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Unknown and Barbara Hanawalt, Medieval Persian Manuscript Depicting Muhammad Leading Jesus, Moses and Abraham in Prayer., 1998, Oxford University Press.

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The umma document encompasses a collection of deeds carried out by Muhammad following his migration from Mecca to Yathrib in 622. Often referred to as the Constitution of Medina, this document enacts a series of agreements with the Jewish community of Yathrib, a region subsequently regarded as Medina, the city of the Prophet. Aside from these agreements, the umma document also inscribes counsel concerning Pagans, or "unbelievers." Nevertheless, one can also perceive this text as a rudimentary introduction to proto-Islamic law, where concepts of community take shape and are ordained for salvation through a prophet.

Works Referenced:
M. Donner, Fred, Alfred Guillame, R.B. Serjeant, and Michael Lecker. “Appendix A: The Umma Document.” In Muhammad and the Believers: At the Origins of Islam, 227–32. Cambridge and London: Belknap Press Of Harvard University Press, 2010.

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Emerging narratives: political and social mores that arise with respect to the document. 

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Emerging narratives: political and social mores that arise with respect to the document. 

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The umma document can be assessed for its significance as a "constitutional" document, as the charter's primary objective was to establish a political community by resolving religious questions. The term "constitutional" gains meaning by examining portions of the umma document referred to as articles. These articles outline principles of unity, duty, organizational dynamics, security, and religion that "affirm... one community [umma] to the exclusion of [other] people." (Donner) Consequently, the document represents the foundation of Medina as a community and explores how its religiously binding principles relate to individuals and their respective groups.

Beyond these principles, the umma document serves as a security pact between the Muslims and the inhabitants of Medina. Muhammad formed his distinct community, which included pagan and Jewish residents of Medina who became affiliated with it. Establishing the umma was unfeasible in Mecca due to opposition, prompting Muhammad's relocation to Yathrib, where he encountered clans with pre-existing tribal solidarities. The document perpetuates a narrative based on the diverse nature of Medina's inhabitants. However, it also clearly delineates and includes the region's Jewish residents as members of the unified umma. Muhammad's rationale for this decision is believed to have been rooted in political aspirations, but it underscores a sense of religious pluralism that manifests as a somewhat unified covenant.

It's important to note that, for Muhammad, these constitutional provisions were essential, as Islam's development depended on a revolutionary struggle that challenged existing paradigms. This required strategic decisions aimed at fostering community and tolerance. Therefore, the umma document cannot be viewed in isolation and necessitates a close examination of Muhammad's life and the origins of Islam.

Works Cited and Referenced:
Arjomand, Saïd Amir. “THE CONSTITUTION of MEDINA: A SOCIOLEGAL INTERPRETATION of MUHAMMAD’S ACTS of FOUNDATION of the UMMA.” International Journal of Middle East Studies 41, no. 4 (October 26, 2009): 555–75. https://doi.org/10.1017/s0020743809990067.

Frankopan, Peter. “The Road to Concord.” In The Silk Roads: A New History of the World, 77–83. New York: Albert A. Knopf, 2016.

M. Donner, Fred, Alfred Guillame, R.B. Serjeant, and Michael Lecker. “Appendix A: The Umma Document.” In Muhammad and the Believers: At the Origins of Islam, 227–32. Cambridge and London: Belknap Press Of Harvard University Press, 2010.

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The Prophet Muhammad, depicted as an inscribed and radiant disk, during his celestial ascension, Nizami, Makhzan al-Asrar (Treasury of Secrets), text transcribed in western India in 1441 and painting inserted subsequently, Topkapı Palace Library, Istanbul.

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Topkapi Palace Library, Prophet Muhammad’s Vision in Mecca from Tabriz, 1320, Topkapi Palace Library.

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In this narrative, the central figure is Muhammad, as he carries out the prescribed deeds and fosters concepts related to the umma in Medina. Nevertheless, Muhammad's actions affected a diverse community, comprising believers and unbelievers, which can be subdivided into three categories: Believers (Muslims), Jews, and Unbelievers (Pagans).

