صحيفة المدينة
The Constitution of Madinah
1 AH (622 CE)
Madinah المدينة المنورة
The Prophet ﷺ drafted the Constitution of Madinah (Sahifat al-Madinah), a formal agreement between the Muslims, the Jewish tribes, and other inhabitants of Madinah. It established the rights and duties of all citizens, guaranteed religious freedom, established mutual defense obligations, and declared Madinah a sanctuary. It declared all signatories as one Ummah (community) united in defense.
Why this matters
This document is considered one of the earliest written constitutions in history. It established a pluralistic society under the rule of law where different religious communities coexisted with defined rights and responsibilities. The Prophet ﷺ was recognized as the supreme authority for dispute resolution. It was a remarkable document of statecraft.