MYSTICAL ELEMENTS IN THE RELIGIOUS AND CULTURAL SYSTEM OF PRE-ISLAMIC ARABS

This research is motivated by the system of social rules implemented by pre-Islamic Arab society. These social rules trigger problems in terms of gender equality and tolerance between humans. Even at that time, it was very easy to find practices of violence and war. All the problems that occurred were completely inconsistent with Islamic teachings, because they included inhumane acts. Based on this problem, pre-Islamic Arab society was known as a jahiliyah society. However, in today's advanced era, problems are still found that are similar to the pre-Islamic Arab era. Based on these circumstances, this article aims to explain a number of extremism problems originating from the inhumane social rules of pre-Islamic Arab society in terms of the values ​​of moderation and tolerance of Islamic teachings and the current reality. The method used is literature study for the pre-Islamic Arab period and direct observation of the social reality of today's society. The findings are first, insulting women and the practice of killing newborn female babies as well as slavery are considered immoderate and inhumane acts. Second, the habit of war extremism which was often carried out in pre-Islamic Arab society because of minor disputes between tribes, and was supported by the tribal fanaticism of society. Third, marriage practices and divorce provisions that were wrong and detrimental to women were carried out during the pre-Islamic Arab period. Fourth, the social reality of today's society still bears similarities to the pre-Islamic Arab period, which is caused by the lifestyle and application of Islamic teachings which are not optimal.

The study of the socio-cultural life of pre-Islamic Arab society is important for understanding the transformation that occurred after the arrival of Islam. In the social aspect, pre-Islamic Arab society was known for its strong social staffing, from nobles to slaves, which determined the role of individuals in society. This research aims to further explore the socio-cultural dynamics of pre-Islamic Arab society, including social systems, cultural values, gender relations, and their influence on the development of Islam in the future. This research uses a qualitative method with a descriptive historical approach. Data was collected through library studies from primary sources such as classical Arabic literature, including historical works such as Sirah Nabawiyah and Tarikh al-Umam wa al-Muluk by Al-Tabari, and relevant sources such as scientific journals, articles, documents official, and other library sources, as well as secondary sources in the form of relevant modern studies. The results of this research state that tribal solidarity in the life of Arab society before Islam was known to be very strong, so that individual disputes almost always gave rise to conflict between tribes. Individually, Arabs would rather leave their homeland than submit to orders. They will not obey any regulations in force or any institution in power. They only know personal freedom, family freedom, and complete tribal freedom. This is because a man's relationship with his brother, his brother's children and his relatives is very close. However, the tribe's fanaticism is so high that they are even willing to die because of this fanaticism, because the basis of their social rules is racial and clan fanaticism. In terms of relationships between men and women, there are striking differences between society with noble social strata and other strata. Women are one group in society that almost never enjoy freedom, because apart from having to submit to the structures above them, they also have to submit to men in the structure of society. Keyword: Social, Cultural, Pre-Islamic Arabia

Islam as a religion that came 14 centuries ago certainly could not escape the established civilization and culture, the plains of Arabia as the birthplace of Islam was indeed not a mainstream area of world civilization at that time, but this does not mean that Arabia is a land without capabilities and culture. It was recorded that before Islam was born, the commerce carried out by the Arabs had reached various regions outside the Arabian Peninsula, apart from that their penchant for literature made people in the Arab plains as people who had high language quality. However, many historians have created a gap between Islam and pre-Islamic Arab traditions through contrasting moral and ideological demarcations. Pre-Islamic Arab society was perceived as an ignorant society, then Islam came to liberate it. To some extent, the claim is not entirely false. However, this generalization has a negative influence in building historical criticism. This paper will focus on the dialectical relationship between local culture and Islam, especially the early Islam and the local cultural traditions of Arab society through the perspective of the Prophet's traditions. is a qualitative descriptive method by using a type of library research (Library Research) That is by reviewing books or written data that is continuous with the writing of this journal. In this case, the researcher analyzes some data that is relevant to the title being discussed. The findings in this study are that there has been reconciliation between culture and Islam since the early days of Islam, one of the evidences is the addition of the call to prayer at Friday prayers twice during the reign of Sayyidina Uthman bin Affan and this continues until now.

