Yahya - Justice and Tolerance in the Qur'an (2003)

THE PROPHETS HAVE BROUGHT JUSTICE
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a role model for all believers regarding the establishment of
true justice in conquered countries. Towards the natives of
these lands, he exercised the justice described in the Qur'an
and made agreements which pleased the parties involved.
The fact that no party suffered even minor injustice was the
distinctive feature of these agreements. For this reason, no
matter which race or religion they belonged to, the people of
conquered countries were always pleased with the justice
introduced by Islam.
The Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) and the companions of
the Prophet, peace be upon them all, were people who
ensured justice among people, as the verse stresses: "Among
those We have created there is a community who guide by
the Truth and act justly according to it." (Qur'an, 7:181)
In the contract made with the Christians of Najran, who
lived in South Arabia, the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh)
demonstrates one of the best examples of tolerance and
justice. The contract included the following article:
The lives of the people of Najran and its surrounding area, their
religion, their land, property, cattle and those of them who are
present or absent, their messengers and their places of worship are
under the protection of Allah and guardianship of His Prophet. 7
By means of such contracts, the Messenger of God
secured a social order for Muslims and the People of the
Book alike, which was marked by peace and security. This
order was a total manifestation of the following verse:
Those who believe, those who are Jews, and the
Christians and Sabaeans, all who believe in God and
the Last Day and act rightly, will have their reward