplifies as a way or a source of answer for the conflicting interests that prevailed over and over in today’s globalized world with a pluralistic society. Maybe it is the time for us to go back to the basic, try to appreciate the best method that Rasulullah had deduced and uphold the spirit of the Madinah Charter to the best of our ability so that we may live in a better situation and coexist peacefully despite diversity. As Allah says in the Qur’an(Al Hujuraat:13):
“ O mankind! we created you from a single (pair) of a male and a female, and made you into nations and Tribes, that ye may know Each other (Not that ye may despise (each other). Verily the Most honoured of you In the sight of Allah is (He who is) the Most righteous of you. and Allah has full knowledge and is well acquainted (with all things).”


Note: you may refer to the English translation of the Madinah Charter in
A. Guillaume, The Life Of Muhammad-A Translation of Ishaq’s Sirat
RasulAllah, Oxford University Press, Karachi,1995,pp.231-233.