Islamic Studies · Lesson 7

Jahiliyyah, the Prophet’s life from birth to death

JAMBWAECNECO

What the syllabus asks

JAMB: 15 Pre-Islamic Arabia (Jahiliyyah practices: idol worship, infanticide, polyandry, gambling, usury; Islamic reforms); 16 Life of the Prophet: birth and early life, call, da‘wah in Makkah and Madinah, Hijrah, administration in Madinah, Badr, Uhud and Khandaq, Hudaybiyyah and the conquest of Makkah, the Farewell Pilgrimage, qualities and lessons

WAEC: 1 Jahiliyyah (location; social, religious, political, economic life; reforms); 2 Life of the Prophet (i)–(xi)

NECO: 1 Jahiliyyah (location; social, religious, political, economic life; reforms); 2 Life of the Prophet (i)–(xi)

What you will learn

Describe Arabia’s location and its social, religious, political and economic life before Islam.
Trace the reforms Islam brought to Jahiliyyah practices.
Account for the birth, early life and marriage of the Prophet.
Provide evidence for his call and analyse his da‘wah in Makkah.
Account for the causes, course and significance of the Hijrah.
Analyse his administration in Madinah and the Constitution of Madinah.
Account for the causes, course and effects of Badr, Uhud and Khandaq.
Explain the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah, the conquest of Makkah, the Farewell Pilgrimage and the Prophet’s death.
Analyse the Prophet’s qualities and their relevance today.

Key points

Arabia: Hijaz, Najd, Yemen; tribes; Quraysh and Dar an-Nadwah; trade.
Religion: 360 idols (Bukhari 2478); Hubal, al-Lat, al-‘Uzza, Manat.
Social evils and Islamic reforms (table).
Birth c. 570; orphan; Halimah; al-Amin; Khadijah at 25; Black Stone.
Call 610; first believers; persecution; Abyssinia; boycott; Year of Sorrow; Ta’if; Isra’; ‘Aqabah.
Hijrah 622: plot, ‘Ali, Thawr, Suraqah, Quba’; start of the AH calendar.
Madinah: mosque, mu’akhat, adhan, Constitution.
Badr 2 AH; Uhud 3 AH; Khandaq 5 AH.
Hudaybiyyah 6 AH terms; Makkah 8 AH pardon.
Farewell sermon 10 AH; 5:3 at ‘Arafah.
Death 11 AH at 63; 3:144.
Qualities: 33:21, 68:4.

Start here: Arabia before Islam: land, politics and economy

Location. The Arabian Peninsula lies in south-west Asia, bounded by the Red Sea (west), the Arabian Sea and Indian Ocean (south), the Persian Gulf (east), and Syria and Iraq (north). Most of it is desert. Its regions include the Hijaz (west, with Makkah, Madinah/Yathrib and Ta’if), Najd (centre), and Yemen (south-west, fertile). Arabia lay between two empires, the Byzantine (Roman) and the Sasanian (Persian), but was never ruled by either in its heartland.

The period before Islam is called al-Jahiliyyah, “the age of ignorance”: not ignorance of skills (the Arabs were masters of poetry, trade and desert life), but ignorance of divine guidance.

Political life. There was no central government. Society was organised into tribes (qabilah) and clans, each led by a shaykh chosen for age, wealth, wisdom and courage. Loyalty to the tribe (‘asabiyyah) came before justice. Blood feuds could last for generations, such as the long wars between the Aws and Khazraj in Yathrib. In Makkah, the tribe of Quraysh governed through a council, Dar an-Nadwah, and its clans shared duties of the Ka‘bah: custody of the keys, feeding and watering pilgrims, and the war banner. Four sacred months were respected, when fighting stopped.

Economic life.

Trade: Makkah was a trade centre. Quraysh ran two great caravan journeys, to Yemen in winter and Syria in summer (Q.106:1–2).
Pastoralism: Bedouin raised camels, sheep and goats.
Agriculture in oases such as Yathrib (dates) and Ta’if (fruit).
Fairs such as ‘Ukaz, with trade and poetry competitions.
Raiding (ghazw), and lending at usury that doubled debts.

Exam tip: WAEC asks for “description of Arabia, social, religious, political and economic life”. Use those five headings exactly.

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Practice questions

1. The Prophet (SAW) was born in the Year of the Elephant, about

570 CE
610 CE
622 CE
632 CE

Show answer

A: 570 CE
When Abrahah of Yemen marched on Makkah.

2. The Prophet’s mother was

Halimah as-Sa‘diyyah
Khadijah
Fatimah bint Asad
Aminah bint Wahb

Show answer

D: Aminah bint Wahb
His father ‘Abdullah died before his birth.

3. The Prophet was nursed in the desert by

Barakah
Sawdah
Halimah as-Sa‘diyyah
Aminah

Show answer

C: Halimah as-Sa‘diyyah
Of Banu Sa‘d.

4. After his mother’s death he was cared for first by his grandfather

Hashim
‘Abd al-Muttalib
Abu Talib
Abu Lahab

Show answer

B: ‘Abd al-Muttalib
Then by his uncle Abu Talib.

5. Before prophethood he was known in Makkah as

al-Amin (the trustworthy)
al-Faruq
as-Siddiq
Dhun-Nurayn

Show answer

A: al-Amin (the trustworthy)
Even opponents trusted him with their goods.

Key words

Jahiliyyah: The age of ignorance before Islam.
‘Asabiyyah: Tribal loyalty.
Dar an-Nadwah: Council house of Quraysh.
Hunafa’: Monotheists before Islam.
Al-Amin: The trustworthy.
Hilf al-Fudul: Pact of the virtuous to defend the oppressed.
Da‘wah: Calling people to Islam.
‘Am al-Huzn: Year of Sorrow.
Isra’ and Mi‘raj: Night Journey and Ascension.
Hijrah: Migration to Madinah, 622 CE.
Muhajirun: Emigrants from Makkah.
Ansar: Helpers of Madinah.

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