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The question of insiders versus outsiders is arguably at the forefront of the umma document. That is to say, Muhammed himself is ordaining a community for which there are distinctive insiders and outsiders.

A few of the quotes mentioned in the umma document can be analyzed as revealing the duality between insiders and outsiders. This translation of the text has been sourced from Fred M. Donner's Muhammed and the Believers: At the Origins of Islam.

"This is a document from Muhammed the prophet, between the Believers and the Muslims of Quraysh and Yathrib and those who follow them and attach themselves to them and struggle alongside them. Verily they are one community (umma) to the exclusion of [other] people." (Donner)
* Reinforces that Muhammed and the identified groups are the main actors at play, but also delineates the umma as a unified community that actively excludes
"[other] people."

"A Believer shall not make an alliance with the client (mawla) of [another] Believer to [the latter's] detriment [or: excluding him]." (Donner)
* As mentioned earlier, this principle carries a constitutional dimension that takes center stage in the umma document. However, this specific aspect of the document underscores the absolute importance of unity within the community of believers.

"A Believer shall not kill [another] Believer for the sake of an unbeliever (kafir), nor shall he assist an unbeliever against a Believer." (Donner)
* This quote exemplifies the fundamental significance of the division between Believer and Unbeliever, or more precisely, the Insider and Outsider. This dichotomy plays a crucial role in evaluating the community itself. Although Believers and Unbelievers may seem to coexist, there arises a distinct demarcation that separates the ingroup from the outgroup.

These three examples illustrate how the concept of an insider and an outsider is introduced within the umma document. Here, one can observe the principles of exclusion, ingroup cohesion, and solidarity, as well as the practice of outgroup marginalization.

Works Cited:
M. Donner, Fred, Alfred Guillame, R.B. Serjeant, and Michael Lecker. “Appendix A: The Umma Document.” In Muhammad and the Believers: At the Origins of Islam, 227–32. Cambridge and London: Belknap Press Of Harvard University Press, 2010.

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Bill Green, “New Madina HD Wallpapers,” Islamic Quotes About., 2012. 

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This map illustrates the geographical relationship between Mecca, where Muhammad initially propagated his teachings but was compelled to flee, and Medina, the city where Muhammad and his followers eventually established their settlement.

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Bill Green, “New Madina HD Wallpapers,” Islamic Quotes About., 2012. 

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The distinction between Medina and Yathrib

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The distinction between Medina and Yathrib

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Yathrib and Medina refer to the same place but at different points in history. The city was originally known as Yathrib before the Islamic prophet Muhammad and his followers migrated there from Mecca. After their arrival, the city's name was changed to "Medina," which means "The City of the Prophet." So, essentially, Yathrib is the name for the city before Muhammad's migration, and Medina is the name for the city after the migration.

Works Referenced:
Maluski, Audrey von. “Medina/Madina: Islamic Archaeology Glossary 2007.” Brown University, 2007. https://www.brown.edu/Departments/Joukowsky_Institute/courses/islamicarchaeologyglossary2007/4432.html#:~:text=Audrey%20von%20Maluski%3A%20Medina%20is.

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Background information about Medina via Al-Islam.org

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Background information about Medina via Al-Islam.org

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In one of the resource sites recommended by Prof F, Al-Islam.org, one can gain a better understanding of Medina and the in-groups/out-groups at play in the umma document.

Yathrib becomes Medina:
"The name “Yathrib” soon became obsolete. People began to call it “Medina-tun-Nabi,” – the City of the Prophet. In due course, usage caused a contraction of this name to be adopted simply as “Medina” – “the City,” and that's what the name of the city of the Prophet of Islam has remained ever since." (see related post about distinctions)

The Groupings in Medina:
"When the Prophet and the refugees from Makkah arrived in Yathrib (now Medina), they found three Jewish tribes, viz., Quainuqa, Nadheer and Qurayza, and two Arab tribes, viz., Aus and Khazraj, living in that city.

