When the Prophet Muhammad migrated to Medina, the city was not so much a city more so a collection of small villages, farms, and fortresses scattered across an oasis, or perhaps a fertile region of approximately 20 square miles, surrounded by hills, rocks, and stony ground, not all of which were arable. It had a pleasant climate, fertile soil suitable for agriculture, and abundant date palm groves.
With a rather dispersed settlement pattern, the city’s population was predominantly composed of Arabs and Jews. Among the Arabs, there were two major tribes, the Banu Aws and the Banu Khazraj, and among the Jews, there were three major tribes, namely, Banu Qaynuqa, Banu Nadir and Banu Qurayza.
The city was first settled by a group of Jews who had migrated from various parts of the Arabian Peninsula after the Babylonian King Nebuchadnezzar II’s (605-562 BC) conquest of al-Quds and destruction of Solomon’s Temple (Temple of Sulayman) in 586 BC. The Banu Aws and Banu Khazraj belonged to the Azd branch of the Qahtanites who left the region and settled in the vicinity of Yathrib after the flood called “sayl al-‘arim” in Yemen in the second century AD.
Over time, the Banu Aws and Banu Khazraj tribes gained dominance over the Jews and established control over the city. Having lost their dominance to the Banu Aws and Banu Khazraj tribes, the Jews maintained their existence by aligning themselves with either tribe during their disputes. For instance, in the Battle of Bu’ath (Yawm Bu’ath), which occurred in 617, five years before the Hijrah, and which was one of a series of conflicts spanning approximately 120 years, the Banu Qurayza and Banu Nadir tribes allied with the Banu Aws tribe, while the Banu Qaynuqa tribe allied with the Banu Khazraj tribe. The battle ended in a defeat for the Banu Khazraj. On the other hand, there were also various disputes and conflicts between the Banu Qaynuqa tribe and the other Jewish tribes. In short, there was rivalry and conflict between the Banu Aws and the Banu Khazraj, as well as between the Arabs and the Jews. This situation seemed likely to cause considerable concern for the Prophet Muhammad and the Muslims regarding peace and security in the region.
Upon his arrival in Medina, the Prophet Muhammad immediately gathered with the Muslim emigrants (muhajirun) who had fled Mecca and the Medinan Muslims (ansar), who had welcomed and sheltered them. He engaged in conversation with them and inquired about their circumstances.
The muhajirun consisted of 186 families (Maqrizi, Imta’ al-asma, I, 50) which amounted to approximately 1,500 individuals. With their arrival, Medina’s population exceeded 10,000. There is limited historical data regarding Medina’s population prior to the hijrah. However, the city’s population experienced consistent growth following the hijrah. Until the arrival of the Prophet, some of the migrants had sought shelter with relatives, while others were accommodated in tents erected for them. Their basic needs were met by the Medinan Muslims. However, this arrangement was unsustainable. The Prophet Muhammad decided to implement a new regulation shortly thereafter. In fact, he considered implementing the practice of “mu’akhat,” a concept of brotherhood that was not foreign to the Arabs. Regarding this matter, he consulted at length with the leaders of the muhajirun and ansar. This was due to the fact that the proposed arrangement would necessitate interventions in the established Arab customs and traditions pertaining to property, land, and familial ties.
The Messenger of Allah was not hasty in implementing his plans. In order to mature his idea of brotherhood, he first sought to create an environment that would bring both parties together. This environment would serve as both a place of worship and a frequent meeting place for the muhajirun and ansar. In this way, they would collectively undergo training under his guidance and develop readiness for the actions to be undertaken. As a result, the Prophet Muhammad’s first undertaking was the construction of a mosque. He initiated the construction during the first month of his hijrah and personally led the work.
While the construction of the mosque continued, the completed sections were put into use. The Prophet Muhammad sought to unite and educate the muhajirun and ansar through his speeches during prayer times when they gathered. Meanwhile, he was closely observing all the details of the general social structure in Medina and making a concerted effort to get to know each group intimately. As a result, the mosque, from the very beginning, was evolving into a kind of administrative center for social life.
The city was finally settling into place, developing a stable and harmonious fabric. In order to further strengthen this situation, the Prophet put into practice the practice of “mu’akhat (brotherhood)”, which he had planned (Rajab 1/ January 623). The Prophet Muhammad established a brotherhood between the muhajirun and the Muslims of the Banu Aws and Banu Khazraj tribes.
This arrangement provided a significant opportunity to foster unity within the Islamic community and to meet the material and spiritual needs of the muhajirun, who had left all their possessions behind in Mecca. Following the pledge they made to the Prophet Muhammad at the Treaty of ‘Aqabah, the Muslims of Medina accepted the muhajirun as their brothers and shared their resources and homes with them. Although the people of Medina offered to share their palm groves and other possessions, including property rights, the muhajirun, expressing their gratitude, politely declined. The Prophet Muhammad issued a ruling stating that the muhajirun would be entitled to a share of the produce as compensation for their labor, while ownership of the land would continue to belong to the Medinans. This arrangement ensured that the fruits of their collaborative efforts were equitably distributed. This practice is explicitly praised in the following verse: “Those who believed, emigrated, and strived with their wealth and lives in the cause of Allah, as well as those who gave them shelter and help—they are truly guardians of one another.” (Anfal, 8:72)
By establishing this bond of brotherhood, the Prophet Muhammad not only met the needs of the struggling muhajirun but also replaced the tribal-based concept of brotherhood with a faith based one. Through the collaborative efforts of the ansar and muhajirun within the framework of the mu’akhat, Muslims began to gain influence in the economic life of Medina and achieve economic independence. Assessing this situation, the Prophet Muhammad ordered the establishment of a marketplace, thus providing an opportunity to implement the economic and commercial principles of Islam. The economic influence previously held by the Jews in Medina began to decline.
The deliberate alliance was shifting the balance of power in Medina. The Prophet Muhammad, recognizing Medina as a city fraught with sociological and demographic challenges, determined that the next step would be to establish conditions for a peaceful and secure life. He gathered representatives of the Jewish tribes and non-Muslim Arabs at the house of Anas ibn Malik. He persuaded all groups to organize themselves into a city-state. He also ensured that the agreed upon matters were put into written form. The agreement stipulated that the Prophet Muhammad would be recognized as a religious prophet and a political arbitrator among the various factions of Medina.
