Muhammad and the Ummah: Introduction

At Mecca the ummah were a mostly religious community, but after Muhammad led the hijrah to Medina, the ummah became a political community as well. Knowing why and how this happened, as well as the long-term consequences is important to understanding the history of Islam and the Muslims. The why and how of the ummah becoming a political group is explained in the way the followers of Muhammad were treated in Mecca. Because the Quraysh …

…allegiances," (Hodgson, 229). The "Constitution of Medina" and the political rule of ummah at Medina established an important precedent for how a victorious people should treat others with whom they are not so different. Jews and Christians, though taxed, were not treated poorly--they were even given their own governing bodies which reported to the Muslim authorities, and were allowed to make some of their own laws. These are important consequences of the ummah rule at Medina.