42- None from among them shall go out [to war] without the permission of Muhammad (peace be upon him).

43- They must support one another against those who make war against the people of this Sahifah (document).

44- But none shall be prevented from taking vengeance for wounds inflicted.

45- Whoever acts on his own account (in vengeance) [involves] himself and his family, except him who has been wronged.

46- Allah is accepting of what is most upright.

47- The Jews must bear their expenses and they are due sincerity and upright conduct without bad conduct (being undertaken against them).

48- No one must perpetrate a crime against his ally.

49- Mutual sincerity is demanded and support for the wronged (oppressed).

50- The Jews shall share in the spending with the believers when they are in a state of war.

51- Yathrib shall be an inviolable place for the people of this Sahifah (document).

52- The neighbour is like the self; not being harmed and not having a crime perpetrated against him 53- No woman is to be provided protection except with the consent of her family.

54- Any occurrence or quarrel between the people of this document, the corruption (or harm) of which is feared, must be referred to Allah ‘Azza Wa Jalla and to Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him).

55- Allah is (witness) over that which is most God-fearing and upright in this document.

56- No protection is provided to Quraish or to those who support/help them.

57- They must support one another against whoever attacks Yathrib.

58- If they (the believers) invite the Jews to a Sulh (peace treaty) with an ally of theirs, then they must (also) conclude a truce with that ally.

59- And if they (the Jews) invite us to something similar to that, then the believers should respond to that, except with the one who makes war on account of the Deen (religion). And each people are to fulfil their share from their side to those they are responsible for.

60- The Jews of Al-Aws, their allies and selves, are upon the same as the people of this document, in terms of receiving purely upright conduct from the people of this document.

61- Good and upright conduct is demanded and not bad or criminal conduct (i.e. from the parties of the Sahifa). No person earns anything except that he earns it against himself.

62- Verily Allah is (witness) over that which is most truthful and righteous in this Sahifah (document).

63- This document does not protect any wrongdoer or sinful person (criminal).

64- The one who exits is safe and secure and the one who remains in Al-Madinah is provided the best safety and security, except for the transgressor and sinful (criminal).

65- This document is for the one who acts upright and does good.

66- Verily, Allah is the protector of the one who is acts good and has God-fearing. And Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him).

Imaam Abu Ubaid Al-Qasim bin Salam, may Allah have mercy upon him, discussed the obscure expressions of this Sahifa in his book “Al- Gharib” and in other places. Imam Zanjawaih (2/471/751) transmitted this with some element of disposal:

“Abu Ubaid said: Regarding the statement (i.e. in the Sahifa): “So and so tribe is responsible over their Rabaa’ah” (And Ribaa’ah is most correct in my view), he said: This is how it was narrated to us by Ibn Bukair from Al-Laith bin Sa’d. Ar-Rabaa’ah means al-Ma’aaqil (cases of blood money). It could be said: “So and so is responsible for the Rabaa’ah of his people”: When he is appointed to discharge their affairs or is a delegate to the leaders on behalf of them. Concerning the statement: “Verily, the believers shall not leave any indebted person (Mufrah) without assisting him in ransom and blood money”, then “Al-Mufrah” means: The one overburdened with debt. It (the Sahifa) is saying: They must assist him. If he was a captive, they must pay the ransom to free him and if had perpetrated a crime warranting blood money, they would pay it on his behalf. As for the statement: “A polytheist shall not protect the property of Quraish”, then this refers to the Jews who had peace agreements with them. It (the Sahifa) is saying: Your peace agreement does not include protecting the properties of his enemies or to aid them against him. Regarding the statement: “Whoever has killed a believer without right (I’tibaat), there is retaliation”. The term “I’tibaat” employed here means that he kills him whilst he was innocent and his blood was prohibited. The origin of “I’tibaat” is related to camels, referring to when they are slaughtered without any just cause or purpose.

Concerning the statement: “Unless the blood heirs of the one killed are satisfied with blood money”, indicates that he (peace be upon him) has provided a choice between the retaliation or blood money for the blood heirs of the one killed. This is similar to another Hadith of his: “Whoever has someone (related to him) killed (i.e. murdered) then he has one of two options: If he wills, he kills or if he wills, he takes blood money”. As for the statement “It is not permissible for a believer to support a criminal or provide him with shelter”, then the meaning of criminal here refers to anyone who has transgressed a Hadd (limit) from the Hudood (limits) of Allah ‘Azza Wa Jalla. As such, no one can prevent the establishment of the Hadd punishment upon him. This is also similarly to another statement of his (peace be upon him): “Whoever’s intercession has prevented a Hadd from the Hudood of Allah has opposed Allah and His command”.

Regarding the statement: “The Jews shall share with the spending with the believers as long as they are at war”, then this the spending which is specific to war, stipulating upon them that they assist him against his enemy. We view that he would only make the Jews contribute according to this condition that he stipulated upon them, in terms of spending, if they fight with the Muslims. Otherwise, they would not have had a share in the spoils of war of the Muslims.