The The First Minority Rights In History Was Given By Prophet Muhammad ﷺ

People stereotype Islam as a religion that is, they say, is not sympathetic to disbelievers. Something like Islam doesn't gurantee rights to non-Muslims. And they trim, mistranslate and misquote Quranic verses to back their claims.

To put an end to all the arguments, let me quote a fact from the Islamic history. The historical fact that no one will tell you about.

First minority rights in history.

First minority rights in history by Prophet Muhammad

The first-ever minority rights in history was granted by Prophet Muhammad to the Christians. And it was given to the monks of St. Catherine Monastery of Egypt in 628 C.E. That is long before the Parliament of Hungary granted the so called first minority rights in history.

The English translation of Prophet Muhammad's charter of privileges reads:

This is a message from Muhammad ibn Abdullah, as a covenant to those who adopt Christianity, near and far, we are with them. Verily I, the servants, the helpers, and my followers defend them, because Christians are my citizens; and by Allah! I hold out against anything that displeases them. No compulsion is to be on them.

Neither are their judges to be removed from their jobs nor their monks from their monasteries. No one is to destroy a house of their religion, to damage it, or to carry anything from it to the Muslims’ houses.

Should anyone take any of these, he would spoil God’s covenant and disobey His Prophet. Verily, they are my allies and have my secure charter against all that they hate.

No one is to force them to travel or to oblige them to fight.

The Muslims are to fight for them. If a female Christian is married to a Muslim, it is not to take place without her approval. She is not to be prevented from visiting her church to pray. Their churches are to be respected. They are neither to be prevented from repairing them nor the sacredness of their covenants.

No one of the nation (Muslims) is to disobey the covenant till the Last Day (end of the world).

- Prophet Muhammad (PBUH)

This was so far one of the most progressive covenant in history. It covered all aspects of human rights clauses.

The charter of rights granted by Prophet Muhammad.

Here are some of the basic rights that Prophet Muhammad granted to the Christian minorities via the monks of St. Catherine Monastery:
  1. Protection of Christians.
  2. Freedom of worship and movement.
  3. Right to appoint their own judges.
  4. Freedom to maintain their property.
  5. Exemption from military service.
  6. Freedom of marriage.
  7. Right to protection in war.

Muslims throughout the centuries in all lands they ruled honoured and faithfully applies this charter of privileges.

History.

First minority rights of Prophet Muhammad

This is the picture of the charter of rights and freedoms which was prepared by Hazrat Ali (r.a.). The writ also contains the hand (palm) of Prophet Muhammad as a seal of approval for it.

This when the monks of St. Catharine monastery went Medina to meet our Prophet, He asked Ali to prepare the covenant.

The original documents was with the St. Catherine Monastery in Sinai until the Ottoman soldiers took it to Istanbul for safekeeping.

Nevertheless, there is a dispute regarding the year when it was issued. Different sources mentioned different years but no any source goes beyond 629 CE.

And yes don't forget to share it with your friends.

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