Establishment of a Successful Islamic Society
All praise is due to Allah and May His Peace and Blessings be upon the Last Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) and all those who follow the path of righteousness until the Last Day.
Every society has a complete structure. Without a sound and strong social structure a society cannot flourish. Same like this Islamic society has a unique and complete structure. This structure stands on certain main features or characteristics. Without these characteristics the structure of the society cannot stand properly. We find the detail guideline in Quran and Sunnah which was demonstrated practically by our beloved Prophet (pbuh).
The following is a partial list of the characteristics of an Islamic society we can derive from the life of Prophet (pbuh) in Madinah:
Strong Leader, Guide & Visionary
Uniting under a strong leader is the first and foremost requirement for the society. From the Seerah we see that how strong was the leadership of Prophet (pbuh). He guided us to be under a righteous leader and obey him in all aspects. Otherwise the community may split quickly.
Prophet (pbuh) said: Whoso obeys me obeys God, and whoso disobeys me disobeys God. Whoso obeys the commander (appointed by me) obeys me, and whoso disobeys the commander disobeys me. (Muslim, n.d.)
Making Mosque the Center Of All Guidance
In Islam, mosques are not just places for prayers. In Seerah we can see that mosques were like community centers. The first task done by the Prophet after migration to Madinah was building the “Masjid Nawwai” (al-Mubarakpuri, n.d.) The mosque was then became a place for prayer, socialization, dawah, celebration, education, meetings and deliberation and all affairs. When the center is the house of Allah, then barakah will come for sure.
Brotherhood & Unity
Prophet (pbuh) tied a strong bond between the Ansars and Muhajeers. Also the dispute between Aws and Khazraj was eliminated. Strong brotherhood and unity is the base upon which the community stands. Allah says – “"Believers are indeed brothers" (Al-Hujurat: 10)
Prophet (pbuh) said "You will not enter paradise until you believe, and you will not believe until you love one another." (Muslim, n.d.). He also said: "You will not be a believer until you love for your brother what you love for yourself" (Bukhari, n.d.).
Making A Constitution According To Quran And Sunnah
Prophet (pbuh) made a saheefa concerning the affairs of the citizens and mutual affair between other groups. This was based on revelation and peoples need in together. Such a guideline based on Quran and Sunnah is required to adapt the emerging situations. (al-Mubarakpuri, n.d.)
Rights Of Neighbors
Society will have strong bondage among people when the bond among the neighbor will be strongest. The Prophet (pbuh) said "Gabriel continued to recommend me about treating the neighbors kindly and politely so much so that I thought he would order me to make them as my heirs.” (Bukhari, n.d.)
Rights Of Other Believers
Believers are brothers in deen. The whole society is made by them. If somebody in trouble, others come ahead to help. Enmity and hatred among Muslims is undesirable. Some difference of opinions may occur but it should not cause divide among them. The Prophet (pbuh) said “Muslims are like one body of a person; if the eye is sore, the whole body aches, and if the head aches, the whole body aches.” (Muslim, n.d.)
Equality & Justice
There will be peace in society if justice is confirmed. Equality and justice were given supreme importance; and this is evident in the life and practice of the Prophet. Rules of conduct as to how a Muslim should treat his or her spouse, parents, neighbors, friends, and enemies are exemplified in the life and actions of the Prophet (pbuh). The Prophet (pbuh) said, "The people before you were destroyed because they used to inflict the legal punishments on the poor and forgive the rich. By Him in Whose Hand my soul is! If Fatima [the daughter of the Prophet (pbuh)] did that (i.e. stole), I would cut off her hand." (Bukhari, n.d.)
Relationship With The Non-Muslims
From the beginning Prophet (pbuh) tried his best to keep harmony with the non-muslims in Madinah. They should help each other and treated kindly. All important aspects of human rights, including such topics as the protection of minorities living under Islamic rule, freedom of worship and movement, freedom to appoint their own judges and to own and maintain their property, exemption from military service, and the right to protection in war should be ensured. (al-Mubarakpuri, n.d.)
Education
Seeking knowledge is a sacred duty and it is obligatory on every Muslim, male and female. Without educating themselves the society cannot prosper. Prophet sent various deputies to teach tribes at first. The mosque of Medina was not only a place of worship. The believers assembled here to learn. Also the prisoners of Badr who could not paid ransom achieved freedom by teaching ten Muslim children to read and write. (al-Mubarakpuri, n.d.)
Enjoining Good And Forbidding Evil
Society cannot be firm on right path without enjoining good and forbidding evil. Allah says in Quran about the characteristics of Muslim community, “You are the best nation produced [as an example] for mankind. You enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong and believe in Allah. If only the People of the Scripture had believed, it would have been better for them. Among them are believers, but most of them are defiantly disobedient. (Surah Ale Imran: 110)
Selection Of Right Persons
Skilled and intelligent persons are required to run the key posts of the society. Prophet (pbuh) selected his secretaries very wisely by their merits. In example- Huzaifa (ra) as personal secretary, Saad ibn Zaid (ra) for security, Talha ibn Ubaidullah for intelligence etc. (Al-Ghazali, n.d.)