The basic population of Medina consisted of its three Jewish tribes, the Quainuqa, the Quraiza and the Nadhir; and of the two Arab tribes, the Aus and the Khazraj. (Arabs, Islam and the Arab Caliphate in the Early Middle Ages. 1969)

The Jews were farmers, merchants, traders, money-lenders, landlords and industrialists. They had grown rich through the practice of usury and they enjoyed a monopoly of the armaments industry in Arabia.

The two Arab tribes of Medina, Aus and Khazraj, made their living by farming. Before the arrival of the Prophet, they had been locked up in a war against each other which had lasted for more than five generations. They had fought their last battle only four years earlier, i.e., in A.D. 618, and it had left them utterly exhausted and prostrate.

There were a few Christians also living in Medina. They did not cotton to the Prophet of Islam because he repudiated the doctrine of Trinity, and preached the Unity of the Creator.

A fourth group in Medina was to spring up a little later, made up of the “hypocrites” or the “disaffected.” During the Prophet's mission in Makkah, there were many Muslims who had to hide their true faith for fear of persecution. In Medina, the situation was reversed. These people (the hypocrites) were nominal Muslims; they outwardly professed Islam but they were not sincere. They were a potential source of subversion, sabotage and insurrection."

The Umma Document, aka The Charter or The Constitution of Medina:
"The citizens of Yathrib acknowledged Muhammad as their sovereign, and he gave them a “Citizen's Charter” which is believed to have been the first written document in Islam (other than Qur’an). The original charter as preserved by Ibn Ishaq, contains forty-seven (47) clauses."

"Mohammed drew up a charter with the Jews whereby, among other things, it was established that Jews and Moslems were to aid each other in all matters concerning the city. They were to be allies against all common enemies, and this without any mutual obligations toward Islam or Judaism. The main clause of this charter ran as follows: The Jews who attach themselves to our commonwealth shall have an equal right with our own people to our assistance and good offices. The Jews of the various branches domiciled in Yathrib shall form with the Moslems one composite nation. They shall practice their religion as freely as the Moslems. The clients and allies of the Jews shall enjoy the same security and freedom. (The Messenger, the Life of Mohammed, New York, 1946)"

Aside from these summaries and retellings provided by Islam.org, the umma document is also mentioned in Part III of Ibn Hashim's The Life of the Prophet Muhammed, wherein a different translation of the umma document is provided and can be compared and contrasted to the Donner's translation.

Works Cited:
Razwy, Sayyid Ali Asghar . “The First Year of Hijira.” Al-Islam.org, 2009. https://www.al-islam.org/restatement-history-islam-and-muslims-sayyid-ali-asghar-razwy/first-year-hijra.

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For one thing, Muhammed's believers, or the Quraysh tribe, appear to constitute the core of the community and its enemies. That is to say, Muhammed and his believers are the 'insiders.' Therefore, the umma document sets forth a set of doctrines that serve as a social contract between Muslims, Jews, and other groups (Pagans, or polytheistic tribes). Its purpose was to foster a unified community with the believers, operating on the premise that this diverse community lives under the sovereignty of one God, for whom Muhammed acts as the prophet.

The umma document was introduced as a peaceful means to preempt revolution due to Medina's diverse population. Al-Islam's approach to the umma document accentuates the existence of a distinct group of 'outsiders.' Nevertheless, this concept is nuanced when considered in light of Medina's various groupings.

The first group comprised the Jews, described as "farmers, merchants, traders, money-lenders... [who had] grown rich...[and] enjoyed a monopoly of the armaments industry in Arabia." (E.A. Belyaev, Al-Islam.org) Within the 'umma document,' it stipulates that both Jews and Muslims are entitled to the same rights and are equally responsible for defending Medina. The document asserts that Jews and Muslims "were to be allies against all common enemies, and this without any mutual obligations towards Islam or Judaism." (Bodley, Al-Islam.org) While the Jews were not explicitly designated as 'insiders,' they were not considered 'outsiders' either, as the document ensures that Jews enjoyed the same security and freedom as their Muslim counterparts. Although the Jews were answerable to Muhammed (e.g., "No one of them may go out [from Yathrib? or from the umma? or to war?], except with the permission of Muhammed." (Donner)), they generally receive equitable treatment.

