This week's guest blogger is Brooke Dewhurst. Brooke examines the main features of the time society Muhammad was born into.
This period is known in Islam by the Arabic term Jahiliyya, which means Days of Ignorance.
You might be asked to examine the Jahiliyya period in an AO1 question.
Religions in pre Islamic Arabia.
In pre Islamic Arabia the most common religion was Bedouin polytheists. They had no forms of worship however believed that trees and natural objects where spiritual and believed in many Gods which were against what Muhammad said about Islam. Bedouin polytheists also don’t have any scripture meaning they do not follow anything from a book from their Gods. In Bedouin polytheism they believed in one main God and three goddesses which are the daughters of God.
There where also other religions such as Judaism which did not have many Jews but had several clans and where quite successful in converts. However there where not many Jews as some were not seen as members of ‘the people of God’ and were sometimes not accepted by the people in Makkah.
In the north-west of Arabia mainly in Yemen there were mainly Christians. In the desert there where Christian monks and hermits who were often visited by the trading caravans. In Makkah there were few Christians. There were different groups of Christians who varied there understanding of Jesus being the son of God.
Hanifs where some of the few people who abandoned the idea on polytheism and spent their time looking for other monotheistic alternatives. Muhammad knew one Hanif named Zayd.
There where also other religions such as Judaism which did not have many Jews but had several clans and where quite successful in converts. However there where not many Jews as some were not seen as members of ‘the people of God’ and were sometimes not accepted by the people in Makkah.
In the north-west of Arabia mainly in Yemen there were mainly Christians. In the desert there where Christian monks and hermits who were often visited by the trading caravans. In Makkah there were few Christians. There were different groups of Christians who varied there understanding of Jesus being the son of God.
Hanifs where some of the few people who abandoned the idea on polytheism and spent their time looking for other monotheistic alternatives. Muhammad knew one Hanif named Zayd.
The Social Background
Arabs where tribal people meaning they were grouped together according to their common ancestors. Within tribes there were clans. Some tribes were wealthier than others as the people did not share their wealth which created problems especially to the poorer tribes. Muhammad was part of a tribe Quraysh tribe, within his tribe there was his clan (hashim) which were not making a lot of money and became poorer.
Because the social system was based on clans there was no way to deal with discontent. There was no way of dealing with economical situations as the only way of solving things during this time was through vendetta- you kill one of my clan, ill kill one of yours- or war.
Women had low social status and female babies were often killed at birth, other parts of Arabia where more advanced than Makkah.
Because the social system was based on clans there was no way to deal with discontent. There was no way of dealing with economical situations as the only way of solving things during this time was through vendetta- you kill one of my clan, ill kill one of yours- or war.
Women had low social status and female babies were often killed at birth, other parts of Arabia where more advanced than Makkah.
The Political Background
Arabia was ruled by the Byzantine Empire at this time which was extremely advanced and a civilised society.
The Sassanian Empire ruled in the east of china to Iraq which has an advanced agricultural system and its own philosophies and literature.
These two were at war with each other from 614-628CE and religious disputes where occurring in these areas on the edge of Arabia.
Tribes are made up of clans; each clan had a leader (usually an elder). Can leaders would have almost a council to discuss tribal issues. The most powerful tribe were the Quraysh. Within tribes all members were very loyal and killing each other in a tribe was forbidden.
The Sassanian Empire ruled in the east of china to Iraq which has an advanced agricultural system and its own philosophies and literature.
These two were at war with each other from 614-628CE and religious disputes where occurring in these areas on the edge of Arabia.
Tribes are made up of clans; each clan had a leader (usually an elder). Can leaders would have almost a council to discuss tribal issues. The most powerful tribe were the Quraysh. Within tribes all members were very loyal and killing each other in a tribe was forbidden.
Positive Things about Pre-Islamic Arabia
- Out of 12 months of the year, they agreed 4 of them should be no war.
- They were generous. The Arabs where hospitable and generosity was seen as manly.
- They possessed great skill in archery and horsemanship.
- They considered fleeing from the country could be one of the worse things that you could do.
The Main Features of the Jahiliyya Period
- Immortality: many practices went on in pre Islamic Arabia which are considered immoral by the standards of Islam which included;
- Idol worship – commits sins of shirk
- Unlimited polygamy- limited to maximum of four wives in Islam all of whom have to be treated equally.
- Female infanticide- goes against Islamic teachings on equality and the concept of ummah.
- Drunkenness- goes against Islamic teachings which forbid all alcohol and intoxicants as haram.
- Usury- goes against Islamic teachings that no interests can be charges or received on money to avoid making the rich richer and the poor poorer, goes against the concept of charity and the idea of ummah.
- Sexual immortality- goes against the Islamic teaching that although sex is a gift from God to be enjoyed it is only for within marriage.