The History of Jahiliyah And Modern Jahiliyah

Geographical background, 

the arab world that is the part of Asian sub continent, as the honour of being the cradle of Islam, the land of Saudi Arabia comprise, mountains, deserts, low land  waste land and oasis. The mountain peaks  lies in Sarah  yemen as well as in hijaz, in earlier days sana was the capital of Yemen city. When we talk about the deserts of Saudi Arabia The desert place covers the much area of Saudi Arabia, but two most important desert that are to be well known and are recorded in the mostly in the literature of Islam. One is Al Rubil ul khalil Desert (empty Quarter) in South and another is Al Nufud  in the North. Both deserts are joined by the strip of red red desert called All Dahana” the Al Dahna is the largest desert in Saudi Arabia. Apart from that there were many river channels remains invariably dry called as wadis used to serve as carvan routes. The well known two important wadis such as wadi al rummah through this the Arabia is being connected with Mesopotamia (old iraq) second one is wadi al sirhan connect Syria and Arabia.

Arab Cultivation and food production

Mostly in two cities in Arabia Hijaz and Najad, The Dates are commonly produced and had rich production of dates, mostly in Hijaz place. The Dates are to be considered as the (Queen of All plants) the rice was cultivated in oman similarly the coffee and wheat were cultivated in yemen, for horse breeding najad was considered as best place for horse high breeding of its horse.

Minerals

The Saudi Arabia from the very earlier times was very famous due the great natural resources of petroleum, and is considered currently the largest supplier of oil to the world the important fields of oil are at Abqaiq Ain Dar, And Dammam the operating centre is at dahran. Besides the Saudi Arabia touches its area with many other countries like Syria jordon and lebanon etc,

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND OF SAUDI ARABIA

The Arabs belonging to one of the race called as Semites race the literal meaning of Semites as Desert Those the inhabitants thereof with no reference to nationality. The origin of Semites are actually the descendants of Sam bin nooh As, with the passage of time when the population of Semites increased they started to migrate to different parts of the world. The semetic people or  groups called  later on  Babylonian, Assaryian, Hebrews, Abbassian, Amorites, Aramean’s etc are migrated to different corner’s in the Arab world,

First Semites Migration

The First semites migration from Saudi Arabia to Egypt, and  they settled there by the name as Hamitic population in the history of Islam the Egyptian were the first people who made pyramids and also are known in the field of stone structures. This semetic migration that took place from Arabia to nile valley egypt occurred around in 3500 BC.

2nd Migration Babylonian people, these semites migrated from Saudi Arabia to tigris and Euprates close to iraq, some people already settled there called as Sumerian, the admixture of both Groups produced a dynasty called as Babylonian,

Contribution of Babylonian

The Sarjon 1 is the the founder of Babylonian rule in Southern iraq, the northern part of iraq at that time was under the control of Assyrians. One of the greatest rullar of Babylonian rule named as Hammurabi in his time His laws and rules we’re strict, the laws prevailing during his time such as eye for eye

tooth for tooth, His name is counted as greatest rullar in the Babylonian dynasty due to strict rules. Other contributions of Babylonian rule

They built Hanging garden

They created cuneiform system of writing

They devised the Decimal system and solar calander

They had great progress in astronomy and Mathematics

They were the first people who invented the wheel cart and system of Measures.

Naboplassar was considered as the founder of new Babylonian rule.

The Babylonian worshipped two chief gods Madruk and Ishtar.

ASSARYIANS

They were Settled in Northern part of iraq this dynasty or group founded by sarjon 2 His son Sennacherib was great rullar captured many places Babylonia, Palestine and Egypt The Assyrians called as romans of Asia.

 

3rd Migration of Semites

Started from Saudi Arabia to Mediterranean Sea, later on they occupied palestine and western Syria settled there called as Cananites. Some settled at coastal lands known as Phonenian the Phonenian were were very capable and calibre and competent people they invent 22signs of Alphabet.

