Conditions of Arabia before Islam

• Pre-Islamic period of Arabia also known as AGE OF IGNORANCE(Al-jahiliyyah)
• • People were living unruly, immoral,and corrupt life since they had no guidance.
  • impure aspects of the time was-idolatory,wars,gambling,drinking,female infanticide and oppression.
• Positive aspects of jahiliyyah-

  • bravery
  • eloquence
  • trustworthy/truthfulness
  • courage
  • firmness and conviction
• Negative aspects of jahiliyyah-

  • polytheism
  • usury
  • slavery
  • robbery
  • blood-shed
  • tyranny
  • life-long enmity
  • injustice
• • Arabs worshipped idols-360 idols in kabah
  • believed angels were daughters of Allah(swt) "And they describe the angles who are servants of the most affectionate as females"(43:19).
  • believed angles,spirits,moon,sun,stars,jinns were god(Astagfirullah)
  • 1)they drank alcohol like water
  • 2)gambling was a pleasure
  • 3)usury(interest) was a common practice-indebted person would pay large amount of interest to lender
• women rights:

  • no respect given
  • treated like cattles and look down upon
  • man can marry as much and divorce whenever wished
  • deprived the right of inheritance
  • widows and divorce could NOT remarry
  • birth of daughter considered shameful and father would bury them alive-"and when anyone is given glass tidings of the birth of a girl,his face changes to black and he suppresses his anger"(16:58)
• • slavery was common and were dealed with harsh manners
  • masters had power to decide over the life and the death (ONLY ALLAH(SWT) DOES)
  • NOT allowed to marry at any circumstances if did then punished brutally
• • no law or government existed
  • so has bloody wars against tribes over minor disputes
  • Head of the tribe took decisions and his selections was based on ancestrel lineage,bravery,power,wealth,sagacity
• pre-islamic Arabs had:

  • eloquent in speech
  • strong memory
  • firm and determined
  • great hose riders
  • loyal
  • BUT these we superseded by evils,vices,barbarism,misguidance
• ARABIAN PENINSULA is immersed in the darkness of oppression,torture,injustice,cruelty,misguidance.

  • Allah(swt) sent prophet Mohammed (saw) to show them the light of guidance
  • "Alif-laam, Raa, this is a book(holy Quran)that we have sent to you (to prophet saw)that you may bring the people from darkness to light.")(14:1)