Life and Teachings of the Prophet Muhammad
1. Arabia before Islam
~ 10 ~
the Sanctuary – the Kabah, to visit which people came from places
far and near. Its geographical position was very good from the
point of view of trade, it being situated at the crossroads of the
routes from Yemen to Syria and Abyssinia to Arabia. So the
nomads came to Makkah from all sides. By the 6th century, Arab
traders had become very influential and controlled the trade from
Yemen to Syria. Taif was also an important commercial centre but
Makkah was more important because of the Kabah.
So Makkah became a religious as well as a financial centre. By
the time the Prophet conquered Makkah, we find many influential
traders who were adept at doing business with different parts of the
world. Although Yemen was the most advanced province in the
Arabian Peninsula because of its water resources and sound
administration, Makkah being a religious centre 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 Ibrahim and Ismail.
Everyone observed its holy months for religious reasons as well
as on account of the special position it enjoyed with regard to
trade, being the capital of the peninsula.
The Arabs of the North are considered
Arab al mustaribah,
“Arabized Arabs.” The Qahtanis of the South are considered
Arab
al Mutaarribah,
or tribes resulting from mixing with the
Arab al
Aribah,
original, or true Arabs. From the Qahtanis descend the
Arabs of ancient South Arabia, or “Himyarite” Kingdoms. The
completely “true Arabs”, descendants of Aram, son of Shem, son
