Practice of the jahiliyyah and their Islamic reforms

Jahiliyyah

Definition

Jahiliyyah literally means ignorance. Technically, It means absence of religious guidance as a result of which corruption dominate the life of a people. How ever in the context of Islamic history it refers to the period before Islam (know as the period of ignorance).

It is the period immediately preceding the down of Islam, when Arabs lost contact with Devine revolution and engaged in immorality, indiscipline and anarchy.

Tribal grouping of the Arabs

During the jahiliyyah period, Arabs could be Divided into two groups

(1) the dwellers of towns and cities who engaged in trade and cultivation.

(2) the nomad Arabs who wandered from one place to another in the Arabian desert in search of pasture and water for their animals such as horses, Camels and sheep

Characteristics of jahiliyyah Arabs way of life 

The tribal life of the jahiliyyah Arabs was characterised by the prevailing conditions in the Arabian peninsula before the Advent of Islam. Two main ways of life could be identified

Bad practice of the jahiliyyah Arabs

There were many bad practice which formed some aspects of the tribal life of the jahiliyyah Arabs. They include:

- Polytheism: jahiliyyah Arabs worshipped idols. About 360 idols we're being worshipped in the ka'abah as at the Advent of Islam

-in human treatment of the woman:

Women were maltreated in the following areas:

(A) they were denied inheritance by stepson.

(B) female doughters were buried alive.

(C) they were made subservient to men.

Social corruption

Jahiliyyah Arabs indulged in alcoholism, adultery and gambling

Warfare jahiliyyah Arabs enjoyed will full destruction trough wars. They plundered communities and enslaved people.

Tribalism jahiliyyah Arabs were great tribalists. They considered there trib  before anything, and regarded the support of tribesman a supreme service even if he was a culprit. The other bad practice of the jahiliyyah Arabs were the perpetration of injustice, maltreatment of orphans and cheating of others

Good practice of the jahiliyyah Arabs

There were also good practice among the jahiliyyah Arabs. They include:

Courage: they were courageous people. They protected the image of there tribe on the battlefield

Hospitality: they were hospitable people. They help the needy and the strangers. They were also generous

Fulfillment of promise: Arabs honoured there promise. They gave protection to individual when a tribal member pledge his oath.

Intellectual attainment: despite the ignorance that dominated Arabia during the period, some Arabs led an intellectual life. They produce exceptionally and highly qualitative poet's and orators, because of their life in desert they become skillful astronomers.

Reforms carried out by Islam

Islam, the last Devine religion and mercy to mankind, brought reforms on the following jahiliyyah practice:

Polytheism: jahiliyyah Arabs were charged from Polytheism to monotheist. Belief in Allah the only one God worthy of man's worship replaced idol worship and the worship of man by man . The kalimatush-shahadah brought unity of ideology and brotherhood among the Arabs.

In human treatment of woman:

Islam stopped in human treatment of woman by:

(A) prohibiting burying female doughters alive.

(B) imheritance of stepmother's.

(C) Islam raised the status of women by making it compulsory for them to get inheritance and dowry. 

(D) giving them similarse right to those of men in marrying union.

Social corruption

Islam prohibited all of social corruption. The Arabs indulgence in alcoholism, adultery and gambling were checked by the Islamic prohibition which made them unlawful.

Warfare: 

Islam forbid stopped all forms of tribal wars, plundering and willful attack on the tribs and destruction of crops and properties without just cause.

Tribalism:

Islam brought unity to the Arabs. The prohet forbade tribalism by his saying' there is no superiority of an Arab over a non -arab and there's is no superiority of an Arab over a non Arabs. You are all from Adam and Adam was created from Clay.' 

Al'adl(justice)

Islam replaced in justice with justice (al'adl) and prohibited cheating and maltreatment of orphans.