Mosque Design

Islamic Movement and Pre-Islamic Scenario

Importance of Islamic Movement
Adistinctive Features of the Islamic Movement
Roman Empire
India
Jews
Conditions of Arab
Arabian Traits for Islamic Movement
Difficulties in Reforming Arabs

Islamic Movement and Pre-Islamic Scenario

Islam or the message of Muhammad (PBUH) is the magnificent reformatory movement of the world. The same movement that has been launched by several other prophets in all times and every part of the world. This movement reformed not only the spiritual but all aspect of human life which has no parallel. This is a holistic movement encompassing simultaneously the spiritual, moral, social, economic and political aspects of human life, and no aspect of human life is out of the purview of this movement.

Importance of Islamic Movement: There has been innumerable reformatory and revolutionary movements in the world. But Islamic movement is the most distinctive features. How this movement emerged? How was it presented? What reactions did it evoke? Such questions arise to every one who is introduced to the movement. Replies to these queries are not so simple. Rather related academic questions lead to understanding a movement that has the capacity to resolve the issues that still confront the humanity. This movement makes one realize the actual meaning of loss and profit and the realities of the eternal life that is the ultimate destination of a man.

The movement gives a complete code of worldly life that adorns not only the eternal life but shapes worldly life in a manner that one gets rid of all the complexities of life that had always bothered the mankind.

This is the distinction of Islamic movement that has drawn the attention of every student with a view to observe and understand the movement and the claim that it makes about itself.

A large number of books has been written and shall continue to be written and with their help a clear introduction of Islamic movement is available. But as the perception of light can not be separated from the lamp and the feeling of fragrance can not be separated from the flowers, the understanding of such a magnificent movement cannot go without the prime mover of the movement. As such whenever there is a reference to this movement people demand to know the life and events of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) .They also demand the meaning and the interpretation of Holy Qur'an, the real source of this movement, which is quite natural.

Distinctive Features of Islamic Movement:
The greatest service to humanity is to instil values and moral training. To eradicate evils and to present before them a complete code of life by following that one could succeed in life in its true sense, Many people have worked for it in their own way. But most of them chose a specific field of reformers for this purpose and dedicated themselves in their chosen area. Some adopted morality and spirituality while others tried to adorn the civilization. Some entered the vast meadows of politics. But those reformers who decided to reform the whole life of the human beings where none other than Prophets (PBUH) of God.

It is the greatest favour of the Creator of this universe that the teachings and message of the last prophet and details of his life has been protected and preserved in an unparallel manner. The biography of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) was penned in a way that no other historical records could get such authenticity. Moreover, the coverage and comprehensiveness of it is such that every event of his life, his dealings, the manners of his sitting, walking, eating habits, style of sleeping and getting up and the style of smiling and speaking are minutely described. In short, the details that are not available about the greatmen of past one or two centuries are available about Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) even after 1500 years of time.

Before we study the events of Prophet's (PBUH) life, we should keep one thing more in our minds that every work is valued with reference to the circumstances in which it was done. Favourable circumstances soon lead a movement to flourish. It takes sufficient time for an ordinary movement to gain ground and when someone rises for a cause, the masses show sympathy for the movement. In this way, the movement gets a momentum. For instance, take any freedom movement, people are against the atrocities of the foreign oppressors and develop a hatred towards them and if a man of courage rises and gives a call for freedom people join him. Even if the number of those who actually join the movement is small due to fear, but the sympathy and support of all countrymen is with the movement. Same is the situation in case of economic movements. Economic exploitation compels the people to fight the exploiters and black marketers. In short, every movement needs favourable conditions and the support of masses for its success. But the movements that are launched in unfavourable conditions soon get into the rough weathers. For example if a person, in a free land, invites his countrymen to accept the slavery of a mighty nation, then, think about his fate and sufferings that the person is going to face.

Nobody can gange the real importance and the greatness of the task entrusted to the inviter to Islam i.e. Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) unless he glances the then prevailing conditions in Arabian Peninsula as well as in the rest of the world.

Global Condition at the Time the Call to Islam was Given : The essence of Islam is Tawheed (Oneness of God). But this was the very light that the Arabs and the whole world was deprived of . The human mind was devoid of the true concept of Tawheed. It is a fact that thousands of prophets (peace be upon them) before Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) illuminated every corner of the world with the message of unity of god. But to the misfortune of humanity it had forgotten the true message and has started including the moon, sun, stars, jinns, angels, gods and goddesses, mountains, rivers, animals other human being into the folds of divinity. Thus he entangled himself in worshipping innumerable mortal objects and deprived himself of the calm of worshipping one God.