This paper aims to elucidate Thaha Husain's thoughts on the use of pre-Islamic poetry in the exegesis of the Quran. Husain was a contemporary Islamic thinker who emphasized the importance of Islamic reasoning in the effort to reconstruct a comprehensive understanding of the Quranic text. The focus of the study primarily addresses the authenticity of pre-Islamic poetry, its urgency in interpreting the Quran, and how the Quran views pre-Islamic Arab society. Husain perceives that Quranic teachings align with rational thought. He endeavors to reconstruct Islamic thought through hermeneutical and critical-historical approaches, particularly through literary and historical lenses. This research indicates that much of the pre-Islamic poetry was not composed during the pre-Islamic era by pre-Islamic Arab poets but by imitators during the Abbasid Dynasty for various purposes: political, religious, storytelling, and hadith narrators. According to Thaha Husain, many pre-Islamic poems do not resonate with pre-Islamic Arabs or objectively depict pre-Islamic Arab society. Husain employs Western scientific concepts such as semiology, philology, and Cartesian deconstruction as analytical tools in examining the Quran. It is not surprising that Husain's skepticism in evaluating pre-Islamic Arab literature has stirred controversy in Egypt.

This chapter provides an understanding of status and role of women in Arab society before the rise of Islam and what reforms Islam introduced for lifting up the status of women. The position of women in pre-Islamic Arab society is open to dispute. The majority of scholars of Islam maintain that women were held in subjection and that Islam raised their status. To find the real place of women in Arab society, it is imperative to understand the organisation of Arab society along tribal lines and prevailing legal system. Women of high social class were able to choose their spouses on an equal basis and to own and run their businesses in contrast to women from lower strata and nomadic tribes. The position of women also varied from tribe to tribe and region to region. The Koran eliminated all distinctions and introduced egalitarianism for all segments of society, specifically women.Keywords: Koran; nomadic tribes; pre-Islamic Arab society

Understanding the nature and novelty of Islam’s social regulations requires recognizing the period that preceded them. Knowing the position of women, who make up half of the society, in social life is one of the ways to get to know that society. By historically analyzing issues like the perception of women in the pre-Islamic Arab social structure, whether women existed as an individual, their activity, how they defined themselves, and whether they took their position for granted we can gain a deeper understanding of women’s positions in this social context. The areas where we can best observe pre-Islamic Arab women are religious life, family life, the environment of struggle and warfare, which is an integral part of this period, and commercial activities, which are the most significant means of livelihood. Our research, conducted within these frameworks, has revealed that it is not possible to define pre-Islamic Arab women in a single way, that they lived different realities, and that these realities in which each of them lived affected their position and the way they were viewed.

This article exposes on Thaha Husain’s thoughts on the authenticity of the pre-Islamic poetry descriptively by investigating his arguments in his famous book Fi al-Syi’ri al-Jahili (On Pre-Islamic Poetry) which was then changed into Fi al-Adab al-Jahili (On Pre-Islamic Literature) with some revisions. This study mainly discusses the authenticity of the pre-Islamic poetry, its urgency in interpreting the Qur’an, and how the Qur’an views pre-Islam Arab society. It is revealed in the article that a lot of pre-Islamic poetry was not composed in the era of ignorance (Jahiliyah) by pre-Islamic Arab poet but by plagiarists in the era of Abbasiyah Empire for some purposes: political, religion, Qishshah and Hadith narrators. According to Thaha Husain, that a lot of the pre-Islamic poetry neither fit in with pre-Islam Arab nor describe objectively pre-Islam Arab society. It is sufficient to refer to the Qur’an, which certainly valid, to obtain objective descriptions of the pre-Islamic Arab society.

This research was focused on the correlation of socio-political conditions of pre-Islamic Arab society and the formation of Tamaddun Islāmiyah . This research study is driven by the historical disintegration that developed in academic circles, where history is understood in various ways without a clear accentuation of the developing storyline. Thus, this study tries to reveal how there is a close correlation between pre-Islamic Arab historiography and the Tamaddun Islāmiyah project initiated by the Prophet Muhammad. This research was a descriptive-qualitative research using socio-historical and Islamic history (Tārīkh Tasyrī') to analyze the nature, character, and influence of civilization then interpret and generalize the historical facts that surround it. The sources of data were obtained from various historical literatures relevant to the research topic. The results of this study indicate that the correlation between tamaddun Islam and pre-Islamic Arab civilization is a project to abolish Ashabiyyah which is rooted in Arab society.

Kur’ân-ı Kerîm, indiği dönemdeki muhatap kitlenin bazı düşüncelerine müdahale ederek yeni bir inanç ve düşünce sistemi inşâ etmiştir. Buna göre, Kur’ân öncesi Arap toplumunun kendine özgü karakteristik bir yapıya sahip olması ve Kur’ân’ın inzal sürecindeki ilk muhatap toplumunun inanç yapısı, mesajının daha iyi anlaşılması bağlamında önem arz etmektedir. Bu anlamda vahiy öncesi Arap toplumundaki melek tasavvurunun bilinmesi, Kur’ân-ı Kerîm’in şirk ve küfür konusunda muhataplarına yönelttiği tenkitlerin daha iyi anlaşılmasına katkı sağlayacaktır. Bu çalışmada öncelikle cahiliye kavramı ve Kur’ân’da geçme şekli kısaca ele alınacak, ardından cahiliye toplumunun inanç sistemi ve Kur’ân öncesi Arap toplumunun sahip olduğu melek algısı tespit edilmeye çalışılacaktır.

