What Was Arabia Like Before the Birth of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ

The era before the Prophethood of Muhammad (peace be upon him) is known as Jahiliyyah (The Age of Ignorance). It was a time of moral, social, and spiritual chaos.

Spiritual Darkness

The Arabs were polytheists. The Ka'bah, built for the worship of the One God, was filled with 360 idols. People worshipped stones, trees, and stars. The pure message of Ibrahim (AS) had been corrupted.

Social Injustice

• Tribalism: Loyalty was to the tribe, not to truth. Blood feuds lasted for generations over trivial matters.
• Treatment of Women: Women had no rights. They were treated as property. The horrific practice of female infanticide (burying daughters alive) was prevalent among some tribes.
• Slavery: Slaves were treated with extreme cruelty, with no hope of freedom.

A Society in Need of Light

Despite these vices, the Arabs possessed noble qualities like generosity, bravery, and eloquence. They were a raw material waiting to be shaped.

Into this darkness, the "Mercy to the Worlds" was born. The transformation of this society from the depths of ignorance to the heights of civilization in just 23 years is the greatest miracle of history.