’ * The A Covenants ofthe-- ■ ; ' .;r Prophet Muhammad y- ">/- > p ' y'j A J U\ Christians of the r .. tJv'U J'->. :■ -J 7\x ••'■ ’World .. . ■•: y - -\ j A- / ' - V V *-y ? s -1 A/ ,• j,v _____ __ - n ’' - ■ ’ -’■ - fc— ■ - —. .■ r.,:. John Andrew Morrow I I • I i i I l r . THE COVENANTS OF THE prophet MUHAMMAD with It is nothing short of providential that these treaties have the Christians of his time uniformly command Muslims been re-discovered at this precise moment in history. The not to oppress peaceful Christian communities, but defend time has come for Christians and Muslims to stand together them “until the End of the World.” against the secular world order that has worked to incite This book provides much difficult-to-obtain material: conflict between them, and is dedicated to destroying their facsimiles of primary sources in Arabic and Persian; cor- independence, if not their very existence. May God prosper rected versions in modern Arabic typescript; and alternate their alliance. translations. Scholars now have all they need to study the covenants in depth. “This narrative has the power to unite Muslim and “The Covenants of the Prophet Muhammad is a useful Christian communities. A work of scholarship, its release source for all those interested in the cultural and is timely, and its content critical in fostering mutual religious history of the Muslim world and the cultural respect and religious freedom.”—IMAM FEISAL ABDUL relationship between Islam and Christianity. It will be RAUF, Chairman, Cordoba Initiative very helpful in strengthening tolerance, goodwill, and better understanding between different civilizations; and “In his indispensable contribution to the study of the it opens new horizons for further studies.” Abrahamic faiths, John Andrew Morrow tells the —AIDA GASIMOVA, Baku State University story of how the Prophet Muhammad used his desert experiences of hospitality and protection to bring “With painstaking effort and much dedication invested Muslims and Christians together. Morrow quotes the in this groundbreaking work, Professor Morrow will Prophets instruction—as relevant today as in his time: surely manage to attract the attention of Islamic studies ‘With the People of the Book there is to be no strife.’” students and specialists. Indeed, the book is a genuine —JOSEPH HOBBS, University of Missouri call for reconsidering the relationship among the three revealed Abrahamic faiths of Christianity, Judaism and “Today, we realize more than ever that either we will learn Islam.”—AMAR SELLAM, Mohamed I University to live together like siblings, or we shall perish together like fools. These letters from the Prophet Muhammad “This book documents what is possibly the third founda­ to Christian communities can serve to inspire both tional source of Islam: the Prophets treaties and cove­ Muslims and Christians about our ability to live nants among people of the Abrahamic faiths. Dr. Mor­ together as Gods people, as friends, as neighbors, and row brings forth exceptionally important findings that as custodians of the same small planet.”—OMID SAFI, dictate peaceful coexistence among Jews, Christians, and University of North Carolina Muslims, and includes multiple translations for compari­ son of how the Prophet and his followers treated Chris­ “These covenants are not merely historical documents; tians and Jews with respect and care, far beyond a mere they remain valid, binding covenants for all Muslims tolerance.”—BRIDGET blomfield, Univ, of Nebraska from the moment of their inception until the end of time. Dr. Morrows work has illuminated a new horizon “The Covenants of the Prophet Muhammad is a timely, of Islamic public international law and promotes further pioneering, and penetrating study that sheds much light scholarly investigation of the covenants.”—HISHAM M. on the thoughts and the policy of the Prophet Muham­ Ramadan, d.j.d., Kwantlen Polytechnic University mad.”—MOHAMED elkouche, Mohamed I University john Andrew morrow has served as a faculty member and administrator at numerous colleges and universities, and has authored and edited many books, including the Encyclopedia of Islamic Herbal Medicine (McFarland, 2011), Religion and Revolution: Spiritual and Political Islam in Ernesto Cardenal (Cambridge Scholars Publishing, 2012), and Islamic Images and Ideas: Essays on Sacred Symbolism (McFarland, 2013). ISBN 576-1-5'1731-4^5-7 90000 A P ngelico ress S S ophia perenni 9 781597 314657 cover design by Cristy Deming THE COVENANTS OF THE PROPHET MUHAMMAD WITH THE CHRISTIANS OF THE WORLD r W'" I ----- . 