The Al-Islam source further delves into the two Arab tribes of Medina, the Aus and Khazraj, who were primarily engaged in farming. As long as they 'followed' the Muslims, they were guaranteed similar rights and freedoms. Initially at odds with each other, Muhammad mediated their reconciliation, and they were integrated into the Muslim community, with strict prohibitions against provoking bloodshed among themselves.

In addition, there was a small Christian population residing in Medina. Although they did not align with the Prophet of Islam due to his rejection of the doctrine of the Trinity and his preaching of the Unity of the Creator, they were afforded similar protections upon choosing to embrace Islam.

Although the initial impulse is to categorize Jews, Arab tribes, and Christians as 'outsiders,' it is crucial to appreciate the nuance in this notion when viewed through the lens of the umma document. This treaty did not require the suppression of cultural diversities or differences. Instead, it conveys that these tribes may have had inherent distinctions, but their rights remained intact as long as they followed Muhammad.

Despite these nuances, the umma did delineate a category of true 'outsiders,' commonly referred to as "unbelievers."(Donner) The "unbelievers" held a distinct status within the umma document, and it can be inferred that they were individuals who denied both monotheism and Muhammed's role as the prophet. Thus, while the umma encompassed a multitude of groups, it also provided grounds for exclusion, extending to "anyone who [behaved] unjustly and [acted] treacherously." (Donner) Polytheists, in this regard, are depicted in various contexts: on one hand, they are characterized as treacherous and unjust due to their beliefs, and on the other, they are deprived of certain rights (e.g., "No polytheist (mushrik) shall grant protection to property belonging to a Quraysh, nor to a person; nor shall he come between it/him against a believer."(Donner)).

As one moves through the umma document, it is crucial to remain cognizant of the differentiation between 'insiders' and 'outsiders.' While it is evident that the umma represents a unified community, the degree to which various groups were integrated into this umma was contingent on the scrutiny and judgment of Muhammad and the Quraysh tribe.

Works Cited:
M. Donner, Fred, Alfred Guillame, R.B. Serjeant, and Michael Lecker. “Appendix A: The Umma Document.” In Muhammad and the Believers: At the Origins of Islam, 227–32. Cambridge and London: Belknap Press Of Harvard University Press, 2010.

‌Razwy, Sayyid Ali Asghar . “The First Year of Hijira.” Al-Islam.org, 2009. https://www.al-islam.org/restatement-history-islam-and-muslims-sayyid-ali-asghar-razwy/first-year-hijra.

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Spencer McDaniel, “The Extremely Strange History of Artistic Depictions of Muhammad,” Tales of Times Forgotten, June 2, 2020.

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Seventeenth-century Ottoman copy of an illustration from a fourteenth-century Iranian manuscript of Al-Biruni’s Chronology of Ancient Nations, depicting Muhammad

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Seventeenth-century Ottoman copy of an illustration from a fourteenth-century Iranian manuscript of Al-Biruni’s Chronology of Ancient Nations, depicting Muhammad

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Spencer McDaniel, “The Extremely Strange History of Artistic Depictions of Muhammad,” Tales of Times Forgotten, June 2, 2020.

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Illustration from the Iranian children’s book Greetings, Rose of Muhammad, published in 2006, showing Muhammad receiving revelation from God atop Mount Hira

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Illustration from the Iranian children’s book Greetings, Rose of Muhammad, published in 2006, showing Muhammad receiving revelation from God atop Mount Hira

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Theda Sandiford, Insider Outsider, October 2017, Acrylic paint., Thedasandiford.com, October 2017.

