Political, Economical, Religious and Cultural Conditions in Arabian Peninsula Before Islam

 

Pre-islamic conditions of Arabian Peninsula: Semitic soil and ambiance were domaines the geography, that is something we have to take into account. The whole geography that is Semitic people. So, this Arab people were part of the semitic world. In a sense, all this people were relative in some point.

There were dynasties between Arabian peninsula and civilized world very strong imperial power, superpowers Christian Byzantium and Zoroaster Sassanids. They were having a n international imperial rivalry’s. There were also a satellite dynasties borderline between Arabian peninsula and civilized world. This Satellite dynasties establish between borderline of Arabian peninsula and Mesopotamia. Such as: "Ghassānid" kingdom is a semitic state. They were Christians and speaking Arabic language. Modern day located in Syria, “Lakhmid" were in north-east edge of Arabian peninsula controlled by Sassanids. Which is located in modern day: Iraq, Saudi Arabia. Southern Yemen territory “Kindah”. They were mostly Sabaeans, jewish people, and most cases merchant people. Most of them living prosperity. Because, they had a contact trading activities by the help of their navals from far East Asia to Mediterranean. So, unlike nomadic, tribal culture their economy were territorial based.

 

Pre-Islamic Arabia

They meant to protect this settled populations  agains the aggression tribal people coming from Arabian peninsula. To protect the settled population of Mesopotamia against the nomadic invasion of tribal people in Arabia Peninsula. Kind of buffer zone under the control of Byzantium and Sassanids between this two civilized and non-civilized societies. In other words, two different society were exist. People who has settled in a certain area and nomadic people. Nomadic peoples had an economy based on plunder, as they always experienced mobility from one corner to another.

Christianity and Judaism had been a rivalry. Before the emergence of Islam, we see that almost collapsing of this huge civilization. In a sense, destruction of these Arab dynasties. Disappearance of this dynasty’s from the historical page. At the time, Islam about to be emerged. Native populations situation of this areas apart from the fact that buffer zone had disappeared yet. Economical destruction was there. In additionally, condition of native people was persecution was there, people used to be escaping, running away because of this killing and torture of brutal environment.Total collapse was clearly seeing. It is prepared the way for Arabs to invade to move the outside of their borders. In terms of capturing these places. Things would be easy for early Muslims. Chance was in their favor.

Climatical reasons and geographical reasons of Arabian Peninsula; no water, no agriculture , very harsh conditions. To live in the middle of Arabian peninsula especially for human entity is almost impossible in that circumstances. Therefore, we need to understand function of tribal reality.

Life without tribe is beyond imagination. It is impossible. Tribe is an organization of humankind. Not civilization, not a state. Being a member of a class is like a full citizenship in a way. I mean having a full protection of a tribe, having full rights. Without a tribe that condition would not be possible to live in that circumstances. In order to survive in those circumstance being a member of a tribe clan is a must. Otherwise, there is no way to carry on living. Tribes had their own territory. Therefore, the passengers had to get permission from that tribe in order to continue their journey safely. There were plenty of tribes. So, it was very challenging.

There were classes in the society: tribal people who is a member of tribe, people who has a permission to live in tribal area. Mevali, which mean man used to be slaves, half man. For instance, they could not be able to marry a women who is belonging to a tribe. And Slaves, they got no rights at all.

Southern people organizing their economical and social life according to north. Therefore, they had to journey from Yemen to Fertile crescent. In order to do that, they had the passed desertic area which is under control of Arabs. Economy of Arabs based on guarding and guiding to merchant people. Furthermore, there is no way to live a life without camels in that desertic area. Camels function is like a "spaceship" in desert.

We see that caravans, used to be having rest on travel at caravan cities from south to north and vice versa. People who is lived in settled caravan cities were minority. In contrast, majority of the people were nomadic. By the help of these caravan cities, they could able to controlled the commerce activities in peninsula. For instance, "Mecca" ,”Yathrip” and “Taíf ", "Necran" in the south , "Khyber"in a Hejaz are which is located in the very inner side of Arabian peninsula. In addition to what has been said, slavery was well established institution in economical life.

Another feature, we see in the life of bedouin people is that they did not know how to read and write. Due to, they were nomadic; majority of the people could not be able to read. Only a handful of people can be able to read among Arabs. They were illiterate in a sense. Consequently, oral tradition is dominant need to take in to account. We know that they loved hearing and reciting poem.

 

FURKAN SIZANLI

References

"Pre-Islamic Arabia" Chapter I, (PP.3-29). The Cambridge History of Islam, Volume I A, The Central Islamic Lands From Pre-Islamic Times To The First World War, edited by P. M. Holt, Emeritus Professor of Arab History in the University of London, 

Ann K. S. Lambton, Emeritus Professor of Persian in the University of London

Bernard Lewis, Institute for Advanced Study, Princeton

Cambridge University Press 1970.

İslama Giriş, Çeviren:Cemal Aydın , Muhammed Hamıdullah, Türkiye Diyanet Vakfı Yayınları

Hazleton, L. (2014). The first Muslim: The story of Muhammad. New York: Riverhead Books.

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Image 2: The Cambridge History of Islam

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