In this reading, Medina was the new name for the previously called Yathrib. During the Hijra (aka the migration from Mecca to Yathrib), Muhammad came and so the people renamed it “The City of the Prophet” aka Medina. This may be of myth, but the Muslim community was born there, and inspired various Islamic movements in the 18th and 19th centuries.
In current time, Medina is seen as the archetype for Islamic democracy and also the force behind Islamic militancy. People argue over Medinas meaning for Muslims, some seeing it as advocating for the separation of religious and temporal power, and some not. No matter what side you take on that issue, the bottom line is that most everyone can agree on Medina being a “model for Islamic perfection”. A Constitution was written by Muhammad, as a series of formal agreements of non aggression among many groups including Muhammad, the Emigrants and more. Muhammad mainly functioned as the protector for the members of the community. There was an especially important law, the Law of Retribution. Muhammad also wanted to give women opportunity to gain equality in society.
After Muhammad’s death was hard time for the Muslim community. The once small Yathrib was now incredibly large.
