Reinterpreting Mi̇̄thāq al-Madi̇̄nah: A Study of Some Contemporary Scholars

Mi̇̄thāq al-Madi̇̄nah (The Constitution/Covenant of Madi̇̄nah) - the principles of which were based on the Qur’ān and Sunnah - constitutes the cardinal foundation on which the state and society of Madi̇̄nah was founded. In the modern times, various scholars see it as a source of constitutionalism, d...

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Bibliographic Details
Authors: Sofi, Mohammad Dawood (Author) ; Parray, Tauseef Ahmad (Author)
Format: Electronic Article
Language:English
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Published: De Gruyter, Versita 2016
In: The Journal of Rotterdam Islamic and Social Sciences
Year: 2016, Volume: 7, Issue: 1, Pages: 1-10
Further subjects:B Muslims
B Social Contract
B Jews
B Prophet Muḥammad
B Hijrah
B Mi̇̄thāq al-Madi̇̄nah
B Plurality
B Democracy
B Pagans
B Ummah
Online Access: Volltext (lizenzpflichtig)
Description
Summary:Mi̇̄thāq al-Madi̇̄nah (The Constitution/Covenant of Madi̇̄nah) - the principles of which were based on the Qur’ān and Sunnah - constitutes the cardinal foundation on which the state and society of Madi̇̄nah was founded. In the modern times, various scholars see it as a source of constitutionalism, democratizing reform, and pluralism in Islam. It is regarded not only as the "first written constitution" but also the "first Constitution of democracy in the history of constitutional rule" as well. The signatories of this document were various communities; principally Muslims, Jews, and pagans who (collectively) constituted a unified citizenry - the Ummah al-Wāhidah. This Constitution has been described differently by various scholars. For Muhammad Hamidullah, the Mi̇̄thāq is an "epoch-making innovation" that brought "revolutionary change"; for Ali Bülac, it represents the plurality of legal systems; and for Muqtedar Khan, it is an excellent manifestation of the Prophet’s affinity to "democracy and governance by consent." This articles revolves round these three modern scholars by analy­zing and evaluating their view and vision on the Mi̇̄thāq al-Madi̇̄nah. While making use of primary and secondary material, the authors attempt to present its significance and necessity for peaceful coexistence between various parties in the contemporary globalized world.
ISSN:2199-6172
Contains:Enthalten in: The Journal of Rotterdam Islamic and Social Sciences