*﷽*
*AR-RAHĪQ AL-MAKHTOUM (The Pure Nectar). A Treaties On Prophet Muhammad's Biography.*
*Part 16*
*FORMS OF THE ARAB PAGAN SOCIETY continues...*
*ECONOMIC CONDITIONS*
Economic conditions were seriously affected by the social ones. This can be clearer if we consider the Arabs' means of sustenance. As we know they depended considerably upon trade for satisfying their normal needs. But trade was available when security and Peace reigned supreme. So trade was possible and flourishing in the Sacred months only. During these months there were convened famous markets for Arabs like 'Ukāz, Dhul-Majāz, Majannah, and others.
As for industries and crafts, Arabs were distant from them. Tanning, weaving and others crafts were known to the people of Yemen, Al-Hīrah and the outskirts of Ash-Shām. On the other hand, there hand, there were some signs of agriculture, tilling and breeding cattle in the Arabian Peninsula. The only craft that Arab women could practice was spinning. But all belongings were subjected to plundering and looting at wartime. Poverty, destitution and starvation were widespread in society.
MORAL CONDITIONS
Undoubtedly, pagan were tainted with vices and immoralities that sound rationality decried and rejected. Nevertheless, there were some good manners and virtues, which might astonish one. Among these manners are the following traits:
1. GENEROSITY
Arabs vied with one another for and boasted of this attribute to the point that they confined half their poems to praising generous people and talking about generosity in general. An Arab man used to slaughter his own camel, which could be the only means of living for him and his family; nothing but munificence that motivated him to do so. Among their munificent acts was that they were ready for affording blood money and bearing heavy financial burdens. In doing so they saved people's blood and lives. So they lauded each other for that and regarded as an honourable advantage over leaders and chieftains. As a result of their generosity, they were boasting of drinking wine, not because it was an object of pride but because it meant to them a way of ShowingW generosity. They, therefore, called grapevines 'Karm' (vines) and the wine made from grapes 'bintul-karm.' Also, we can find that they talked proudly and panegyrically about wine in a lot of their poems.
As a consequence of their generosity they were preoccupied with gambling. They considered it to be a way of bounty. As they gave what they won to the needy or what remained of the shares of winners. So the Glorious Qur'an does not deny the feasible benefits of wine and gambling, but it says:
Surah Al-Baqara, Verse 219:
يَسْأَلُونَكَ عَنِ الْخَمْرِ وَالْمَيْسِرِ قُلْ فِيهِمَا إِثْمٌ كَبِيرٌ وَمَنَافِعُ لِلنَّاسِ وَإِثْمُهُمَا أَكْبَرُ مِن نَّفْعِهِمَا وَيَسْأَلُونَكَ مَاذَا يُنفِقُونَ قُلِ الْعَفْوَ كَذَٰلِكَ يُبَيِّنُ اللَّهُ لَكُمُ الْآيَاتِ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَتَفَكَّرُونَ
They ask you (O Muhammad [Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam]) concerning alcoholic drink and gambling. Say: "In them is a great sin, and (some) benefit for men, but the sin of them is greater than their benefit." And they ask you what they ought to spend. Say: "That which is beyond your needs." Thus Allāh makes clear to you His Laws in order that you may give thought."
2. KEEPING PROMISES AND FULFILLING COVENANTS
Pledges and commitments meant to Arabs debts that they were to discharge even if this would claim the lives of their children or lead to the destruction of their house. This can be affirmed by the stories of Hāni' Ibn Mas'ūd Ash-Shaibāny, As-Samawal Ibn 'Adya and Hājib Ibn Zurāra at-Tamīmy.
