ERA OF ISLAM

      The Holy Prophet (PBUH), after careful deliberations and discussion with the people representing different sections of the inhabitants of Madina, prepared a written charter of rights for the people of the city-state of Madina. The representatives of every section of people agreed on this so it took the form of a written constitution and now it may be rightly ascribed as the “First Written Constitution of the World’ because we find no such other written constitution before this.

     According to this constitution or agreement, everyone's life and properties were protected and every section of the people was allowed to enjoy life according to its own way this was a political unity of the Muslims, Jews and the others living in Madina. However, the Muslims being in the majority had naturally the upper hand similar to that as the majority communities or sections in the present democratic countries have. In this way, the city-state of Madina was in fact, the first Islamic state of the world in which the non-Muslims had full liberty in their internal affairs. No community had the right or such upper hand as to interfere into the affairs of other community.

      According to an article of the charter it was agreed that in case Madina was attacked by any external power, it was the duty of all the citizens of Madina to defend the city. The Holy Prophet (PBUH) and his followers tried their best to abide by the charter in letter and spirit. Had the others too tried to do the same, a pleasant situation must have been created, but, as we shall see later on, the non-Muslims proved themselves disloyal to the constitution and their disloyalty created n lot of trouble for this newly born slate.