Arabia before Islam

Traditionally referred to as the "Jahiliyyah" (Ignorance, barbarism):Nomadic desert culture (bedouin) based on ranching, encouraged values of clan solidarity, primitive fatalistic paganism, isolation from rest of world.

In fact: Arabia was not that isolated.Contacts with ancient and contemporary civilizations, including Greece, Rome, Byzantium and Persia.

The Religious Character of Pre-Islamic Arabia.

Features of Arabian paganism that continue to function in Islam:

Importance of the goddess Manat (=Fate). [Perhaps this gets translated into Islamic "fatalism"--the perception that everything is under God's control].Importance (including: economic) of pilgrimage to Mecca.

Traditions about the Ka`bah shrine and its black rock, associated in Islam with Abraham.

Meccan Holy places included the zamzam spring.

Hanifs, monotheistic hermits, spoke of God as al-Rahman [="the Merciful"].Reverence for poetry. (--> literary quality of the Qur'an).

Possible Links to Judaism and Biblical religion (pre-Pagan Monotheism):

It is not always clear which go back to ancient times, and which were derived more recently from Jewish and Christian teachings.

Jewish and Christian tribes were active in pre-Islamic Arabia.Influence of Ethiopian Christianity.

Arab preference for Monophysite Christianity (=Jesus had only one nature, divine and not human) Perhaps this presages Islamic monotheism.

Knowledge about Abraham, circumcision, ideas about Afterlife, are similar to Jewish or Christian beliefs.Religious figures known as "Kahins" [related to Hebrew "kohen," priest]: Soothsayers.

The name of God: Allah = El, Elohim of the Hebrew Bible.

Social and economic changes before rise of Islam:

Because of wars, sea-trade routes became inaccessible. Arabian land route becomes important.

Development of "caravan industry." Led to contacts with foreign cultures and beliefs.

Creation of a settled,urban culture.Concentration of wealth into the hands of a few, where previously everyone had been at a similar economic level.-->Social divisions, dissatisfaction with inequalities in tribal structure.

Causes people to question the social structure and the traditional religion that justified it.-->Weakening of tribal loyalties.

Reaction against "colonialism" may have encouraged "pan-Arab" feelings.>


http://people.ucalgary.ca/~elsegal/I_Transp/I02_Jahiliyyah.html

Benarkah jahiliyyah adalah zaman kegelapan?

Di zaman jahiliyyah mekkah di manage oleh keluarga besar muhammad...terutama kabbah yg menjadi bisnis religi kaum pagan(persis seperti naik haji skrg yg dikelola arab saudi)

di jaman jahiliyyah hak2 perempuan cukup besar,misalnya khadijah memiliki harta banyak(cjkup kaya) dan mengajak muhammad menikah

Zaman jahiliyyah tidak terisolasi dan byk berinteraksi dengan pendatang kristen,yahudi,yunani,persia dll

zaman jahiliyyah agama pagan dan berbagai suku bangsa saling menghormati dan bs hidup berdampingan dengan damai,bahkan kota2 tetangga mekkah ada beberapa kota bani yahudi.


Apa perbedaan jahiliyyah dengan arab era islam?

Sekeliling Mekkah era islam justru byk kekacauan dan perang :

1."bisnis ziarah"kabbah diambil alih muhammad tentu saja dengan konflik dengan suku dan keluarga besarnya sendiri

2.kota2 bani yahudi disekeliling mekkah hancur akibat di ultimatum harus masuk islam atau diperangi(yg tidak dituruti) sehingga menyebabkan perperangan,penaklukan,pembunuhan(laki2)dan perbudakan(utk wanita bani yahudi dijual dipasar budak)

Lantas kenapa sejarah diputarbalikkan pihak tertentu seolah jahiliyyah jelek sementara kemunculan islam sebagai "penyelamat"?