(The story of As-Samawal was that Imrul Qais deposited some armours with him and al-Hārith Ibn Abu Shammar Al-Ghassāny wanted to take it from him, but As-Samawal refused to give him any and protected himself inside his palace in Taimaa. So al-Hārith resorted to kidnapping one of the sons of As-Samawal while he was outside the palace and threatened to kill him unless he gave him the armours. But As-Samawal refused and consequently, his son was killed in cold blood by al-Hārith. As for the story of Hājib, it was reported that he requested Chousroes to allow his tribe to lodge at the boundaries of his kingdom because of their drought. Chousroes feared that they might attack his borders or cause him trouble. So he asked Hājib for security. He already gave him a guarantee and mortgaged his bows. He fulfilled his pledge till he had died and his tribe returned home when drought was over. Afterwards,his son 'Utārid went to Chousroes and asked him to give him back the bows. To honour his promise he returned his armours).
3. SELF-ESTEEM AND DISDAIN FOR OPPRESSION OR INJUSTICE
Arabs were too brave, zealous, enthusiastic and irritable. Once they heard a word of humiliation or abasement, they carried swords and spears fighting ruthless wars regardless of their sacrifices and losses.
4. UNSHAKABLE RESOLVE AND UNWAVERING WILL
Whenever Arabs decided to do something that could bring glory and pride, they allowed nothing to dissuade from it. They endangered themselves to achieve their aims.
5. CLEMENCY, DELIBERATENESS AND FORBEARANCE
They used to praise one another because of having such attributes. But they were rare because they were extremely brave and eager for fight.
6. NOMADIC NAIVETY AND BEING SAFE FROM THE ILLS OF CIVILIZATIONS
As a result of this, they were truthful and honest.
We can conclude from this that there valuable morals and the geographical location of the Arabian Peninsula were the reasons for which Allāh chose Arabs to bear the burdens of the global message and lead the human community and reform human society. Since these manners, even if some of them lead to evil and painful consequences, are valuable in themselves and bring public benefits to human society along with some procedures of reform. And this is what Islam did.
The most precious and beneficial of their good traits were self-esteem and unwavering determination. By vanquishing might and unshakable determination evil can be repelled, corruption can be fought, justice and prosperity can be established. Arabs had other virtuous morals than those which I tackled. But I don't mean to tackle about them now.
*(...To be continued In-sha-Allah!)*
*"And keep reminding, because reminding benefits the believers."* (Qur'an 51:55)
*AR-RAHĪQ AL-MAKHTOUM (The Pure Nectar). A Treaties On Prophet Muhammad's Biography.*
*Part 16*
*FORMS OF THE ARAB PAGAN SOCIETY continues...*
*ECONOMIC CONDITIONS*
Economic conditions were seriously affected by the social ones. This can be clearer if we consider the Arabs' means of sustenance. As we know they depended considerably upon trade for satisfying their normal needs. But trade was available when security and Peace reigned supreme. So trade was possible and flourishing in the Sacred months only. During these months there were convened famous markets for Arabs like 'Ukāz, Dhul-Majāz, Majannah, and others.
As for industries and crafts, Arabs were distant from them. Tanning, weaving and others crafts were known to the people of Yemen, Al-Hīrah and the outskirts of Ash-Shām. On the other hand, there hand, there were some signs of agriculture, tilling and breeding cattle in the Arabian Peninsula. The only craft that Arab women could practice was spinning. But all belongings were subjected to plundering and looting at wartime. Poverty, destitution and starvation were widespread in society.
MORAL CONDITIONS
Undoubtedly, pagan were tainted with vices and immoralities that sound rationality decried and rejected. Nevertheless, there were some good manners and virtues, which might astonish one. Among these manners are the following traits:
1. GENEROSITY
Arabs vied with one another for and boasted of this attribute to the point that they confined half their poems to praising generous people and talking about generosity in general. An Arab man used to slaughter his own camel, which could be the only means of living for him and his family; nothing but munificence that motivated him to do so. Among their munificent acts was that they were ready for affording blood money and bearing heavy financial burdens. In doing so they saved people's blood and lives. So they lauded each other for that and regarded as an honourable advantage over leaders and chieftains. As a result of their generosity, they were boasting of drinking wine, not because it was an object of pride but because it meant to them a way of ShowingW generosity. They, therefore, called grapevines 'Karm' (vines) and the wine made from grapes 'bintul-karm.' Also, we can find that they talked proudly and panegyrically about wine in a lot of their poems.