From the origins of Muhammad's prophetic movement through the development of Islam's principal branches to the establishment of the Umayyad dynasty, the concept of authority has been central to Islamic civilization. By examining the nature, organization, and transformation of authority over time, Dabashi conveys both continuities and disruptions inherent in the development of a new political culture. It is this process, he argues, that accounts for the fundamental patterns of authority in Islam that ultimately shaped, in dialectical interaction with external historical factors, the course of Islamic civilization. The book begins by examining the principal characteristics of authority in pre-Islamic Arab society. Dabashi describes the imposition of the Muhammadan charismatic movement on pre-Islamic Arab culture, tracing the changes it introduced in the fabric of pre-Islamic Arabia. He examines the continuities and changes that followed, focusing on the concept of authority, and the formation of the Sunnite, Shiite, and Karajite branches of Islam as political expressions of deep cultural cleavages. For Dabashi, the formation of these branches was the inevitable outcome of the clash between pre-Islamic patterns of authority and those of the Muhammadan charismatic movement. In turn, they molded both the unity and the diversity of the emerging Islamic culture. Authority in Islam explains how this came to be. Dabashi employs Weber's concept of charismatic authority in describing Muhammad and his mode of authority as both a model and a point of departure. His purpose is not to offer critical verification or opposition to interpretation of historical events, but to suggest a new approach to the existing literature. The book is an important contribution to political sociology as well as the study of Islamic culture and civilization. Sociologists, political scientists, and Middle Eastern specialists will find this analysis of particular value.

This research examines the social and cultural evolution of pre-Islamic Arab society through an in-depth analysis of the influence of the Roman and Persian Empires. The main focus of this research is to explore the structural changes that occurred in Arab society before the emergence of Islam, by considering the complex dynamics of interethnic interactions, trade systems, and cultural practices. This research uses an interdisciplinary approach that combines the perspectives of archaeology, historical anthropology, and geopolitical studies to reveal complex mechanisms of social change. The research results show that pre-Islamic Arab society had a very dynamic and adaptive social structure. The initially rigid tribal system experienced significant changes due to interactions with large empires, economic exchange, and the process of cultural acculturation. This study confirms that the pre-Islamic period was not just a transitional period, but was an important phase in the formation of the social and cultural identity of Arab society. The findings of this research provide a significant contribution to understanding the complexity of the history of the Arab region, as well as dismantling conventional narratives that tend to simplify the social dynamics of that period.

I am currently a doctoral student in the Joint Doctoral Program in Education at San Diego State University and Claremont Graduate University with equity and social justice at the core of both the program and my work. Part of my research is centered around the experiences of migrants who reside in Mexico and identify as Muslim, seeking to deeply understand the multiple facets of their lived experiences and how their identities as Muslims influence the ways in which they navigate life in a primarily Mexican-Catholic society. The purpose of my research is to inform intercultural exchange and communication between members of society along the U.S.-Mexico border in order to reduce anti-Islamic sentiment. This article is a summary of a presentation I gave at Universidad La Salle Oaxaca on May 21, 2022 including examples from the United States that demonstrate an absence of cultural awareness, understanding, and tolerance. I draw on the same concepts in order to make suggestions for attendees to become more informed intercultural communicators. Before delving into the summary of the presentation, I will detail the methods I used in order to contextualize its content

Arab society before Islam was a society that lived in the Jahiliyah era. Jahiliyyah which means ignorance and in Islamic law Jahiliyyah means "ignorance of divine guidance" or "condition of ignorance of God's guidance". This paper aims to get to know the natural conditions, social conditions and culture of Arab society before Islam. The results of the study: The Arabian Peninsula is a desert region located in the southwestern part of Asia. The Arabian Peninsula was a strategic area on ancient world maps, when the Australian and American continents were unknown to people, because it was located at the meeting point of three continents, namely Asia, Europe and Africa. The northern region challenges Arabia with the Syrian desert valley, the east is bordered by the Persian plateau, while the west is bordered by the Red Sea. The Arab region consists of deserts where the air is very hot and windy, this area is the Tihamah area, while the area that is in the form of valleys in the mountains is the Hijaz area. The social condition of Pre-Islamic Arab society was based on ethnicities that continued to maintain the teachings of their ancestors, by continuing to maintain traditions such as humiliation, killing female babies, worshiping idols, gambling, stealing, drinking intoxicants, robbing and justifying any means to make wishes come true. The most prominent pre-Islamic Arab cultural community is the field of Arabic literature, especially Arabic poetry. The country of Yemen is a very important cultural growth place that once developed in the Arabian Peninsula before Islam came. The Arab nation is a nation that has a high sense of art.

