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The Constitution of Medina
I though this might be interesting given what's in the news at the moment.
The Constitution of Medina, also known as the Charter of Medina, was drafted by the Islamic prophet Muhammad.
It constituted a formal agreement between Muhammad and all of the significant tribes and families of Yathrib (later known as Medina), including Muslims, Jews, Christians and pagans.
This constitution formed the basis of the first Islamic state.
The document was created to bring to an end the bitter inter-tribal fighting between the clans of the Aws (Aus) and Khazraj within Medina.
To this effect it instituted a number of rights and responsibilities for the Muslim, Jewish, Christian and pagan communities of Medina bringing them within the fold of one community—the Ummah.
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Rights of non-Muslims[edit]
The non-Muslims included in the ummah had the following rights:
The security of God is equal for all groups.
Non-Muslim members will have the same political and cultural rights as Muslims. They will have autonomy and freedom of religion.
Non-Muslims will take up arms against the enemy of the Ummah and share the cost of war. There is to be no treachery between the two.
Non-Muslims will not be obliged to take part in religious wars of the Muslims.
It constituted a formal agreement between Muhammad and all of the significant tribes and families of Yathrib (later known as Medina), including Muslims, Jews, Christians and pagans.
This constitution formed the basis of the first Islamic state.
The document was created to bring to an end the bitter inter-tribal fighting between the clans of the Aws (Aus) and Khazraj within Medina.
To this effect it instituted a number of rights and responsibilities for the Muslim, Jewish, Christian and pagan communities of Medina bringing them within the fold of one community—the Ummah.
---
Rights of non-Muslims[edit]
The non-Muslims included in the ummah had the following rights:
The security of God is equal for all groups.
Non-Muslim members will have the same political and cultural rights as Muslims. They will have autonomy and freedom of religion.
Non-Muslims will take up arms against the enemy of the Ummah and share the cost of war. There is to be no treachery between the two.
Non-Muslims will not be obliged to take part in religious wars of the Muslims.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constitution_of_medina