Influence Of The Jahiliyya On Muhammad & Islam Essay - 961 words

Influence of the Jahiliyya on Muhammad & Islam Every period of Islam history during which people associate partners with God in any way whether by worshipping idols and ascribing to them some divine functions or by deifying some persons or attributing creativity to nature and material causes is wholly dark. This is so because when belief in the Unity of God is removed from the heart, the mind and soul darken, all standards change and things and the world are judged from false points of view. This moral, spiritual, social and even economic and scientific state of a community is defined by the Quran as jahiliyyah, and described as follows: Or like darkness on a deep sea obscure, covered by a wave, above which is a wave, above which is a cloud. Layers of darkness one upon the other. When he holds out his hand, wellnigh he cannot see it. And he for whom God has assigned no light, for him there is no light.


(al-Nur, 24.40) No one likes describing falsehood. Besides, it is wrong for anyone to describe falsehood where the truth may be described. In the words of God, What is there, after truth, but misguidance? (Yunus,10.32). However, in order to clarify the subject, I feel it necessary to say a few words concerning the pre-Islamic era, that is, the age of jahiliyyah. The Prophet Muhammad, upon him be peace and blessings, appeared at a time when people had no knowledge of the true religion and therefore worshipped a great number of idols. As stated in the Quran: They were serving, apart from God, what hurts them not, neither profits them, and they say: These are our intercessors with God. (Yunus, 10.18) They shaped idols of stones, earth, bread, even cheese, and then said: These are our intercessors with God. They were so degraded in thoughts and morals that, as reported by Abu Dharr al-Ghifari, they would sit at meal-time, cut their idols into pieces and eat them.


The only excuse offered was that they were following in the steps of their forefathers. When it is said to them, Follow what God has sent down, they say, No; but we follow that wherein we found our fathers. (al-Baqara, 2.170) They buried their daughters alive. In the words of the holy Quran: When any of them is given the good tidings of a girl, his face is darkened and he chokes inwardly, as he hides himself from the people because of the evil of the good tidings that have been given to him, whether he shall preserve her in humiliation, or trample her into the dust. (al-Nahl, 16.589) Women were despised, not only in pre-Islamic Arabia but also in the Roman and Sassanid lands. The Quran openly declares that they will be questioned concerning this: When the female (infant) buried alive is questione ...................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

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Essay Tags: islam, muhammad, ignorance, quran, prophet

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