All Muslim communities are required/supposed to shape their working in conformity to the first-ever Muslim community founded at Medina by the Holy Prophet ï·º in the year 622 AD onwards. This community was structured on certain golden foundational principles that have full potential to guide all the communities at all times. These principles were drafted in the form of the Charter of Medina which served as the constitution for all Medinian individuals and tribal communities. The Mosque of the Holy Prophet ï·º served multiple purposes for the Muslim community:
Firstly, it emerged as the
cardinal sign of the Muslim community; secondly, it was the Parliament Hall as
well as the Executive Secretariat where not only legislation was carried out,
but also executed by the Supreme law-giver, the Holy Prophet Hazrat Muhammad ï·º.
Thirdly, it remained the only courtroom to settle various civil and criminal
litigations and finally, the same mosque was used as the emergency operations
headquarters where defence-related matters were discussed and decisions were
taken accordingly. That is how the first Muslim community gradually evolved
within a decade. Muslims belonging to a diverse variety of tribes were welded
together in the light of the following divine commandment:
"Believers are a single brotherhood" (49: 10)
The followers of the Holy
Prophet, the Muhajireen of Mekka and the Ansar of Medina, quickly followed the
command and became a single fraternity.
The mosque provided them with the
opportunity five times a day to further strengthen this bond:
"And establish Salat and pay Zakat and bow your heads with those who bow" (2: 43).
In this Muslim community, it was
ensured that everyone was equal before the law. A famous incident about the
Holy Prophets can be quoted related to this aspect. A woman, named Fatima was
proven guilty of theft in the court of the Holy Prophets. Her kinsmen tried to
intercede for the community of the punishment, but the Holy Prophet refused and upheld the punishment. He further said that he would have given the same
punishment (cutting off of hand) even if Fatima bint Muhammad ï·º
had committed the same crime.
There were well-defined rules
regarding the relations of the Muslims with the non-Muslim citizens of Medina.
The Jews, in particular, were granted complete religious and civic liberty and
Muslims and Jews were declared a single political community. Both were supposed
to maintain peace within Medina and guard its borders against external
aggression. The Quran, at the same time, declared Jews and Christians as
Ahl-i-Kitab (People of the Book) and awarded them a more dignified status than
other non-Muslims. Thus, the Holy Prophet ï·º
was able to enforce the Islamic Sharia'h (law) in the city state of Muslims.
Now, with the growth and
establishment of this Muslim community, several Muslim communities sprang up in
various parts of the world in the coming years. These Muslim communities can
easily apply the guiding principles of the first Medinian Muslim community. The
best means of promoting mutual love and brotherhood is provided every year on
the eve of Hajj (pilgrimage to Mekka). Muslims from across the globe gather at
the CenterPoint of Islam, the Holy Ka'ba, and present a unique scene of
uniformity and equality. Similarly, in the month of Ramadan, all Muslim
communities carry a peculiar and uniform look. Muslim communities help each
other in all good matters, and make joint efforts to suppress evil in the light
of this Quranic injunction:
"And help one another in righteousness and piety, but help not one another in sin and transgression" (5: 2).
The Muslim communities can
contribute to all collective efforts aimed at maintaining and promoting global
peace while making efforts to spread God's message peacefully.
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