Pre-Islamic Arabia
Pre-Islamic Arabian Society and the Prime Targets of the Qu’ran
John R. Duesenberry II
Civilization 161G, Fall Semester, W102
Professor Valerie McGowan-Doyle
November 29, 2011
The Pre-Islamic Arab world was primarily dominated by two distinct religious groups : The Byzantine Christians and the Zoroastrian Sasanid Persians. The two groups had been fighting for over four centuries until in a single exhausting conflict that impacted both groups. The conflict lasted from the years 608 CE to 627 CE. A new power began to emerge at this time from the south destroying one group, The Zoroastrians, and severely weakening the second group, The Byzantines.
“Pre-Islamic Arabia was not just a land of deserts, camels, and pastoralists.” (Craig et al 291) The area was actually multicultural and an agricultural power. While there was significant influence from the Christians and Zorastrians there were also Jewish Settlements, Persian, Abyssinians, and Arabian Pagan traditions. Many of these early groups were used as buffers between the two large religious groups and groups from the Arabian Steppes. Along one of these routes was the Arabic Highland territory of Hijaz which included the city of Mecca. “Mecca was a center of the caravan trade and a pilgrimage site because of its famous sanctuary, the Ka’Ba (Or Kaaba), where pagan Arabs enshrined gods.” (Craig et al 292). This was significant in the development of the Islamic faith. A major trade route would allow the message of Mohammed to be spread far and wide. Commerce, as it always had, would serve as an excellent way to spread a message. Oddly enough it was the attitudes of many of the wealthy that led to Mohammed’s disbelief in humanity and the need to further the teachings of God (Allah) that had been spread since the time of Noah. Language was also a key factor. The tribes and groups here could speak the same Semitic language, one that was often used by poets to insult their enemies and also to uplift their own soldiers prior to battle. Islam did not have the disadvantage of getting over a language barrier. These were two key factors of the spread of Islam in its early days.
Mohammed was raised an orphan but grew up to marry an older woman by the name of Khadija who was quite wealthy. There were both Meccan themselves. Mohammed “became troubled by the idiolatry, worldliness, and lack of social conscience around him.” (Craig et al 292). While Jewish and Christian faiths also condemened these attitudes they had not been able to supplant the local Arabic Pagan beliefs. Mohammed at the age of 40 began to feel the calling of God to spread a new message to the people of the Arabic world. His place at Mecca was the perfect spot to start. The Arabic people spoke the same language and the route was well traveled. Mohammed believed that the angel Gabriel visited him and gave him the message that he would need to spread to the world to help stop the issues that bothered him. Mohammed decided to use the language to his benefit. His followers he called Muslim (submissive) and the faith Islam (submission) an interesting departure from the previous warrior poets who exalted the praises of men above all. He even used the word Qu’ran which means reciting to name the holy book. Recitation is an action that requires day to day practice which is in and of itself a form of submission. In fact it was only man that did not naturally submit to God’s will. The rest of the creatures of creation did. It was this belief that lead to Mohammed being more inclusive of everyone.
“The Qu’ranic revelations affirm that Mohammed is only the last in a series of prophets chosen to bring God’s word: Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jesus and non-biblical Arabian figures like Salih had similar missions previously.” Mohammed’s interpretation of this was vital to winning the people of the area over to his beliefs. If he was like Moses, Abraham, Christ and non-biblical Arabian figures then his faith was all inclusive, because he was like all of them. Everyone in the area could maintain their current system of beliefs and add onto them what Mohammed was saying. He took what was available and turned it into an inclusive belief system. Islam was Monotheistic just like Zoroastrianism, Christianity, and Judaism. This was vital in spreading the beliefs. Three things had led to the spread of Islam in this world: Language, Commerce, and Monotheism. Interestingly enough it was the conversion of his own wife that allowed him initially gain followers. Khadija was a wealthy woman and her conversion was enough to have small groups begin to follow him but not without consequence. While some prominent Meccans joined him there were others who felt threatened by his teachings, particularly the people who were not Monotheistic. These people did not want to abandon their gods and goddesses, nor did they want to lose their holy shrine. The shrine was very lucrative for local businessmen, so they began to persecute Mohammed and his followers. They drove Mohammed and his followers away to the city of Yathrib which was renamed Medina (The City of the Prophet.) It was here that Mohammed was able to create the Umma, the Islamic calendar. Medina became the center of activity for Islam and it was here that Mohammed was able to write down many of the tenants of Islam. Daily prayers (salats), Payment of tithe (zakat), daily fasting during Ramadan (sawm) and finally Pilgrimage back to Mecca were all started here. All of them were parts of the strategy that came from language, commerce, and monotheistic beliefs that led to the spread of Islam today.
Pre-Islamic Arabia was a land of many beliefs that were constantly at war with one another. It was not until Mohammed under the direction of God was able to spread the words of the Qu’ran to the rest of the world. Language, commerce, and monotheism all led to its eventual spread.
Works Cited
Craig, Albert M, William A. Graham, Donald Kagan, Steven Ozment, and Frank M. Turner. The Heritage of World Civilizations: Ninth Edition. Upper Saddle Ridge, New Jersey: Prentice Hall, 2011. Print.
Craig et al
B.C.E.