Cahiliye Döneminde Araplar bir yaratıcının olduğunun farkındaydılar. Bu bağlamda Allah’ı inkâr etmiyorlardı, Cahiliye Arapları diğer tanrı ve put adlarından ayrı olarak en yüce mâbud ve yaratıcıyı ifade etmek için Allah kelimesini kullanıyorlardı. Bu kullanım bize Cahiliye Dönemi Araplarında Allah inancının var olduğunu göstermektedir. Bununla birlikte Cahiliye Döneminde kendilerine Hanif denilen sayıca az olan insanlar bulunmaktaydı. Hanifler; Hz. İbrahim’in dinine bağlı olup, Allah’a inanan, puta tapmayı reddeden kişilerdi; ayrıca bu kişilerin ortak bir ibadetleri de yoktu. Bu bağlamda Cahiliye Döneminde Araplar arasında en yaygın inanç puta tapmaktı. Putların dünyada kendilerine yardımcı olduklarına inanıyorlardı. Taptıkları putları genellikle taş, ağaç ve bazı madenlerden imal ediyorlardı. Bazen de yiyeceklerine put şekli verip tapıyorlardı. Cahiliye Döneminde putların bulunduğu mabetlerin sayısı oldukça fazlaydı. En önemli mabetlerden biriside Kâbe’ydi. Kâbe’nin içinde ve çevresinde tapınmak için yüzlerce put bulunmaktaydı. Bununla birlikte, Cahiliye Dönemi Arapları; ahirete inanmıyor ve bir kısmı da cinleri ilah kabul edip tapıyorlardı. Ayrıca Cahiliye Döneminde meleklerin, Allah’ın kızı olduğuna inanan bir kısım insanlar mevcuttu. Arap Yarımadası’nda Yahudiler ve az da olsa Hıristiyanlar yaşamaktaydı. Yahudiler genellikle Medine’de hayatlarını sürdürmekteydiler. Hıristiyanlık ise Arap Yarımadası’nın kuzeyinde, Gassânîler ve Hîreliler arasında yaygın bir inanış olarak varlığını sürdürmekteydi. Bu bağlamda bu çalışmada Cahiliye Dönemi Araplarında din anlayışı ele alınmış ve ayrıca ‘din’in’ İbranice ve Kuran-ı Kerim’de geçen tanımları ile ilgili bilgilere yer verilmiştir. İslâm’dan önceki Arapların din kelimesinin kullanımı ve dinî anlayışları üzerinde durulmuştur. Ayrıca Cahiliye Dönemi Araplarında Allah kelimesinin kullanımına değinilmiştir. Bu bağlamda Cahiliye Döneminde Araplardaki çok tanrıcılığın ve putperestliğin esasları ile tapınılan belli başlı putlar hakkında genel bir bilgi verilmeye çalışılmıştır.

This research examines the development of Arabic language and literature before the arrival of Islam, with a focus on the Jahiliyah era. This study covers the characteristics and variations of pre-Islamic Arabic, Jahiliyah poetry, the role of oral traditions, as well as famous poets such as Nabighah al-Dhubyani and Imru' al-Qais. Further discussion concerns the influence of socio-economic conditions on literary development at that time. This article also refers to the arguments of the Koran, hadith, as well as the views of ulama on this topic. This research uses a qualitative approach with descriptive analysis methods. The data used comes from primary and secondary sources, including Jahiliyah poetry, classical books, and the views of scholars on pre-Islamic Arabic language and literature. This research combines a historical linguistic approach and a sociocultural approach. A linguistic approach is used to analyze dialect variations and characteristics of pre-Islamic Arabic. The themes of Jahiliyah poetry, such as love, war, and praise of the tribe, reflect the social life of pre-Islamic Arab society. The structure of the poem, with its beautiful use of rhetoric and metaphor, shows the linguistic richness of the Arabic language passed down to the Islamic era. Jahiliyah poetry, such as the works of Imru' al-Qais and Nabighah al-Dhubyani, is not only historical documentation but also provides insight into the social, economic and cultural dynamics that shaped Arab society.