1 THE COVENANTS of the Prophet Muhammad with the Christians of the World By John Andrew Morrow Angelico Press Sophia perenniS r I ■ First published in the USA by Angelico Press /Sophia Perennis, 2013 © John Andrew Morrow All rights reserved = No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted, in any form or by any means, without permission For information, address: Angelico Press/Sophia Perennis [email protected] See also www.covenantsoftheprophet.com Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Morrow, John A. (John Andrew), 1971- The covenants of die Prophet Muhammad with the Christians of the world / Dr. John Andrew Morrow. p. cm. Includes bibliographical references and index. isbn 978-1-59731-465-7 (pbk: alk. paper) isbn 978-1-59731-466-4 (hardback: alk. paper) 1. Muhammad, Prophet,-632—Relations with Christians. 2. Islam—Relations—Christianity. Christianity and other religions—Islam. I. Title. BP172.M647 2013 297.2'83—dc23 2013035953 Cover Design: Cristy Deming Cover image: Turkish language copy of the Achtiname or Covenant of the Prophet Muhammad with the Monks of Mount Sinai, from 1638 (by permission of St. Catherine’s Monastery, Egypt) CONTENTS Foreword • xi Acknowledgments—Permissions—Conventions • xiv Concerning the Covenants • xv The Covenants Initiative • xviii Chasing History: Appendix to the Covenants Initiative • xx PART I: CONTEXT Chapter 1: The Prophet Muhammad and the People of the Book • 1 Introduction • 1—The Prophet’s Early Life and Encounters with Christians • 1—Revelation Received: The Proclamation of Prophecy • 26—The Constitution of Medina • 27—The Constitution Critically Contextualized • 31—The Judeo-Christian Response to the Advent of Islam • 35—The Jewish Opposition: The Case of the Banu Qaynuqa', Banu Nadir, and Banu Qurayzah • 39—Consolidating the Monotheistic Movement • 42—The Prophet’s Domestic and Foreign Policy • 43—Conclusions • 62 Chapter 2: The Prophet Muhammad and the Monks of Mount Sinai • 65 Introduction • 65—Issues of Authenticity • 65—Commentary on the Content of the Covenant • 89—Conclusions • 98 Chapter 3: The Prophet Muhammad and the Christians of Persia • 99 Introduction • 99—Issues of Authenticity • 99—Commentary on the Content of the Covenant • 104—Conclusions • 107 Chapter 4: The Prophet Muhammad and the Christians of Najran • 109 Introduction • 109—Issues of Authenticity • 109—Commentary on the Content of the Covenant • 121—Conclusions • 138 Chapter 5: The Prophet Muhammad and the Christians of the World • 139 Introduction • 139—Issues of Authenticity • 139—Commentary on the Content of the Covenant (1630) • 162—Commentary on the Content of the Covenant (1538) • 167—Conclusions • 175 ! Chapter 6: The Prophet Muhammad and the Assyrian Christians • 177 Introduction • 177—Issues of Authenticity • 177—Commentary on the I Content of the Covenant • 183—Conclusions • 190 Chapter 7: The Prophet Muhammad and the Armenian Christians of Jerusalem • 191 I Introduction • 191—Issues of Authenticity • 191—Conclusions • 201 I PART II: TEXTS Chapter 8: Texts of the Covenant of the Prophet Muhammad with the Monks of «! Mount Sinai • 205 I Text I • 205—Text II • 207—Text III • 209—Text IV • 211—Text V • 213—Text VI • 215—Corrected Arabic Original • 218 Chapter 9: Text of the Covenant of the Prophet Muhammad with the Christians of Persia • 223 Chapter 10: Texts of the Covenant of the Prophet Muhammad with the Christians of the World • 227 Text I • 227—Text II • 230—Text III • 233—Text IV • 237—Corrected ! i Arabic Original from 1630 CE • 242—Corrected Arabic Original from 1538 CE • 247—Reproduction of Original Document from 1538 CE • 255—Reproduction of Original Document from 1630 CE • 265— Reproduction of Original Document from 1655 CE • 281 Chapter 11: Text of the Covenant of the Prophet Muhammad with the Christians of Najran • 293 Corrected Arabic Original from the 9th Century CE • 301 Chapter 12: Text of the Covenant of the Prophet Muhammad with the Assyrian Christians • 313 Reproduction of Original Document • 315 PART III: CHALLENGES i Chapter 13: Examining the Authorities • 323 I Chapter 14: Tracking the Transmissions • 331 I I I Chapter 15: The Covenants in Context *333 Chapter 16: General Conclusions • 353 Chapter 17: Suggestions for Future Scholarship *365 PART IV: BACKMATTER Appendix I: Witnesses to the Covenants • 377 Appendix II: Possible Modes of Transmission of the Covenants • 382 Illustrations • 385 Bibliography • 411 Index•423 About the Author • 441 f ? ■’A ,'Sf *x A < <EUROP1/ Oh'^ S04 ’ _S&rnarqand<<Z f Constantinople /Bukhara 'sA ; $ ? ’ A ■ > '<.?■ V - * \k"r —JJ > '■y- \\ \ ,-Sca 1 Damascus'- 'Ctesiphon vq °A’tP E*'RSlX'^/;* ASIA -.\Z \ [jjyusalei ■J k Alexandria*!' - ■, ‘ SDYERSEIARNTj INDIA z EGYPT 'V V X /natud 7 r _ • .• SDAEHSAERRAT Muscat Arjp-jn Sc; ELEVATION ■.fhdda**^.' 13.120®!Mater* HUBALKHALI 4.000 C.5W - 2 COO AFRICA ■? 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