There were two super powers on the face of the earth at that time. They were Persia and Rome. Persians were following zoroastrianism which had its effect from Iraq to India. Romans had faith in Christianity. The whole Europe and African continent were under the impact of Christianity. Hindus and Jews were also two important religious sects. Everyone used to claim to be on the right path.

Worshipping of stars was common in Iran. The kings and elites also had religious status and they were prostrated before. The people used to sing songs in their praise. In short, Persia was bereft of the concept of Tawheed.

Roman Empire : After the cessation of Greek empire, Romans were considered to be the super power of the world but by the end of 6th century A.D. this empire had reached at the brink of its downfall, mal-administration, fear of foes, restlessness within the country, utmost degradation of moral values, limitless leisure had become their identity. Some people were worshipping stars and idols. But those who embraced Christianity, were also bereft of the concept of Tawheed. They believed in the divinity of son and father, Ruhul Quds (Holy spirit) and Mary. Hundreds of religious sects had cropped up and they used to fight amongst themselves. Worshipping of graves was a common practice. The popes were prostrated before. Popes and subsequently other religious leaders had adopted imperial as well as divine powers. They used to decide the lawful and unlawful. Their words were considered divine by the masses. The concept of religiosity was to denounce the world and to keep the human body devoid of all worldly comforts.

India :India was passing through Puranic age. This was considered as the darkest period in Indian history. Brahmanism was once again gaining ground and Buddhist were almost perished. Polytheism had crossed all bounds. The number of deities was touching 33 crore mark. It is said that in Vedic ages, idol worship was not in practice, but it had become common in temples. The priests were the personification of moral degradation. Masses were vulnerable targets for these priests. Casteism had ruined the whole society. In the begining there was no such social discrimination but the casteism had distroted the entire social fabric in a manner that defied all senses of judgement. The gentry was given privileges on hereditary and family grounds. Consuming liquor was very common. Monastic life was considered essential part of religion. Superstitions and fantacies were on their peak. Innumerous ritual and faith in spirits had made the human life as blind. Every extraordinary thing for them was god. To prostrate before every mighty or strange thing was their religion. There were innumerable deities and goddesses. Women priest and devdasis (woman slaves) were submerged in the mire of moral degradation. All these heinious acts were going on in the name of religion.. Women were put at stake in gambling. Ploygamy was a common practice. Widows were deprived of all worldly comforts. This inhuman attitude of society used to compel a woman to lay on the pyre of her husband. Female genocide was common due to fear of defeat and insult and this inhuman act was a matter of boasting for them. Naked women and men were worshipped. They used to loose sense after consuming liqour. In short, from moral religious and social point of views, this land of Allah was a hotbed of satanic activities.
J e w s: Being the bearer of the A l l a h ' s Deen (religion) jews were the ones to bring submerged in the quagmire of sins. Their long history was replete with heinious acts. They were too sinful to bring about any reforms. They martyred a number of prophets sent by Allah for their reformation. They were of the view that they had a special relationship with Allah and He will not chastise them due to this relation. They used to regard all heavenly blessings as their fundamental rights. For them, prophesy was their inherited legacy. The jew scholars were worldly people and they were enjoying its delicacies. They used to amend the religious laws day in and day out to please the elites and rulers. They used to follow only those divine laws which they found easy and abandoned the rest. They use to engage in bickering .Greed had overpowered them so much that they never used to do anything that may have any adverse effect on their wealth or lives. Their moral condition was worse. Polytheistic idolatry had made inroads among their beliefs. Witchcraft, superstitions, amulet, sorcery and evil practices had tarnished the real concept of Tawheed. When the Holy Prophet presented before them the clear concept of Tawheed, the jews crossed all limits and said, "the polytheists of Arabic were better than these Muslims."
Condition of Arabian Peninsula: Let's have a glance over Arabia, the land from where the Holy Prophet launched his movement and underwent all kinds of miseries and hardships.
A major part of Arabia, i.e., Valley of Qura, Khaiber and Fadk were inhabited by the Jews. They were at the helm of power in Madinah as well. Rest of Arabia was engaged in polytheistic activities. They used to worship trees, idols, stones, stars, angels and jins, even though concept of one God was there and they used to regard Him as the greatest of gods. But this belief had become so faint that they continued worshipping the "smaller gods",. They were of the view that their day-to-day problems were solved by these deities., so, they were mostly engaged in offering sacrifices and votive offerings before these deities. They used to take solemn pledges in the names of these deities. They used to think that they can please Allah by pleasing these "smaller gods".
These people used to regard the angels as the "daughters of Allah" and the jinns as close relative of Allah and partner in divinity. They used to seek their help. They had carved out idols of these "partners" in divinity and used to worship that if they found a beautiful stone, they would start worshipping it, if they don't get anything they would make a mound of clay, sprinkle goat milk over it and an idol was ready. These were innumerable idols in Arabia. They used to worship stars as well. Among stars, they used to prefer sun and moon. Jinns and ghosts were also worshipped. Several tales were prevalent about them. All polytheistic superstitions were there in Arabia.
A long with these religious distortions, infightings were also common. Trifle issues used to result into wars among tribes that used to last for generations. No other nation could come at par with them in gambling and consuming liquor. Their poetry was nothing but praise of wine and the consequent obscene activities. They were beasts in human form due to their obsession for usuary, plunder, cold bloodedness, shedding blood, fornication and other dirty acts. They use to bury their daughters alive. Exposure was so common that naked men and women used to make rounds of K'aba in the name of religion. In short, Arabs had touched the bottom of mire of sins. They had submerged their religion, morality, social values politics and their all in this mire.
Arabian traits for Islamic Movement : Not only Arabia rather the whole world was engulfed in such a darkness of misguidance. Then the world desperately needed the guiding light which could dispell this darkness and show the right path to Allah's deviated slaves. Why was Arabia chosen by Allah Almighty to dispel this darkness, needs a serious thinking:
Allah Almighty had chosen Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) as the last messenger for guidance and light and the message of invitation (to Islam) was to spread in the whole world. It is apparent that this gigantic task could not be completed by an individual so, it was a must that the Holy Prophet organize a group of reformers who could carry this mission on even after the Prophet leaves the world. The qualities required for this grand task were commonly found in Arabs. In addition to it, the geographical location of Arabia such that it lies in the central part of inhabited world. So,. it was easy to convey this message (of Islam) to the surrounding regions. Another cogent reason was that Arabic language had the potential that was required for the vastness of topic. In this way, Arabic language had an upper hand over other languages. The greatest virtue of Arabs was that they had never been under any foreign rule. They were not acquainted with the evils of slavery. They had Persian and Roman empires around them, but these empires could not make them bow to them. They were extremely chivalrous and fearless people. They used to pay no heed to dangers. Wars were their favourite pastime. They were full of fervour and strong will power. They were free of malice. They had sharp memory, had the ability to learn the finer things fast. They were generous and had self esteem and self respect. The difficult desert life style had made them practical in their approach and if once accepted a thing it was difficult for them to confine themselves to its appreciation from a distance. Rather they used to rise and involve their life in their chosen task.

