RULING:

During the Hijrah, contrary to the situation in Mecca, the political aspect of the Prophet (pbuh), in particular his presidential status for a newly founded state, emerged. His political leadership along with his religious guidance, establishment and observation of the relationships between the newly formed Muslim society and other groups grew in importance. Following the Hijrah, the Prophet did not directly become the ruler of Medina, but gained the control of the city when he defeated his enemies in Mecca and other places and when people who accepted Islam came to Medina to join him.

Political leadership of the Prophet became undisputed with subsequent developments when most of the tribes in Arabia accepted Islam several years before his demise. Thus a wide political unity was developed under his ruling. M. Watt points out that although conditions were on his side in many circumstances, Prophet Muhammad’s success cannot be separated from his personal skills, his highly developed wisdom, his statesmanship, his diplomacy as a ruler, and his tactfulness and understanding in relations with other people. He also points out that along with the attractiveness of Islam and the fact that it responded to the needs of Arabs as religious and social system, his good behaviors, and political and leadership skills played a great role in his success.

The political structure in the Arabian Peninsula changed within a quarter century with the developments under the leadership of Prophet Muhammad. Arabs, most of whom had been living as nomadic and semi-nomadic scattered tribes, for the first time gathered together and became a nation thanks to Prophet Muhammad. The Prophet who had struggled heavily against the dominant religion, social concepts and institutions also tried to form a new moral and social order in a society rotting in terms of these concepts. He eliminated tribal animosities, social injustice, and inequalities, putting an end to the superiority concept which is believed to exist by birth. He removed artificial obstacles that separate individuals in a society. He founded a society based on fellowship, cooperation and affection. He prevented the killing of girls and misbehaviors towards women. He raised the status of women who were living under an oppressive obedience rule to a level that they shared life with men and they had mutual rights and responsibilities. Women could belong to legal professions, purchase detached residences, and spend money on whatever they want. He invalidated the provisions on women in the field of family law (marriage, divorce, and inheritance) and eliminated old perceptions that didn’t regard women as independent individuals. He took the steps to gradually abolish slavery. As a matter of fact, after a short time, liberated slaves (mevali) began to outshine their masters in scholarship, art and other fields. 

As the entire Arabia came under the rule of Islam in the tenth year of the Hijrah and the regions around Medina became the provinces of the Islamic state, the Prophet usually assigned elite people from his tribe to administer these provinces. His evaluation of the people assigned by him was through merit and personal ability. The Prophet did not hesitate to recall those who were incompetent and to assign those more skilled. He never assigned a person whom he believed was well-informed and skilled in other issues but who would not overcome this task. In administration, the values of faith were more essential than tribal superiority, nobility, wealth and class. Thus everyone was given equal opportunity to achieve according to their personal capacity. Hence it is seen that Prophet Muhammad assigned only competent believers.

One of the indispensable actions he employed in administration was the act of consultation. He consulted with leading believers and took their opinions on the issues of significance. He would enact a decision formed by these consultations even if contrary to his own opinion.

Holy Prophet was sensitive in removing obstacles between the administrators and those administered. The following hadiths (sayings of the Prophet) point to the implementations of Prophet Muhammad related to these issues. “Whoever undertakes a task for the people and lays out obstacles between himself and the weak, Allah will no doubt form obstacles for him. (Ahmad b. Hanbal, al-Musnad, c. V, p. 239); “Whoever undertakes a task for Muslims and closes his doors to those who are weak, needy and subject to injustice, Allah will close His doors of grace against his needs.” (Ahmad b. Hanbal, al-Musnad, c. III, s. 441, 480) and “Convey to me the needs of those who can not convey them. Whoever conveys to an administrator the needs of those who are not able to convey them, Allah will provide a firm foothold for him on the judgment day” (Bayhaqi, Shuabu'l-Iman, c. II, s. 156; Tabarani, el-Mu'jamu'l-Kabir, nsr. Hamdi Abdulhamid es-Salafi, Beirut ts. (Daru Ihyai't-Turathi'l-Arabi), c. XXII, p. 157).  In accordance with this, he would go among the people, walk in the markets, listen to complaints, and take action where necessary. To those assigned by him, he would advise “bring good news, don’t cause feelings of hate; make things easier not harder” (Muslim, "Jihad", 6). He was strongly opposed to his assignees in state works gaining material benefits by these means and strictly controlled them (Buhari, "Ahkam", 24, 41; Muslim, "Imare", 7).