CSS 2020 Solved Islamiyat Past Papers | Madinah Accord as Social Contract
The following question of Islamiat is solved by Miss Ayesha Irfan, the highest scorer in CSS Islamiat. Moreover, the question is attempted on the same pattern taught by Sir Syed Kazim Ali to his students, scoring the highest marks in compulsory subjects for years. This solved past paper question is uploaded to help aspirants understand how to crack a topic or question, how to write relevantly, what coherence is, and how to include and connect ideas, opinions, and suggestions to score the maximum.
Question Breakdown
The examiner has asked about the role of the Charter of Madinah as a social contract, which is helpful in establishing the foundations of a just and peaceful society irrespective of religious and cultural differences. In this answer we will discuss the characteristics of the Madinah charter that makes it a social contract. The first part is an outline, breaking the question into different parts. Moving further, an introduction is given, followed by an overview of the Madinah Accord, its fundamentals, critical analysis, and conclusion.
Outline
1-Introduction
2-An overview of Madinah Accord
3-Madina Accord as a Social Contract
- ✓ Fundamental Principles of Society
- ✓ Rights of Individuals
- ✓ Constitutional Rights
- ✓ Legal Rights
- ✓ Rights of Citizens
4-Critical Analysis
5-Conclusion
Answer to the Question
Introduction
The Madina Accord is also known as the Constitution of Makkah, promulgated in the 7th century, highlighting the fundamentals of Islamic history. Tracing back history, the accord of Madina lays the foundation for a new social and political order in Madinah. This accord is also known as a social contract because it guides the world about the rights and obligations of individuals and communities, collective identity, social justice, and balance of power. In addition, this accord was formed by the guiding light, the Holy Prophet (PBUH), to unite the different existing groups under a single framework of governance residing in Madinah, which included ethnicities, such as Muslims, Jews, and Polytheists. This accord is still relevant in today’s time as it includes comprehensive articles based on shared responsibilities, collective defense, and the freedom of religion; this would lay the foundation of a balanced and harmonious society, and this would ultimately lead the country toward progress. This answer sheds light on the characteristics of the Madina Accord that make it a renowned social contract.
An Overview of Madinah Accord
The Madinah Charter is one of the oldest legal documents that was written by the Prophet (PBUH) for different ethnicities residing in the state of Madinah. It is the first ever written constitution in the world; it was promulgated for a plural society that gave equal rights to every citizen as well as giving them a say in governmental matters. The Charter of Madinah includes 47 clauses in which clauses 1, 2, and 39 highlight the formation of a sovereign nation-state with a common citizenship, including various communities, mainly from Muslim Arabs from Makkah (Muhajirien or immigrants), Muslim Arabs from Yathrib (Ansar or Helpers), other monotheists from Yathrib (the Jews) and others who must be at that time still pagans. These constitute a unified citizenry, having equal rights and responsibilities, as distinct from other peoples.
Madina Accord as a Social Contract
The social contract is an agreement that guides the inhabitants to co-exist with each other and grants equal rights to everyone. The Madinah accord is known as a social contract because it is a comprehensive agreement, including multiple areas like political, social, economic, legal, and protection rights of the people of a society. It gives human beings their basic rights, which they were deprived of earlier. The following fundamentals make the Charter of Madinah a social contract:
A- Fundamental Principles of Society
Every social contract theory is based on some fundamental principles of society, and the Charter of Madinah is based on the following fundamental principles of society:
- •a- Sovereignty belongs to Allah
One of the key principles is that the ultimate authority belongs to Allah Almighty alone. No matter how much powerful the ruler is, he is answerable to Allah and thus, the authority and real power rests in the supremacy of Allah. This is perfectly reflected in the following provision given in the Charter of Madinah:
‘’If any dispute or controversy likely to cause trouble should arise, it must be referred to Allah and His Messenger; Allah’s judgment is final and binding.’’
- •b- Unity of the Ummah
Another most important principle set in the Accord of Madina is sharing the thread of unity regardless of the religious differences. This agreement helped everyone merge themselves as a single political and social entity with shared responsibilities.
“This is a document from Muhammad the Prophet (PBUH), governing the relations between the believers and Muslims of Quraysh and Yathrib and those who followed them and worked with them. They are one community (Ummah) to the exclusion of all others.”
Article 1 of the Charter
- •c-Mutual Protection and Security
The Charter of Madina pays great importance to collective security. All the groups, regardless of their differences, were responsible for defending Madinah from external threats. This is perfectly highlighted in one of the clauses of the Accord of Madinah:
“The Jews of Banu Awf are one community with the believers…The Jews have their religion and the Muslims have theirs.”