Peace & Cooperation
Society must be based upon peace and cooperation. Allah has created man weak, and he needs to cooperate continuously with others throughout his life. Prophet (pbuh) sent messengers with message of peace and cooperation to all tribes. For peace the Hudaybiah treaty was signed and lead to ultimate victory. People should cooperate with others in matters in which they are right, and avoid the matters in which they are in error, whilst advising them and cooperating with them in righteousness and piety. (Al-Ghazali, n.d.)
Strong Economics
Economic condition of the society need to be well balanced. Prophet took actions to boost the economy of Madinah. He discussed on matters of transaction. Interest was forbidden and Zakah should be paid. This is the baseline of the economics of the Muslim society. Islam does not allow to have wealth in hands of riches. But Islam shows the way how rich and everyone can increase the wealth and thus making the whole society wealthy collectively.
Foreign Affairs
Prophet (pbuh) was concerned about the foreign affairs. He sent messengers in all nearby kingdoms with the message of Tawheed. Delegation teams from various parts also came to Madinah. Prophet invited them towards Islam and also kept good relationships. Similarly, intelligent diplomacy is required for establishing Muslim society.
Jihad
The Muslim society must be able to defend herself from the enemy and oppressors. Prophet had to fight with various enemies and numerous campaign was done. Intellectual and battle in field Prophet (pbuh) wisely brought the emerging Muslim society to solid foundation with the help of Allah. Now it is important for the present day Muslims to fight intellectually with the enemies of Islam who are spreading propagandas against the Muslims.
For a successful Islamic society to be established we need a Muslim leader who can guide the people under his leadership. He must understand the needs of his people & rule by the laws of Allah. We need to have mosques where the true Islamic Knowledge has to be imparted in order to spiritually guide the people & where their issues are addressed. The society has to be rid of racism, bias & enmities. Only then we can move forward & feel the real essence of brotherhood that was felt at that time in Madinah. The Shariah has to be implemented so that everyone has rights & duties. Islam encourages establishing a society on unity, peace & most importantly justice.
Every society has a complete structure. Without a sound and strong social structure a society cannot flourish. Same like this Islamic society has a unique and complete structure. This structure stands on certain main features or characteristics. Without these characteristics the structure of the society cannot stand properly. We find the detail guideline in Quran and Sunnah which was demonstrated practically by our beloved Prophet (pbuh).
The following is a partial list of the characteristics of an Islamic society we can derive from the life of Prophet (pbuh) in Madinah:
Strong Leader, Guide & Visionary
Uniting under a strong leader is the first and foremost requirement for the society. From the Seerah we see that how strong was the leadership of Prophet (pbuh). He guided us to be under a righteous leader and obey him in all aspects. Otherwise the community may split quickly.
Prophet (pbuh) said: Whoso obeys me obeys God, and whoso disobeys me disobeys God. Whoso obeys the commander (appointed by me) obeys me, and whoso disobeys the commander disobeys me. (Muslim, n.d.)
Making Mosque the Center Of All Guidance
In Islam, mosques are not just places for prayers. In Seerah we can see that mosques were like community centers. The first task done by the Prophet after migration to Madinah was building the “Masjid Nawwai” (al-Mubarakpuri, n.d.) The mosque was then became a place for prayer, socialization, dawah, celebration, education, meetings and deliberation and all affairs. When the center is the house of Allah, then barakah will come for sure.
Brotherhood & Unity
Prophet (pbuh) tied a strong bond between the Ansars and Muhajeers. Also the dispute between Aws and Khazraj was eliminated. Strong brotherhood and unity is the base upon which the community stands. Allah says – “"Believers are indeed brothers" (Al-Hujurat: 10)
Prophet (pbuh) said "You will not enter paradise until you believe, and you will not believe until you love one another." (Muslim, n.d.). He also said: "You will not be a believer until you love for your brother what you love for yourself" (Bukhari, n.d.).
Making A Constitution According To Quran And Sunnah
Prophet (pbuh) made a saheefa concerning the affairs of the citizens and mutual affair between other groups. This was based on revelation and peoples need in together. Such a guideline based on Quran and Sunnah is required to adapt the emerging situations. (al-Mubarakpuri, n.d.)
Rights Of Neighbors
Society will have strong bondage among people when the bond among the neighbor will be strongest. The Prophet (pbuh) said "Gabriel continued to recommend me about treating the neighbors kindly and politely so much so that I thought he would order me to make them as my heirs.” (Bukhari, n.d.)
Rights Of Other Believers
Believers are brothers in deen. The whole society is made by them. If somebody in trouble, others come ahead to help. Enmity and hatred among Muslims is undesirable. Some difference of opinions may occur but it should not cause divide among them. The Prophet (pbuh) said “Muslims are like one body of a person; if the eye is sore, the whole body aches, and if the head aches, the whole body aches.” (Muslim, n.d.)
