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Pre-Islamic Arab Religion in Islam: Difference between revisions
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Fisher, Greg. Arabs and Empires before Islam (p. 129-130). OUP Oxford. | Fisher, Greg. Arabs and Empires before Islam (p. 129-130). OUP Oxford. | ||
''If one takes into account that no known inscription contemporary to this period displays an orientation favourable to Christianity, one can conclude that the H ˙ imyarite rulers had founded a new religion inspired from Judaism, called ‘Rah˙mānism’ by A. F. L. Beeston, although the term ‘Judaeo-Monotheism’ is preferable. This new religion formalized a type of belief in Judaism seen elsewhere in the Mediterranean world, whose followers might be called ‘fearers of God’ (metuentes and theosebeis).7 It is relevant to note that one H ˙ imyarite inscription clearly reflects this notion, asking that ‘God, Lord of the Sky and the Earth, grants | fear (s ˙ bs¹, probably a borrowing from Greek sebas) of His Name’ (see 3.5).'' </ref> Which was later conquered by the Christian Kingdom of Aksum/Axum (based in modern-day Ethiopian, Eritrean, Djiboutian and Sudanese Kingdom, which lay to the West of Arabia across the red sea and also exerted imperial force into the Arabian peninsula in the centuries preceding Islam)<ref>Bowersock, G.W.. ''The Throne of Adulis: Red Sea Wars on the Eve of Islam (Emblems of Antiquity)''. Oxford University Press.</ref> in the 6th century, spreading their influence until the Persians invaded in the latter half of the century.<ref>[https://www.britannica.com/place/Aksum-ancient-kingdom-Africa Aksum] | ancient kingdom, Africa | Historical Places | Geography & Travel. Britannica Entry</ref> Furthermore, as El-Badawi (2024) records "there is evidence from the Talmud, possibly dating to ca. 400 CE, that priests expelled by Josiah’s purging of the temple fled Jerusalem for Arabia. They reportedly settled among the Ishmaelites and reached as far as Hadramaut in South Arabia."<ref>El-Badawi, Emran. ''Female Divinity in the Qur’an: In Conversation with the Bible and the Ancient Near East (p. 185).'' Springer Nature Switzerland. Kindle Edition.</ref> | ''If one takes into account that no known inscription contemporary to this period displays an orientation favourable to Christianity, one can conclude that the H ˙ imyarite rulers had founded a new religion inspired from Judaism, called ‘Rah˙mānism’ by A. F. L. Beeston, although the term ‘Judaeo-Monotheism’ is preferable. This new religion formalized a type of belief in Judaism seen elsewhere in the Mediterranean world, whose followers might be called ‘fearers of God’ (metuentes and theosebeis).7 It is relevant to note that one H ˙ imyarite inscription clearly reflects this notion, asking that ‘God, Lord of the Sky and the Earth, grants | fear (s ˙ bs¹, probably a borrowing from Greek sebas) of His Name’ (see 3.5).'' </ref> Which was later conquered by the Christian Kingdom of Aksum/Axum (based in modern-day Ethiopian, Eritrean, Djiboutian and Sudanese Kingdom, which lay to the West of Arabia across the red sea and also exerted imperial force into the Arabian peninsula in the centuries preceding Islam)<ref>Bowersock, G.W.. ''The Throne of Adulis: Red Sea Wars on the Eve of Islam (Emblems of Antiquity)''. Oxford University Press.</ref> in the 6th century, spreading their influence until the Persians invaded in the latter half of the century.<ref>[https://www.britannica.com/place/Aksum-ancient-kingdom-Africa Aksum] | ancient kingdom, Africa | Historical Places | Geography & Travel. Britannica Entry</ref> Furthermore, as El-Badawi (2024) records "there is evidence from the Talmud, possibly dating to ca. 400 CE, that priests expelled by Josiah’s purging of the temple fled Jerusalem for Arabia. They reportedly settled among the Ishmaelites and reached as far as Hadramaut in South Arabia."<ref>El-Badawi, Emran. ''Female Divinity in the Qur’an: In Conversation with the Bible and the Ancient Near East (p. 185).'' Springer Nature Switzerland. Kindle Edition.</ref> | ||
There are also the established Jewish tribes in Medina (Banū Qaynuqā, Banū al-Naḍīr and Banū Qurayẓa) Muhammad met and later fought, according to many Islamic sources.<ref>Ibrahim, Ayman S., 'Muhammad’s Confrontations with the Jews', ''Muhammad's Military Expeditions: A Critical Reading in Original Muslim Sources'' (New York, 2024; online edn, Oxford Academic, 20 June 2024), <nowiki>https://doi.org/10.1093/oso/9780197769171.003.0005</nowiki>, accessed 29 June 2025.</ref> | |||
As alluded to, regardless of tracing exact terms, academic scholarship has long recognised the penetration of Judeo-Christian Monotheism into the Arabian peninsula and among Arab tribes long before Islam. These would have provided both the stories and general concepts to the Hijaz, whether through Christian and Jewish tribes living side-by-side with the Quran's initial community, or simply through travellers telling stories and/or proselytizing, the movement of slaves who knew them, trade and commerce, pilgrimage etc. | As alluded to, regardless of tracing exact terms, academic scholarship has long recognised the penetration of Judeo-Christian Monotheism into the Arabian peninsula and among Arab tribes long before Islam. These would have provided both the stories and general concepts to the Hijaz, whether through Christian and Jewish tribes living side-by-side with the Quran's initial community, or simply through travellers telling stories and/or proselytizing, the movement of slaves who knew them, trade and commerce, pilgrimage etc. | ||