IMAM ABU AL-FIDA' ISMA~L IBN KATHiR 213and Yathrib and their followers, allies and supporters, establishing that they are
one nation apart from all others. The Emigrants from Quraysh will maintain
their current practice and will honour blood-money contracts between them-
selves and will treat their weaker members with kindness and justice. The Banti
'Awf shall maintain their current practice, and honour their former blood-money
contracts, each party treating their weaker members with kindness and justice,
among all believers.'
"He then made reference to each clan of the Helpers and to the families of
each home, mentioning the Bana Sxcida, the Bana Jusham, the Ban0 al-Najjar,
the Bana 'Amr b. 'Awf and the Bann al-Nabit.
"He went on to say, 'The believers shall not leave anyone among them burdened
by debts without giving to him in kindness and in paying for him any ransom
money or blood-money he owes. A believer will not ally with any freed-man of a
second believer against that man. Pious believers act against any of their own who
practise evil or seek to bring harm, sin, aggression or corruption among believers.
Believers will unite against anyone doing this, even if he be one of their own sons.
No believer shall kill any believer for any non-believer. Nor shall he help any non-
believer against a believer. God's protection is all one; the least of them (believers)
can offer protection to others. Believers are allies to one moth&, excluding others.
"'Whatever Jews follow us shall receive help and equality. They shall not be
maltreated nor will help be afforded others against them. Peace for all believers
is one; no peace shall be accepted for any one believer to the exclusion of others
when the battle is for God's cause; among them equality and justice must pre-
vail. In every expedition we engage in riders shall take turns on their mounts.
"'Believers shall avenge one another for blood shed in God's cause. Believers
who are pious are well-guided on the straightest of paths. No polytheist shall be
allowed to offer protection for the property or persons of Quraysh nor try to
interfere with any believer. Anyone who has clearly aggressed against and caused
the death of any believer shall be subject to retaliation for him unless the dead
man's executor can be satisfied. Believers as a whole shall take action against him
and no excuse for their not doing so will be acceptable.
"'It shall not be permissible for any believer who has accepted what is in this
document and who believes in God and Judgement Day to give help or shelter
to any wrong-doer. Any beIiever who does this shall be the object of God's
curses and anger on Judgement Day and neither compensation nor excuse will
be acceptable from him. Any matter in which you disagree must be referred to
God, Almighty and Glorious is He, and to Muhammad (SAAS).
"'The Jews shall pay expenses along with the Muslims so long as they are
allied in warfare. The Jews of the BanB 'Awf are one nation with the believers;
the Jews shall have their religion, the Muslims their own. This applies to their
freed-men and to themselves, except for those who commit sins and are unjust.
Such persons only harm themselves and their families.
"'What applies to Bano 'Awf shall also apply to the Jews of Banii al-NajjZr,
Bana al-Hzrith, Bana Sa'ida, Bana Jusham, Bana al-Aws, Bann Thaclaba and