B- Rights of Individuals
The Charter of Madinah also grants some rights to individuals regardless of the religion that also laid the foundations for maintaining social justice, equality, peace, and harmony in society.
- •a-Right to Religious Freedom
It was clearly stated that every human being was free to follow whatever religion they wanted. The Charter guarantees the freedom of religion to other minorities and non-Muslim communities. As mentioned in the Charter:
‘’The Jews of Banu Awf are one community with the believers. The Jews have their religion, and the Muslims have theirs.’’
- •b-Right of Protection for Women
Women were also given importance in the Charter of Madinah that highlights the important role and rights women hold in the society.
- •c-Right to Justice and Fair Treatment
According to the Charter, every human being is entitled to justice and fair treatment. It was obligatory for the authorities to deal justly and all the issues to be resolved equitably. As mentioned in the Charter:
‘’If any dispute or controversy likely to cause trouble should arise, it must be referred to Allah and His Messenger; Allah’s judgment is final and binding.’’
C-Constitutional Rights
The Holy Prophet (PBUH) outlined various constitutional rights for individuals based on the framework of governance, co-existence of tribal and religious groups in Madinah, and justice in the Charter of Madinah.
- •a-Right to Equal Citizenship
The Charter gives equal representation and status to minorities, Muslims, and Non-Muslims by constituting them in a single political entity. This is clearly mentioned in the following provision:
“The Jews of Banu Awf are one community with the believers. The Jews have their religion and the Muslims have theirs”
- •b-Right to Collective Security
The Charter also emphasized collective security and ensured that every person living in Madinah was responsible for taking care of Madinah and maintaining peace within the area. It is highlighted in the following words:
“The believers and Muslims of Quraysh and Yathrib, and those who followed them, must help each other against any attack on the city.”
C-Legal Rights
The Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) also included legal rights for everyone that further laid the foundations for a just and equitable society. It includes the following key aspects:
- •a-Right to Due Process
As per the Charter of Madina, every human being was given the right to a fair trial and legal process in the matters. The Charter ensured that all the disputes were resolved under the laws established in Madinah. The following provision reflects the right to due process.
“If any dispute or controversy likely to cause trouble should arise, it must be referred to Allah and His Messenger; Allah’s judgment is final and binding.”
- •b-Right to Protection Against Arbitrary Punishment
The Charter also focused on protecting the human beings from arbitrary punishments and made sure that all the dealings were according to the established laws rather than personal vendettas. This document also highlights that all the groups can hold each other responsible in case of any misconduct, which prevents unjust actions against individuals.
D-Rights of State Citizens
In any social contract theory, the rights of state citizens are given due importance. Likewise, the Prophet gave the rights of state citizens in the Charter of Madinah, which includes:
- •a-Right to Eradication from State Enemies
The Charter grants the right of protection from external threats and the collective duty to protect the state and eradicate enemies that may be a threat to the state and its people. The Charter highlighted that all groups must defend each other against those who attack the community, reflecting a mutual understanding of security.
- •b-Right of State Defense
The Charter clearly mentions the inherent right to defend the state and their community from attack; this is shared among all members of the society despite the religion people follow. As mentioned in the Charter:
“The believers and Muslims of Quraysh and Yathrib, and those who followed them, must help one another against any attack on the city.’’
Critical Analysis
The Charter of Madinah was the first-ever social contract that inspired various philosophers and socialists of the future. Philosophers like Al-Farabi gave the concept of an ideal state based on the principles laid in the Charter of Madinah. Moreover, philosophers like Rousseau, John Locke, and others also introduced their social contract theory to lay the foundations of a peaceful and just society. All the contemporary philosophers follow the Charter of Madinah as its articles uphold the modern standard of society and principles necessary for a happy and just society. The Prophet’s model of the Charter of Madinah gives everyone equal rights and discusses all areas of the state and its citizens despite differences, embodying the principle of equality in society.
Conclusion
Islam is indeed a complete deen that provides equal rights to human beings irrespective of color, caste, creed, or religion, which is not found elsewhere. It was the first written document that included everyone, be it Muslims, non-Muslims, women, children, or minorities. Just like the Magna Carta, the Charter of Madina is a comprehensive document that is universal and still relevant in today’s time. Verily, the Charter of Madina can be used in today’s time to formulate a social contract theory and help lay the basis of a just and equal society.
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