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Insiders vs. outsiders as a method of historical analysis

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Insiders vs. outsiders as a method of historical analysis

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By comparing and contrasting insiders and outsiders, this approach serves as a valuable tool for placing the social and political norms of a particular region within a historical context. In the specific case of the umma document, the evaluation of 'insiders' versus 'outsiders' provided a profound insight into the Medina region and the respective positions of the groups inhabiting it. It is essential to recognize that when delving into the concept of 'insiders' versus 'outsiders,' we must acknowledge the existence of inherent biases. These biases stem from the perspective of Muhammad and his collaborators, who are the authors of the umma document. Therefore, the work is inherently shaped by their point of view.

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Furthermore, a comprehensive analysis of the umma can be conducted by examining how specific groups were treated within the context of the political and religious landscape.

Within the umma document, particular attention is devoted to the Jews due to their significant land holdings, political influence, and access to resources. It becomes evident that maintaining peaceful relations with the Jewish community was almost imperative for Muhammad. His pursuit of political power, religious influence, and the growth of his movement necessitated a strategic approach. To alienate the Jews would have been a counterproductive tactical choice. Consequently, the inclusion of the Jewish community in the umma document can be viewed as a deliberate political decision.

This perspective, transcending ideological considerations and delving into the realm of politics, underscores the importance of supplementing our assessment of insiders and outsiders, especially when examining political documents, with a broader understanding of additional factors. In essence, one's status as an 'insider' or an 'outsider' is not determined by a singular criterion but rather by the convergence of numerous elements. This complexity is a crucial aspect to bear in mind when adopting this analytical approach.

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Anlu. “Expansion of Islam Timeline.” Timetoast timelines, March 2, 2022. https://www.timetoast.com/timelines/expansion-of-islam-d9a871a4-70f1-4f1c-8d5f-d5ec9df16719.

Arjomand, Saïd Amir. “THE CONSTITUTION of MEDINA: A SOCIOLEGAL INTERPRETATION of MUHAMMAD’S ACTS of FOUNDATION of the UMMA.” International Journal of Middle East Studies 41, no. 4 (October 26, 2009): 555–75. https://doi.org/10.1017/s0020743809990067.

Frankopan, Peter. “The Road to Concord.” In The Silk Roads: A New History of the World, 77–83. New York: Albert A. Knopf, 2016.

Green, Bill. “New Madina HD Wallpapers.” Islamic Quotes About., 2012. https://pathislamic.blogspot.com/2014/08/new-madina-hd-wallpapers.html.

M. Donner, Fred, Alfred Guillame, R.B. Serjeant, and Michael Lecker. “Appendix A: The Umma Document.” In Muhammad and the Believers: At the Origins of Islam, 227–32. Cambridge and London: Belknap Press Of Harvard University Press, 2010.

Maluski, Audrey von. “Medina/Madina: Islamic Archaeology Glossary 2007.” Brown University, 2007. https://www.brown.edu/Departments/Joukowsky_Institute/courses/islamicarchaeologyglossary2007/4432.html#:~:text=Audrey%20von%20Maluski%3A%20Medina%20is.

McDaniel, Spencer. “The Extremely Strange History of Artistic Depictions of Muhammad.” Tales of Times Forgotten, June 2, 2020. https://talesoftimesforgotten.com/2020/06/02/the-extremely-strange-history-of-artistic-depictions-of-muhammad/.

Razwy, Sayyid Ali Asghar . “The First Year of Hijira.” Al-Islam.org, 2009. https://www.al-islam.org/restatement-history-islam-and-muslims-sayyid-ali-asghar-razwy/first-year-hijra.

Sandiford, Theda. Insider Outsider. October 2017. Acrylic paint, acrylic skin, plastic mesh, self leveling gel, tissue paper, cardboard, vinyl, glitter, gold leaf, beads, rhinestones, marbles, plastic army men on canvas board. Thedasandiford.com.

Topkapi Palace Library. Prophet Muhammad’s Vision in Mecca from Tabriz. 1320. Topkapi Palace Library. https://theworld.org/stories/2015-01-15/you-cant-draw-muhammad-unless-youre-one-many-muslim-artists-who-did.

Unknown, and Barbara Hanawalt. Medieval Persian Manuscript Depicting the Prophet Muhammad Leading Jesus, Moses and Abraham in Prayer. 1998. Oxford University Press.

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