The protection of Jews in Medina
The Constitution of Medina is famous for its protection of the Jews. The Constitution created a brotherhood (ummah) between the tribes of Medina, formed by Muhammed in the name of Allah. But because about half the people in Medina were Jewish, the Muslim tribes of Medina had different Jewish tribes as their allies. The Constitution therefore also included these Jews in the new brotherhood, but as subordinates to the Muslim tribes. Still, the Jews paid exactly the same tax, the Nafaqah, as the Muslim allies of Muhammed. Both groups also kept their own religion and their own law. The document mentions that the Jewish subordinates would be treated as before. It also said that the Jews would suffer no injustices and no-one could form an alliance against them.
Context:
The Constitution of Medina is not a constitution as we know it today. In most countries, a constitution is a document that contains the most important laws of that country. All other laws are based on it and no other rule can contradict it. Instead, the Constitution of Medina is an agreement between the Prophet Muhammed and the tribes of the city of Yathrib (Yathrib being the old name for Medina). After Muhammed and his followers were forced to leave Mecca, they sought refuge in Yathrib. Because of the fighting between two of the largest tribes of Yathrib, the Aws and the Khazraj, the inhabitants of the city looked for a solution. They therefore formed a brotherhood, or ummah, between all tribes. This also included the Jews with which they had alliances. The primary arbitrator of this confederation would be Muhammed, which made him the most important figure in the city. The Constitution actually contains eight different documents, as several supplements were used to explain, for example, the status of the Jews in Yathrib. Both Islamic and non-Islamic scholars agree that the text we have today is probably the original one from the time of Muhammed. This means that it is a text from year 1 in the Islamic calendar, or 622 according to European time.
For more information on this and other peace treaties, see