As a consequence of their generosity they were preoccupied with gambling. They considered it to be a way of bounty. As they gave what they won to the needy or what remained of the shares of winners. So the Glorious Qur'an does not deny the feasible benefits of wine and gambling, but it says:
Surah Al-Baqara, Verse 219:
يَسْأَلُونَكَ عَنِ الْخَمْرِ وَالْمَيْسِرِ قُلْ فِيهِمَا إِثْمٌ كَبِيرٌ وَمَنَافِعُ لِلنَّاسِ وَإِثْمُهُمَا أَكْبَرُ مِن نَّفْعِهِمَا وَيَسْأَلُونَكَ مَاذَا يُنفِقُونَ قُلِ الْعَفْوَ كَذَٰلِكَ يُبَيِّنُ اللَّهُ لَكُمُ الْآيَاتِ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَتَفَكَّرُونَ
They ask you (O Muhammad [Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam]) concerning alcoholic drink and gambling. Say: "In them is a great sin, and (some) benefit for men, but the sin of them is greater than their benefit." And they ask you what they ought to spend. Say: "That which is beyond your needs." Thus Allāh makes clear to you His Laws in order that you may give thought."
2. KEEPING PROMISES AND FULFILLING COVENANTS
Pledges and commitments meant to Arabs debts that they were to discharge even if this would claim the lives of their children or lead to the destruction of their house. This can be affirmed by the stories of Hāni' Ibn Mas'ūd Ash-Shaibāny, As-Samawal Ibn 'Adya and Hājib Ibn Zurāra at-Tamīmy.
(The story of As-Samawal was that Imrul Qais deposited some armours with him and al-Hārith Ibn Abu Shammar Al-Ghassāny wanted to take it from him, but As-Samawal refused to give him any and protected himself inside his palace in Taimaa. So al-Hārith resorted to kidnapping one of the sons of As-Samawal while he was outside the palace and threatened to kill him unless he gave him the armours. But As-Samawal refused and consequently, his son was killed in cold blood by al-Hārith. As for the story of Hājib, it was reported that he requested Chousroes to allow his tribe to lodge at the boundaries of his kingdom because of their drought. Chousroes feared that they might attack his borders or cause him trouble. So he asked Hājib for security. He already gave him a guarantee and mortgaged his bows. He fulfilled his pledge till he had died and his tribe returned home when drought was over. Afterwards,his son 'Utārid went to Chousroes and asked him to give him back the bows. To honour his promise he returned his armours).
3. SELF-ESTEEM AND DISDAIN FOR OPPRESSION OR INJUSTICE
Arabs were too brave, zealous, enthusiastic and irritable. Once they heard a word of humiliation or abasement, they carried swords and spears fighting ruthless wars regardless of their sacrifices and losses.
4. UNSHAKABLE RESOLVE AND UNWAVERING WILL
Whenever Arabs decided to do something that could bring glory and pride, they allowed nothing to dissuade from it. They endangered themselves to achieve their aims.
5. CLEMENCY, DELIBERATENESS AND FORBEARANCE
They used to praise one another because of having such attributes. But they were rare because they were extremely brave and eager for fight.
6. NOMADIC NAIVETY AND BEING SAFE FROM THE ILLS OF CIVILIZATIONS
As a result of this, they were truthful and honest.
We can conclude from this that there valuable morals and the geographical location of the Arabian Peninsula were the reasons for which Allāh chose Arabs to bear the burdens of the global message and lead the human community and reform human society. Since these manners, even if some of them lead to evil and painful consequences, are valuable in themselves and bring public benefits to human society along with some procedures of reform. And this is what Islam did.
The most precious and beneficial of their good traits were self-esteem and unwavering determination. By vanquishing might and unshakable determination evil can be repelled, corruption can be fought, justice and prosperity can be established. Arabs had other virtuous morals than those which I tackled. But I don't mean to tackle about them now.
*(...To be continued In-sha-Allah!)*
*"And keep reminding, because reminding benefits the believers."* (Qur'an 51:55)
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