islam s2 pre islamic arabia 2
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Islam and Pre-Islamic Arabia
Dr. Robert PattonMissionary to Suriname,
South America
Arabian Peninsula About 1/3 of the size of the USA Mostly desert now, though at one time it
must have had much vegetation as huge oil reserves are present
Some mountains Minimal rainfall
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Arabian Peninsula
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Arabian Peninsula
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Arabian desert and mountains
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Arabian desert
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Population Settled area of Hijaz and South
Arabia with small towns, and a few larger ones
The rest is Bedouin – “pirates of the desert”
Bedouin
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Bedouin in desert
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Life on the desert Harsh climate with sun, wind, sand Little vegetation Competition for water - oasis
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Oasis in the desert
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Survival – from your tribe Virtually impossible to survive without
your tribe Tribal loyalty very strong – stick
together; protect even in the wrong Blood repayments when warring
occurred
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Heroes of the tribe Younger men – strong, capable of
fighting, often a sort of dangerous sport Skill in archery, sword, lance, riding
horses or camels Protectors of women, children and older
men
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Payment for fighting Warriors highly esteemed Paid in booty from raids on caravans –
money and women
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Arabian stallion
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Battles - Badr
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Clothing and privacy Close-knit society. Privacy for women – in the tent, or
heavily clothed Full clothing protected against sun and
sandstorms, etc.
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Tribes in Arabia Makkah (Mecca) – Quraysh –
considered themselves superior to Bedouin, but the nomads considered them a nation of shopkeepers
Tribes in Arabia Yathrib (Medina – 5 tribes)
Arabian – Aus & Khazraj Jewish – Naheer, Quynuquaa,
Qurayza
Yathrib (Medina) Arabs were farmers Jews were businessmen &
farmers This area – most important in
Arabia, called Hijaz
Yathrib
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Economics
Jewish were best off – had the best lands of the Hijaz, and were the best farmers
Good businessmen and had control of armament industry
Slavery common – both male and female
Class power – from businessmen who often asked 100% usury
Mecca
About 50 miles inland, elevatedTwo trade routes cross at this oasisHad a deep well – zemzem or zamzam
Mecca
Site of the Kaa’ba – a square temple containing the black stone, probably a meteorite
Mecca Most individuals were invested in
the caravans and trade with Egypt, Syria, Persia
Success – much skil l , experience & abil ity needed
Mecca overview
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Quraysh tr ibe Dominant tr ibe in Mecca Many merchants and wealthy
businessmen This was Muhammad’s tribe
Quraysh tr ibe Had many contacts with other
areas because of caravans- Persia, Ethiopia
Tribe also controlled fair at Ukaz to extend its influence
Religion prior to Islam Sabianism – worship of heavenly
bodies Moon was male deity Lunar calendar Fasting with the crescent moon
Religion prior to Islam “Allah” was generic for “god,” but
in the Quraysh tribe, focused on the moon god, represented by the black stone at the Kaa’ba
Kaa’ba Location - Mecca Tradition – rebuilt by Abraham &
Ishmael Arabian tribes came there for
religious pilgrimages, and to offer sacrif ices
The Ka’aba (cube)
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Kaa’ba Each tribe had its own idols – usually
stones which they used as altars 360 stones in the Kaa’ba Much revenue from tribes coming to
visit
The Ka’aba
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Travel to the Ka’aba One month was sacred so that
pilgrims could go to the Ka’aba They would go around it seven
times and touch the sacred stone
Daughters of Allah Three idols considered the “daughters
of Allah” and worshipped by the Quraysh tribe – opposed by Muhammad.
For a brief t ime, he weakened to worship them – “Satanic verses…” We will study further…
Religion prior to Islam –groups other than animists
Atheists – pure materialists believing the world was eternal
Zindiqs – influenced by Zoroastrianism with two opposing gods of good and evil f ighting
Religion prior to Islam Jews = especially in Yathrib,
Khayber, Fadak, & Umm-ul-Qura Christians – in Najran. They
would not be considered orthodox Christians. They tended to deny the deity of Christ, and some elevated Mary
Religion prior to Islam Monophysites – believed that
Jesus’ human nature was absorbed into his divine nature
Nestorians denied the unity of Jesus’ divine
personhood Mary as the Mother of God
Religion prior to Islam Monotheists – no idol worship,
fol lowed prophet Abraham. Banu Hashim clan, the clan of Muhammad Ali ibn Abi Talib
Education Very few were l i terate – mostly Jews &
Christians Great pride in the Arabian tongue with
eloquence and poetry.. They believed that they could attack others using poetry, rich in imagery but some say l imited in scope and profundity.
Some were in the Kaa’ba – 7 suspended poems
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