Economic and Commercial Relations of the Prophet Muhammad with the Jews

Abstract

Prophet Muhammad’s relations with the Jews began with Muslims’ migration to Medina (Hijra). The Prophet firstly signed the Constitution of Medina with all parties to establish social peace and the basis for living together. After the provision of social peace, the Prophet made many arrangements and activities to balance the economic conditions favoring the Jews against the Muslims and other Arab tribes. The social economy, which has been reshaped and balanced in line with the Prophet’s encouragement and recommendations, has been brought into an international nature with the inclusion of the other elements of the society in economic and commercial activities from being a closed Jewish monopoly. The economic and trade relations of the Prophet with the Jews have occurred in two ways, both individual and social. In the individual sense, he has directly engaged in trading and two-way loaning activities personally; in the social sense, he has made commercial, and agricultural arrangements with the Jews on behalf of the Muslims and the community. In this study, the economic and commercial relations that the Prophet had carried out with the Jews, especially during the Medina period, and the principles he introduced will be examined.