Equality & Justice
There will be peace in society if justice is confirmed. Equality and justice were given supreme importance; and this is evident in the life and practice of the Prophet. Rules of conduct as to how a Muslim should treat his or her spouse, parents, neighbors, friends, and enemies are exemplified in the life and actions of the Prophet (pbuh). The Prophet (pbuh) said, "The people before you were destroyed because they used to inflict the legal punishments on the poor and forgive the rich. By Him in Whose Hand my soul is! If Fatima [the daughter of the Prophet (pbuh)] did that (i.e. stole), I would cut off her hand." (Bukhari, n.d.)
Relationship With The Non-Muslims
From the beginning Prophet (pbuh) tried his best to keep harmony with the non-muslims in Madinah. They should help each other and treated kindly. All important aspects of human rights, including such topics as the protection of minorities living under Islamic rule, freedom of worship and movement, freedom to appoint their own judges and to own and maintain their property, exemption from military service, and the right to protection in war should be ensured. (al-Mubarakpuri, n.d.)
Education
Seeking knowledge is a sacred duty and it is obligatory on every Muslim, male and female. Without educating themselves the society cannot prosper. Prophet sent various deputies to teach tribes at first. The mosque of Medina was not only a place of worship. The believers assembled here to learn. Also the prisoners of Badr who could not paid ransom achieved freedom by teaching ten Muslim children to read and write. (al-Mubarakpuri, n.d.)
Enjoining Good And Forbidding Evil
Society cannot be firm on right path without enjoining good and forbidding evil. Allah says in Quran about the characteristics of Muslim community, “You are the best nation produced [as an example] for mankind. You enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong and believe in Allah. If only the People of the Scripture had believed, it would have been better for them. Among them are believers, but most of them are defiantly disobedient. (Surah Ale Imran: 110)
Selection Of Right Persons
Skilled and intelligent persons are required to run the key posts of the society. Prophet (pbuh) selected his secretaries very wisely by their merits. In example- Huzaifa (ra) as personal secretary, Saad ibn Zaid (ra) for security, Talha ibn Ubaidullah for intelligence etc. (Al-Ghazali, n.d.)
Peace & Cooperation
Society must be based upon peace and cooperation. Allah has created man weak, and he needs to cooperate continuously with others throughout his life. Prophet (pbuh) sent messengers with message of peace and cooperation to all tribes. For peace the Hudaybiah treaty was signed and lead to ultimate victory. People should cooperate with others in matters in which they are right, and avoid the matters in which they are in error, whilst advising them and cooperating with them in righteousness and piety. (Al-Ghazali, n.d.)
Strong Economics
Economic condition of the society need to be well balanced. Prophet took actions to boost the economy of Madinah. He discussed on matters of transaction. Interest was forbidden and Zakah should be paid. This is the baseline of the economics of the Muslim society. Islam does not allow to have wealth in hands of riches. But Islam shows the way how rich and everyone can increase the wealth and thus making the whole society wealthy collectively.
Foreign Affairs
Prophet (pbuh) was concerned about the foreign affairs. He sent messengers in all nearby kingdoms with the message of Tawheed. Delegation teams from various parts also came to Madinah. Prophet invited them towards Islam and also kept good relationships. Similarly, intelligent diplomacy is required for establishing Muslim society.
Jihad
The Muslim society must be able to defend herself from the enemy and oppressors. Prophet had to fight with various enemies and numerous campaign was done. Intellectual and battle in field Prophet (pbuh) wisely brought the emerging Muslim society to solid foundation with the help of Allah. Now it is important for the present day Muslims to fight intellectually with the enemies of Islam who are spreading propagandas against the Muslims.
For a successful Islamic society to be established we need a Muslim leader who can guide the people under his leadership. He must understand the needs of his people & rule by the laws of Allah. We need to have mosques where the true Islamic Knowledge has to be imparted in order to spiritually guide the people & where their issues are addressed. The society has to be rid of racism, bias & enmities. Only then we can move forward & feel the real essence of brotherhood that was felt at that time in Madinah. The Shariah has to be implemented so that everyone has rights & duties. Islam encourages establishing a society on unity, peace & most importantly justice.
Bibliography
Al-Ghazali, M., n.d. In: Fiqh Us Seerah. s.l.:s.n.
al-Mubarakpuri, S. R., n.d. In: Ar-Raheeq Al-Makhtum. s.l.:s.n., p. 105.
al-Mubarakpuri, S. R., n.d. A Charter of Islamic Alliance. In: Ar-Raheeq Al-Makhtum. s.l.:s.n., p. 87.
al-Mubarakpuri, S. R., n.d. In: Ar-Raheeq Al-Makhtum. s.l.:s.n., p. 105.
al-Mubarakpuri, S. R., n.d. A Charter of Islamic Alliance. In: Ar-Raheeq Al-Makhtum. s.l.:s.n., p. 87.
© 2015 by Tauhid Ahmed.