Dr Muhammad Hamidullah’s The First Written Constitution of the World, which is based on the important document of the Prophet’s time can be of great importance to implement G-20 declaration.
Contents from the Qur’ān and Prophetic traditions combined together can be deemed to advocate a global idea. The Prophet’s Sīrah can be helpful not only in making a declaration, but also in devising policies and schemes, ensuring peace and good governance, resolving conflict and war, forging unity, doing justice and above all giving way to universal brotherhood. The very slogan of G-20, “One Earth, One Family, and One Future,” reminds us of the Prophetic thought for universal brotherhood.
On universal brotherhood (one earth, one family), the teaching of Islam is that despite differences of colour, language, culture, etc., people should harbour no ill-will towards those who are apparently unlike themselves, for differentiating between one man and another is not approved by God. They should rather promote fellow feeling towards others, even if at first glance they appear like total strangers to them. Bearing in mind that they are all traceable back to Adam and Eve, they should be each other’s well-wishers and willingly come to one another’s assistance, like members of the same human family.
According to Professor Akhtarul Wasey, a renowned Islamic scholar who is president of Maulana Azad University, Jodhpur and former professor of Islamic Studies at Jamia Millia Islamia, one should keep in mind that every declaration is aimed at benefitting people and the nation. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ with his teachings, wisdom, and training created a model society based on equality, justice with equilibrium. Be it G-20 or any group, it can achieve its goal by following the guiding principle of Sīrah of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ.
He added, “Misaq-i-Madinah, also known as the Covenant of Madinah or the Constitution of Madinah, is a historical document that was written by Prophet Muhammad ﷺ and the leaders of various tribes and religious groups in Madinah in 622 CE. It is considered the world’s earliest known written constitution and a pioneering attempt at establishing a pluralistic and democratic society based on Islamic principles. Every group, be it G-20 or any country of the world, can follow it to establish a pluralistic and democratic society. The Last Sermon of the Prophet ﷺ, known as Khutba Hajjatul Wida, can also help to implement many aspects of the declaration.”
Dr. Obaidullah Fahad, Professor of Department of Islamic Studies, AMU, talked about the Treaties of Hudaibiyah and Najran. While referring to the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine and the G-20 declaration, he said, “The Treaty of Hudaibiyah was an event that took place during the lifetime of the Islamic Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. It was a pivotal treaty between Muhammad ﷺ, representing the state of Madinah, and the tribe of the Quraysh in Makkah. The treaty helped to decrease tension between the two cities, affirmed peace for a period of 10 years, and authorised Muhammad’s followers to return the following year in a peaceful pilgrimage, which was later known as The First Pilgrimage.”
On tolerance and religious hatred, which was also the part of G-20 Declaration, Dr Fahad said, “The Treaty of Najran guaranteed to the Christians security for “their lives, their religion and their property”. It gave Christians freedom of religion, stipulating that there would be no interference in the practice of Christianity, nor would any cross be destroyed.
In totality, with reference to implementation of the G-20 Declaration, he said, “The First Written Constitution of the World, written by Dr Muhammad Hamidullah which is based on the important document of the Prophet’s time can be of great importance to implement any declaration.”
Dr Mohammad Raziul Islam Nadvi, a renowned Islamic scholar, said, Islam has always been against nationalism, it gives equal rights to all people in the entire world. The Prophet ﷺ once said, all human beings are brothers to each other. The concept of universal brotherhood emanated from the teachings of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. According to another hadith, the Prophet ﷺ said: “O God, ‘I bear witness that all human beings are brothers of each other.” (Abu Dawood)
According to him, the Prophet ﷺ always believed to give preference to peace over war and it can be a guiding reference to the ongoing conflict between Russia and the Ukraine and for the G-20 countries that are trying to establish peace there.
On the declaration about climate change, Dr Nadvi explained through Hadith, saying, Anas ibn Malik reported: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “Even if the Resurrection were established upon one of you while he has in his hand a sapling, let him plant it.”
Prof. Mohammad Ishaque, Department of Islamic Studies, Dean Faculty of Humanities and Languages, Director, Centre for Comparative Religions and Civilizations at Jamia Millia Islamia, while sharing his views with Radiance, said, “It’s a fundamental truth that one of the basic teachings of the Prophet ﷺ was universal brotherhood and it can be applicable to any declaration or any existing group of the world for unity, togetherness, for consensus and above all for implementation.”
He added, “In the Qur’ān it has been repeatedly said to do justice even to enemies, it talks of love and compassion, peace and unity and all these have been the hallmark of the declaration. It is the need of the hour to spread the message of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ as a guiding principle for everyone on the face of the earth, for individual, community, society, and country, group of nations and for the entire world.”
