What was the Constitution of Medina?
The Constitution of Medina was a written agreement the Prophet ﷺ made soon after arriving in Medina in 622 CE. It bound the Muslim emigrants, the local Muslim tribes and the Jewish tribes of the city into one community with shared duties of defence, justice and mutual help, while each group kept its own religion.
Where it comes from
When the Prophet ﷺ migrated from Mecca to Medina (the Hijrah), the city was divided between rival Arab tribes, Aws and Khazraj, and several Jewish clans. To bring order, he drew up a document often called the Sahifah (the "charter") or Mithaq al-Madinah. Its text has reached us through early historians, mainly Ibn Ishaq's biography of the Prophet ﷺ and Abu Ubayd's Kitab al-Amwal. Historians mostly accept that it is authentic, though some think it combines several agreements made over a few years. It's one of the key events after the Hijrah, the event that also starts the Islamic calendar. See How does the Islamic calendar work?
What it said
- One community (ummah): the signatories formed one political community, distinct from outsiders.
- Freedom of religion: the Jews kept their religion and the Muslims theirs.
- Shared defence: all parties would defend Medina together if it was attacked, and share the costs.
- Justice and blood money: tribes kept their customs for paying compensation and ransoming captives, and no one would shelter a criminal.
- Disputes: serious disputes would be referred to Allah and to Muhammad ﷺ as the final arbiter.
Why it matters today
Muslims often point to the charter as an early example of a pluralist agreement: people of different faiths living under one set of rules, with protected rights and shared responsibilities. It shows that keeping treaties is a religious duty:
Later, some Jewish tribes broke the pact, and the relationship changed. Historians discuss those events in detail, but the principle stands: an agreement is binding until the other side breaks it. See What does the Quran say about Jews?
Lessons for Muslims in the West
Many scholars draw a direct line from the charter to life in Europe and the USA: your citizenship, visa or residence is a kind of agreement, so honour it, contribute to the safety of your city and live in peace with neighbours of every faith. See Can I take a citizenship oath as a Muslim?
- A written charter from the Prophet's ﷺ early years in Medina.
- It united Muslims and Jewish tribes as one civic community.
- Each group kept its faith; all shared defence and justice.
- It is often cited as a model for peaceful, plural citizenship.
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