Life and Teachings of the Prophet Muhammad
1. Arabia before Islam
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boldness, noble character, patience, generosity and hospitality.
When this high level of humanity was combined with the truth of
Islam, they were enabled to perform great feats. It was this truth
which has been thus expressed in a hadith:
“Those who were good people in the days of
ignorance will also be good people during Islam.”
In ancient Arabia despite their battles, wars, conflicts and
tensions, their vows of revenge, which went on for generation after
generation, their mentality, their thinking, their aptitude for
acknowledging the truth were fully preserved.
For instance, once in ancient Makkah two groups: were ready
to fight. At this juncture, Abu Sufyan ibn Harb intervened and said
to them: “If you waged a war so many people would be killed
belonging to both the groups. So should I not tell you something
better?” They agreed with him. Then Abu Sufyan said: “What has
passed has passed, now you must make peace.” Both the parties
accepted his advice there and then and made peace. This was in
spite of the fact that there were people who used to go on fighting
for as long even as 50 years to avenge a murder or an insult or any
injustice done to them.
Due to the paucity of economic resources, there were people
who indulged in looting. But even these people were of a noble
character. Once a Bedouin wanted to robe a woman who was all
alone in her tent decked with jewellery. But he did not enter the
