Contracts in the Light of Islamic Teachings: In the Context of the Prophetic Era (ﷺ)

Abstract

The teachings of Islam give great importance to treaties as building blocks of trust, justice, and harmonious living among people, communities, and nations. During the Prophetic period, treaties were of great utility and importance. Prophet Muhammad’s efforts did not just stop at forging agreements among Muslims; he also entered into numerous treaties with non-Muslim clans and Jews, including some who were openly hostile. These treaties were underlined by moral principles of justice, tolerance, truthfulness, and keeping one’s promises. This research studies important treaties from the Prophetic period like the Constitution of Medina and the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah to demonstrate the Islamic notion of contracts and their implementation. The observations show that the Prophet ﷺ was not only concerned with treaties as instruments of diplomacy. He constructed along with them a moral and legal structure that could be used in today’s complicated systems of international relations. This research seeks to emphasize the contemporary relevance of these treaty principles of the Prophet and examine how they can be utilized in international relations today.