Name the first written constitution of the world?

The correct answer is Meesaq-e-Madina (The Charter of Madinah).

Drafted by the Holy Prophet (SAW) in 622 CE, shortly after his migration from Makkah to Madinah, this document is widely considered by modern historians and political scientists as the first written constitution in human history. Long before the Magna Carta of 1215 or the US Constitution of 1787, Meesaq-e-Madina established a sophisticated framework for a multi-religious and multi-ethnic state.

The Historical Necessity

When the Prophet (SAW) arrived in Madinah (then known as Yathrib), the city was a fractured landscape of rival tribes, including the Aus and Khazraj, alongside several Jewish tribes and the newly arrived Muhajirun (migrants). The city was plagued by generations of civil unrest and blood feuds. To transform this chaotic settlement into a stable city-state, a formal legal agreement was required to define the rights and responsibilities of every citizen.

Structure and Key Clauses

The Charter consisted of 47 to 52 clauses (depending on the historical source) and was revolutionary for its time. Unlike the tribal codes of the era, which were based on bloodline and revenge, the Meesaq-e-Madina introduced the concept of the Ummah—a single community that included all signatories, regardless of their religious or tribal background.

Key features of the constitution included:

Freedom of Religion: It explicitly granted the Jews and other non-Muslim tribes the right to practice their own religion and manage their own internal affairs.

Mutual Defense: All signatories were bound to defend Madinah against any external threat. If one group was attacked, the others were legally obligated to come to their aid.

The Rule of Law: It shifted the power of judgment from tribal leaders to a central legal authority, effectively ending the cycle of private vendettas.

Social Security: It established a system for the payment of blood money and the ransoming of prisoners, creating an early form of a social safety net.

Impact on Global Governance

Historians such as Dr. Muhammad Hamidullah have meticulously documented how this charter acted as a "Social Contract" centuries before the term was popularized by Western philosophers like Jean-Jacques Rousseau. It recognized the "citizens" of the state as a unified body while preserving their individual cultural identities.

By defining the relationship between the state and its citizens, Meesaq-e-Madina provided a blueprint for religious tolerance and administrative justice. It turned Madinah into a sanctuary of peace, allowing the Islamic state to flourish and grow through diplomacy rather than just military force.