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