Difficulties in Reforming Arabs: The above mentioned qualities made Arabs a nation, due to which Allah decide to entrust them with the responsibility of spreading the true message. On the other hand the miseries that Holy Prophet faced in reforming these people were no less. As stated earlier that to evaluate a work it is essential to look into the circumstances in which it had been done. So, the flourishing of Islamic movement is the greatest achievement in terms of circumstances in which this movement was launched. So, the way the Holy Prophet prepared this nation for Islamic cause is nothing but a miracle.
Without putting forth these adverse situations one can not guess the real greatness of this grand reformatory task accomplished by Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). The obstacles that hindered the Holy Prophets are mentioned here:
Arabs were an illiterate nation. They had no concept of Allah's qualities, importance of the message, meaning of revelation, understanding Allah's Book, concept of life hereafter and the real meaning of Ibadat (worshipping). These people were blind followers of their ancestral customs and rituals. Islam brought the true concept of Tawheed which was contrary to their beliefs. All polytheistic evils had taken roots in them. Superstition had taken away their wits. Infightings were their prominent features. They had lost the power of reasoning and thinking seriously. Their thinking was limited to wars and revenges. Their main occupation was loot and plunder. So, when the Holy Prophet invited them to Islam, they became amazed and exasperated. This invitation (Islam) was against their ancestral religion and beliefs. Islam demanded them to lead a peaceful life. It proclaimed that loot is unlawful. It further demanded them to give up negative thinking, bad habits and unlawful activities to gain livelihood. So, it was an uphill task to persuade these people to give up what they were practising for centuries. In short, the prevailing conditions in Arabic and rest of the world, Arabs and their habit and tendencies apparently nothing was favourable for the movement. But when the result came, it appeared that the Islam like a tornado took over the entire Arab. And this is the miracle that generates a desire to know each and every aspect of the Holy Prophet's life. The following chapter will take you face-to-face with this great personality and its achievements.