FROM THE EDITORIAL DIRECTOR
Dr. Farida Khanam has been a professor at the Department of Islamic Studies at Jamia Millia Islamia in New Delhi. A Study of World's Major Religions, A Simple Guide to Sufism are two of the books amongst many others, of which she is the author. She has also translated many books on Islam authored by Maulana Wahiduddin Khan. Currently, the chairperson of Centre for Peace and Spirituality (CPS International), an organization founded by her father Maulana Wahiduddin Khan, she is a regular contributor of articles to journals, newspapers and magazines. Dr. Khanam has edited Maulana’s English translation of the Quran and has also translated his Urdu commentary of the Quran into English. Under Maulana Wahiduddin Khan Peace Foundation, along with the CPS team, she has designed a series of courses on peace-building, countering extremism and conflict resolution.
THE ARABS AND THE EMERGENCE OF ISLAM
WITH an area of 120,000 square miles, the land of Arabia is the largest peninsula in the world. It has the Red Sea to the West, the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Aden to the south-east and the rivers Euphrates and Tigris and the Persian Gulf to the northeast. It thus occupies a unique position. It is situated in Asia, yet only the narrow Red Sea divides it from Africa and by just passing through the Suez canal, one reaches the Mediterranean Sea and Europe. It is thus at the centre of three continents, yet it is apart from all of them.
Arabia being a very hot and dry country, one third of it is desert. Yemen, the original home of the Semites, is the only exception, in that it is fertile and enjoys a rainy season. Besides this, the rest of the peninsula consists of barren valleys and deserts. The camel was the only means of transportation during the pre-Islamic period. Makkah and Madinah were two towns initially inhabited by the descendants of the nomads, who still retained many of the desert habits of their ancestors.
Situated in a valley, Makkah is one of the oldest cities in the world. It is a desert, with no vegetation or date palms. However there are some fertile spots in the desert, which are called Oases. Large as well as small clans settled around these Oases. Makkah since ancient times was an important centre for the caravans coming from the south with valuable merchandise. They brought gold, precious stones and spices from Africa to Yemen. From here it was taken to the markets of Syria, Egypt and many other places on the backs of camels. Agriculture not being possible, Makkah thrived on commerce. It became an important trading centre because of the Sanctuary—the Kabah, to visit which people came from places far and near. So Makkah became a religious as well as a financial centre. As a religious centre, Makkah wielded greater influence on this account. Makkah, a focal point of pilgrimage dating back to the origin of Arab history, owed its status to the Kabah, which had been built by Prophets Abraham and Ismael.
The progeny of Ismael were known as naturalized Arabs and they greatly multiplied. They were divided into many tribes and clans. The Quraysh were the largest tribe and were considered the most honourable. Due to trade the Quraysh became one of the richest and most powerful tribes. Prophet Muhammad belonged to the Banu Hashim clan of the Quraysh. Besides the Arabs there were also Christians and Jews who lived in Arabia. A large number of their population lived in Madinah.
Makkah, a focal point of pilgrimage dating back to the origin of Arab history, owed its status to the Kabah, which had been built by Prophets Abraham and Ismael.
In Arabia there are two different geographical types of soil markedly different from one another—the oasis and the desert. The inhabitants of Arabia naturally were divided into two main groups: nomadic or Bedouins and settled people or the city dwellers. The Bedouins lived in tents and possessed goats, camels and horses. They were continually on the move. They attached the greatest importance to total freedom for the individual as well as the tribe, but this was not the case with the city dwellers. They attached importance not only to freedom but also to peace, security and prosperity.
As far as the religion of the Arabs was concerned the Arabs followed the religion of Abraham for some generations, but their later generations tended to deviate from the path of monotheism.
Emergence of Islam
Islam emerged in a region known as Hijaz, inhabited by the descendants
of Ismael and another tribe, the Banu Kinanah. These people had
access only to limited resources, limited habitable area, cattle, pasture
and oases. Everything was in short supply. They could only afford an
extremely simple life. Due to these constraints they often waged war,
sometimes to take possession of the limited reservoirs of water and
pastures. As they lived very far from the artificial world of civilization the
Bedouins had many good qualities. The atmosphere of nature served as a vast school of nature for them. They never led the artificial life of
the cities and their life was devoid of all formalities. This extremely
simple, austere life made them realists.
All this was responsible for producing in them the qualities which the Arabs called manliness, which meant to them, acknowledging the truth, speaking nothing but the truth, fulfilling promises, honouring obligations, supporting the oppressed, boldness, noble character, patience, generosity and hospitality. When this high level of humanity was guided by the message of Islam, they were able to perform great feats. This fact is mentioned in one of the sayings of the Prophet as:
“Those who were good people in the days of ignorance will also be good people during Islam.”
These Arabs were the people who were selected by God to lend full support to His final Prophet, so that he might fulfil the divine mission.
Among the ancient Arabs there were also a sizeable number who were known as Hanif. These people were truth seekers. They lived an aloof social life. They used to say:
“O God, I do not know how You should be worshipped. Had I known, I would have certainly worshipped you in that manner.”
These people, true in nature took no time in responding to the call of Prophet Muhammad who belonged to the tribe of Quraysh, when he began preaching in 610 AD, after being chosen as a prophet by God. They became his devoted Companions. Though in the initial stage of the Prophet’s call, many of them—due to some misunderstanding—had turned against the Prophet, later—after understanding the message— they became his followers.
Thus the sending of the final prophet amongst the Arabs was not without reason. It was a well-planned decision of God which He in His own knowledge decreed. These Arabs were the people who were selected by God to lend full support to His final Prophet, so that he might fulfil the divine mission.
Dr. Farida Khanam
hub@the spiritofislam.org