HEBREWS

The followers of Musa As who settled in Palestine and Syria called as hebrews. Those who settled in northern Syria called as Arameans.

The hebrews uplifted and established their rule under Dawood As and Sulimaan As.

 

Earlier Arab kingdoms in South

Sabeans First Arab kingdom of South in 750 AD, this kingdom was located at Sayhad now it is called as Ramlat al sabatayn. Marib dam was their capital. Saad Marib was famous city in this kingdom, they worshipped to moon god, and their chief temple called as Almaqah considered this dirty as health giving god.

Minaean means spring water was the another South Arab kingdom 700 B. c

The capital was Qarnaw then maan later on Sana they lived in North wadi al jawf.

Qataban was yemeni kingdom  capital was kuhlan

Hadhramawt called as Republic of yemen

HIMYARITES

This kingdom is came out from sabeans and Minamean their capital was zafar during the himyarites period the Roman king Allius Gallus invaded upon them for the protection they created the number of citadels the best one known as ghumdhan. It contains 20 storeys.

The himyarite founded the town of Samarkand

Aksum This was South Arabian tribe who migrated and settled in East Africa later on they are called as the people of Abbyyssinia. They adopted Christianity as state religion

Nabataeans the Arab people who settled in Palestine after capturing the place called as petra and made it as capital.

Palmyrena was a Christian kingdom who were settled in northern Syria, the capital was tadmor, the odenathus was great rullar of palmyrena civilization he made alliance with rome the romans gave him the title imperator, the palyrena civilization was the interesting  blend of greak Syrian and Iranian element

GHASSANIDS

Founded by Azdi  tribe in yemen came to power in Syria and established their rule in Damascus with the capital of Al jabriah under the influence of Byzantine they converted themselves into Christianity, the Harith 2 was famous rullar of Ghassanids Defeated to lakshmid rullar Mandir 3

The last rullar of ghassanids dynasty was jabalah b ahyam.

LAKHMIDS KNOWN AS MANADHIRAH

This dynasty was founded by amr bin nasir al rabiyah b lakhm they established their rule in southern iraq at all hira

They gained the power under imral qayas  the al numan the rullar of lakhmid built khawarana  near at al hira a famous citadel

Numan Al awar only rullar in lakmid dynasty who was one eyed

The last rullar of lakhmid rullar was Numan 3

Kindah dynasty

This dynasty was founded by Aqil al Murrur the capital was hijr, and Qaryat dhat kahil this was the kingdom of najad

 

 

 Jahiliyah period Arabia , Modern Jahiliyah

The Arabia considered as one the largest peninsula in the world divided into three  divisions

1)       Arabia Patraea include Hijaz and yemen

2)      Arabia Flex      include Yemen and Hadramaut

3)      Arabia Desertia  include Mesopotamia

The Arabia is surrounded North by Syrian desert, southern side by Indian Ocean Eastern Side by persian Gulf and West by Red sea

The Term Jahiliyah derived from the Root Jahala which means ignorant or a stupid the term is also mentioned in the Quran in surahs(Quranic verses on Jahiliyah) 3: 54  5:50   and 33: 33 in the literal sense the term Jahiliyah means age of Ignorance that means the people who are associated with this period were completely ignorant about the divine guidance, the Jahiliyah period is also described as the time prior the revelation of Quran. The society was primitive in nature people had no idea about organised government. The inhabitants of Arabia were of two groups 1. The dwellers of cities those people mostly living in cities, and 2. The dwellers of desert those people who don’t had permanent settled houses called as bedouins & Nomads invariably lived in tents wandering from place to place for their livelihood and nourishment.

Each tent made up a family, When group of families joined together they formed a clan, the group of clans when they join together they formed a tribe. Each tribe had a head called as Sheikh. All settlements are to done by the orders of Sheikh.

