The Covenants of the Prophet (SAWS) with the Christians
Tuesday, 01 April 2008
Written by Abdul-Rahim Ammar
The Covenants of the Prophet (SAWS) with the Christians
The Prophet’s (SAWS) biography contains some examples of political covenants which the Prophet (SAWS) concluded with some Christian entities in the Arabian Peninsula and the Levant. However, these covenants with Christians were not as famous as those with the Jews of Madinah. This is because the Jews, unlike Christians and others, were in the heart of the events of the Prophet’s life.
In this chapter, we will shed some light on the covenants of the Noble Prophet (SAWS) with the Christians. We will get to know the good treatment of Muslims to others and how it was not confined to the Jews of Madinah but was a steady pattern whenever the Islamic State can implement it.
The Prophet (SAWS) was keen to spread the feeling of peace and security among the Christian tribes in the North of the Arabian Peninsula. This led to an early extirpation of any grudge from their chests. He sent to them inviting them to Islam, and he (SAWS) ordered some of his noble companions to marry of them. This policy paved the way for considering Islam by the Christian leaders, or at least for making peace with Muslims.
In spite of this respect of Muslims to Christians of the Northern area that encompassed also Dawmat al-Jandal, yet significant violations took place on the part of Christians. Some of them killed the Prophet’s (SAWS) envoys. Besides, 100,000 of these tribes joined the Byzantines to fight Muslims. The Muslims were thus obliged to fight them in Mu’ata.
Furthermore, the Christian tribes allied once more with the Byzantines to attack Madinah. This made the Prophet (SAWS) march out to Tabouk to meet them. Although the number of Muslims was relatively small compared to the huge number of the Byzantines, yet Allah (SWT) cast horror in the hearts of Byzantines. Consequently, they retreated towards North, leaving behind them areas which were once under their influence, and their allies of the Arabs who dreaded Muslims to a great extent. Amazingly, when the Prophet (SAWS) captured their king, he treated him generously, and was good to him. He (SAWS) did not humiliate him nor did he approve of his prostration in front of him. On the contrary, he spared his blood, respected his leadership, and made reconciliation with him that guaranteed utmost respect of Muslims to him and his people.
That was quite similar to what happened with Yuhannah Ibn-Ru’bah, king of Aylah[1] and the surrounding areas. He too was a Christian and he came to the Prophet (SAWS) when he was in Tabouk. When he entered, he lowered his head. The Prophet made a signal for him to raise his head. He reconciled him and gave him a Yemeni garment[2] as a present. The wording of this treaty was as follows:
“In the Name of Allah, The All Merciful, The Ever Merciful. This is a guarantee of protection from Allah and Muhammad, the Prophet, the Messenger of Allah, to Yuhanna Ibn-Ru'bah and the people of Aylah. Their ships and their caravans on land and sea shall have the custody of Allah and Prophet Muhammad, he and whosoever are with him of peoples of the Levant, Yemen, or those of the sea (beyond the seas). Whosoever contravenes this treaty, his wealth shall not save him (the jizyah[3] which he pays would not protect him from punishment for the crime he did); it (his wealth) shall be the fair prize of him that takes it. Now it should not be lawful to hinder the men from any springs which they have been in the habit of frequenting, nor from a road on land or sea which they have been in the habit of using."[4]
The Prophet (SAWS) dealt with the Christians of Jarba’ and Adhruh in the same way. His (SAWS) message to them reads as, “This is a message from Muhammad, the Prophet, to the people of Adhrah. They are secure by Allah’s Protection and Muhammad’s. They have to pay one hundred dinars, full and good, every month of Rajab. Allah is a Witness on them being advising and beneficent to Muslims.”[5]
The Messenger (SAWS) sustained great responsibilities for providing protection for small weak tribes who are barely richer than Muslims, in return for a trivial worthless price. The aim was to guarantee peace with all those who surround the Muslims.
