7.5.1 GEOGRAPHY and PEOPLE OF THE ARABIAN PENINSULAR

The physical features of the Arabian peninsular have determined to a large extent the historical changes and movements. The Arabian desert is hot barren land with no significant vegetation. Very little is known about the ancient Arabs, al Arab al baidat, who perished and left few traces behind. They were the ‘Aad, Thamud, Jasm, Jadais, Amalqah, and Jurham. The so called pure Arabs, al arab al ‘aribat, emerged from the ‘arab al baidat. The arabised arabs, al ‘arab al musta’arabat, were the progeny of Ismail son of Ibrahim (PBUH) or were other ethnic groups who later embraced Islam, learned the Arabic language and became arabised. ‘Arab musta’aribat are descended from Adnan and are also called Banu Adnan

7.5.2 GOVERNMENT IN PRE-ISLAMIC ARABIA:

When the Adnan tribes were defeated by Khuza’ah, all moved out of Makka except the Quraish. The Quraish managed to gain control of Makka and Hijaz. The city of Makka established by Ibrahim and his son Ismail was a religious and trade center, it had a city government whose control changed hands often. The rulers of Makka were informally recognized as leaders of all Arabs because of the religious importance of the Ka’aba.

7.5.3 RELIGIONS OF THE ARABIAN PENINSULAR

Ibrahim and Ismail had introduced monotheism in Makka and it spread to other parts of the peninsula. However, as always happens in periods of decline, the pure creed became corrupted later with the worship of idols. Religious practices of Arabs included sacrifice of animals for idols, and worship of celestial bodies. Soothsayers, fortune-tellers, and astrologers were believed. Arabs believed in good and man omens. They were superstitious believing in jinn, demons, and fairies. Despite this religious confusion, some vestiges of the Abrahamic faith persisted: respect for the Ka’aba, observation of the pilgrimage, the vigil at Arafat, and offering sacrifices. However these rites were still adulterated by superstitions. The months of hajj were treated as sacred months in which there was peace among the tribes allowing them to gather for worship and trade in Makka.

7.5.4 SOCIO-ECONOMIC CONDITIONS

The economic life was very fragile since the peninsula had very few resources. Most Arabs were nomadic bedouins A few settled in cities were traders. Few worked in industry. Hunger and poverty were common. Arab society was characterized by ethnocentricity with the tribe and clan being the center of identity. Tribal pride was very strong and was a frequent cause of war. Sexual promiscuity was common. Hijab for women was not known. Sex was eulogized in Arab poetry. Baby girls were often killed because they were thought a burden and could not contribute to military or economic efforts. Arabs were very fond of gambling. They gambled with arrows and also played other games of chance. They had a passion for hunting. Arabs wore simple and coarse clothing. They ate simple food, unpalatable and tasteless. Meat was considered a delicacy. Meat and milk were common because they reared animals. They ate baked bread made from un-sieved floor. They had no special etiquette at meals. Deceit, cunning, and cheating were common. Highway robbery and looting occurred often. Mourning for the dead was by tearing clothes and pulling hair. Women followed the funeral with untied hair, dusted heads, and shaved hair. Professional criers were employed at funerals. Despite the difficult material conditions, pre-Islamic Arabs had some noble qualities of hospitality, coming to the rescue of others, keeping covenants, a sense of honor, hatred of injustice, strong will, courage, patience and perseverance. These qualities made them suitable raw material for building an Islamic civilization. Arabs had good memory and memorized geneology and poetry. They were so proud of their eloquence and poetry that they called non-Arabs mute, ‘ajam.  Arabia was chosen for the revelation of the last message because its society was simple. The Arabs were independent and free. They had no prejudices against other nations because of limited prior contacts.

7.5.5 MAIN EVENTS BEFORE ISLAM

A major event in pre-Islamic Arabia was the invasion by the people of the elephant. The elephants refused to go to the destruction of the Kaaba. Later Abd al Muttalib dug up the well of Zamzam based on a dream that he had.  He found the golden gazelles that Jurhum had buried in Zamzam when they were expelled from Makka.