By John Smelcer and Craig Considine

Sometime between 622 and 632 A.D., during what is called “The Medina Years,” the Prophet Muhammad decreed a series of covenants specifically addressing Christians in the region… For the most part, these covenants have been neglected or forgotten in the Western world, although religious scholars have been aware of their existence for centuries.

But given the current climate of religious intolerance and violence in the name of religion, it is vital that Christians and Muslims alike are reminded of the nature of the contracts. All six covenants are promises by Muhammad and his early followers to protect Christians. More than that, they convey Muhammad’s desire for a pluralistic society in which people from different religious traditions are welcome, their freedom of religion respected. This may come as a surprise to most readers. Indeed, verse 9:6 of the Qur’an calls upon Muslims to provide protection for nonbelievers and not to forcibly convert them to Islam…

We must recognize that our mutual religions do not embolden violence, and blame instead our shameless ability to justify atrocities. At fault are our naked human folly, our blind religious fervor, and our monumentally fragile egos.

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