During the time of Jahiliyah period the disputes among the tribes remains for many years, sometimes the quarrel Started from cattle pastures, horse racing and spring of water. In times Jahiliyah period there were almost 10 big tribes those often quarrels to each other and have many disputes on different issues might is right was the order of day. The battles during the period of Jahiliyah are as follows

Harbul Basus, it was the war between two tribes Babu bakr and baby tughlaq, from the bank bakr side tribe the head of the army was jassas bin murrah and the head of tughlaq tribe army was kulyab ibn Rabiyah called as hero of basis war. This war remained for 40 years there was only a cause why war started because of wounding of she camel one tribe pelted stone on camel due to that war started.

 

Harbal Dalis and Gabra this war started between the tribes of Abs and Dhubayan war lasted for many years the cause was horse racing issue

Harbal Buath war between Aws and khazraj tribe

Harbul Fijar   war between banu kinanah and Hawazin tribe.

 

Political System Of Jahiliyah period, Political Conditions

During the period of ignorance the whole of Saudi Arabia was under the control of Persian and Roman power, except some places of North in Saudi Arabia, today in the modern times we have well organized political system and government every country have its own laws and rules consequently when we talk about the political system of Jahiliyah, they people did not know about well managed and organized government they followed the system of tribalism each tribe remained under  the control of sheikh he was considered as the head of tribe whatever the sheikh will issue or pass any resolution the tribe follows it in letter and sprit. They didn’t go against the decision of sheikh. The Sheikh was considered as the political head of the each tribe.

 

Social Conditions of Jahiliyah

The people living in the period of Jahiliyah period were entirely ignorant without having social consciousness, they don’t have any honor for morals every tribe follows a slogan might is right it was the order of the day, the people invariably moved by emotions the reason has no place in their domain

The people were involved in drinking, gambling, plundering,  superstition barbarism fornication etc the society was morally much corrupted, the slavery was common practice adopted by the people of Jahiliyah, the slaves had no freedom offer were much beaten by their owners.

The little girls were buried alive, they considered their daughter as shame and humiliation.

Polygamy and polyandry both these concepts adopted by the pre islamic people.

 

 

Religious Beliefs and practices of Jahiliyah period Religious Condition

The Arabs were Pagans heathens and Polythesist, they were idol worshippers worshipped many gods and goddesses, The kabba was the central place for idol worship, there were 360 idols lodged in kabba, the head of all these deities called as A Hubal.

Besides the three main deities of Jahiliyah period were

Al lat mother goddess

Al uzza might one

Al Mannat  god of destiny

Many tribes worshipped to sun and moon and some worshipped to stones as well.

The deities had different shapes  Wadd was shaped like man,  Naila and sawa  like  women yauq horse nasr like vulture.

 

Economic Conditions

The mecca was the center of economic life, the Quresh were the main people of mecca they were the custodian of kabba, they sponsored the trade carvan with Yemen and Syria people in general economically were well better off, but some tribes they were very poor they earn their livelihood by tending camels and cattle. Besides the concept of usury interest was common practice among Jews they treated their debtors harshly.

Culture Conditions.

The age produced many notable poets called called as  Muallaqat pets and  Mukhadram poets

The Muallaqat is a group of seven long Arabic poems the best work of pre Islamic era means suspended odes or hanging these poems were hung on kabba.

The Mufaddal al dhabi and Hammad were the compilers of these seven great works.  The name of seven poets of pre islamic era Imral Qayas, zubayr, antra ibn shadad, tarafa,  labid, amr bin kulsum, Harith bin hazala,  these seven poets called as Muallaqat poets,

The Mukhadram poets are those who saw Jahiliyah period as well as the islamic period. Some poets are kab bin zubair,  labid, Hassan bin thabit etc.

Imran Qayas was regarded as the prince of all poets and Shakespeare in Arabic language.

A fair was held in pre islamic times at ukaz between Nakhlah and taif, the poets resorted the fair to celebrate their exploits.