As for the Christians of Najran, they came to debate the Messenger (SAWS). He proved to them that their creed that entails the deification of al-Maseeh (Messiah, Christ) (AS[6]) was corrupt. He also proved to them what they had already known, that al-Maseeh (AS) was a human being. Although it became obvious for them that the Messenger (SAWS) is the true messenger mentioned in the Torah and the Bible, yet they turned away arrogantly, and refused to believe. Thereupon, the Prophet (SAWS) offered to do mubahalah (imprecation), based on a revelation, and it means to invoke Allah’s Curse upon the liar party. They whispered to one another, “Never has a people made such an invocation with a prophet except that they perished.”[7]
They accepted to pay jizyah, whereupon the Prophet approved this after he won the debate. The major clauses of the treaty between the Prophet (SAWS) and the people of Najran were as follows:
“In the Name of Allah, The All Merciful, The Ever Merciful. This is from Muhammad, the Prophet, offering to Bishop Abul-Harith, all archbishops, priests, monks and all what they have, be it few or many, the Protection of Allah and His Messenger. A bishop, a monk, or a priest shall never be forced to quit his faith (or be slipped his authority) by the protection of Allah and His Messenger as long as they reform and counsel without extending any injustice to anyone; and they shall not be treated unjustly”.[8]
This treaty is a token of tolerance and justice, given their arrogance to the Prophet (SAWS), and their denial of the true faith after it became so clear to them.
Worthy of notion is an amazing thing that happened during the visit of the delegation of Najran to Madinah. Ibn-Is~haq reported, “When the delegation of Najran came to the Prophet (SAWS) in his masjid (mosque) it was after al-Asr prayer (the after-noon prayer). When it was time for their prayer, they stood for prayer in the mosque of the Prophet (SAWS). Thereupon the Prophet (SAWS) ordered his companions to leave them to pray. The delegation faced east and made their prayers.[9]
This is tolerance, in the true sense of the word, and the most clear of its examples: the Christians of Najran entering the Prophet’s Mosque, performing their prayers in it, in their own way, and without being prevented or forced and while they were in a weaker situation than Muslims. They announced their creed and faith on the very own grounds of Islam, and in the place of worship of Muslims and their headquarters, not fearing for themselves or their possessions. By Allah! No one ever would have allowed this to take place except for the Prophet of Islam (SAWS).[10] The treaty remained valid, no one broke it, and the good relations between people of Najran and that of Madinah were maintained until the death of the Prophet (SAWS).
[1] It is the Egyptian village of Umm ar-Rashwash on the coast of the red sea that was once occupied by the Israelis, who named it Ilat.
[2] Al-Bayhaqy, as-Sunan al-Kobrah (The Greatest Traditions), 9/185. As-Salihy ash-Shamy, Sobol al-Huda wa ar-Rashad (The Paths of Guidance and Rationality), 5/460.
[3] Tax, or annual tribute.
[4] Ibn-Hisham, as-Seerah an-Nabawiyyah (The Prophet’s Biography), 2/525, 526, Ibn-Sayed an-Nas, Oyoun al-Athar (The Eyes of Tradidion), 2/258, and Ibnul-Qayyim, Zad al-Ma’ad (The Provisions for the Hereafter), 3/466.
[5] Ibn-Sa’d, at-Tabaqat al-Kobra, 1/290 and Ibn-Katheer, as-Seerah an-Nabawyah, 4/30.
[6] Alayhi as-Salam [Peace be upon him]
[7] Tafseer an-Nasfiyy (Qur’an Exegesis by an-Nasfiyy), 1/158 and Tafseer al-Baydawiyy (Qur’an Exegesis by al-Baydawiyy), 1/46.
[8] Al-Bidayah wa an-Nihayah (The Beginning and the End), 5/67 and Ibnul-Qayyim, Zad al-Ma’ad (The Provisions for the Hereafter), 3/549.
[9] Ibn-Hisham, as-Seerah an-Nabawiyyah (The Prophet’s Biography), 2/108, and Ibnul-Qayyim, Zad al-Ma’ad (The Provisions for the Hereafter), 3/549, 550.
[10] Dr. Farouq Hamadah, al-Ilaqat al-Islamiyyah an-Nasraniyyah Fi al-‘ahd an-Nabawy (The Islamic-Christian Relations During the Time of the Prophet (SAWS)), 116, 117. [free quotation]
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