Ethics | The Sealed Nectar | Part 4

Excerpts from "The Sealed Nectar"

Source

We cannot deny that the pre-Islamic Arabs were involved in numerous evil practices. Social vices and evils, utterly rejected by reason, were widespread among the pre-Islamic Arabs, but this could never overshadow the highly praiseworthy virtues that were found simultaneously, of which we may mention the following:

1. Hospitality: They used to compete with each other in hospitality and take utmost price in it. Almost half of all their poetry was about the praiseworthy or improper manners of entertaining one's guest. For example, if a guest were to visit a man suffering from severe cold and hunger, having no wealth besides she-camel whom the lives of his entire family depended, even so, he would slaughter it to feed his guest. They would not hesitate to incur heavy blood money and other related burdens just to stop bloodshed, and consequently, be the object of praise and eulogy.

Among the foremost qualities was in there praise of wine drinking, not because it was worth bosating of by itself, but because it was a means of displaying hospitality and indulgence. For this reason, the grapevine was called Karam - - the same word used for honour - - and wine was called the daughter of Karam
Looking at the collection of odes and poetry of the pre-Islamic period, one discovers that it is filled with chapters upon chapters of praise and boasting.

Gambling was also another of their practices closely associated with generosity since the proceeds would always go to charity. Even the Noble Qur’an does not play down the benefits that are derived from winding drinking and gambling, but also says:

فِيهِمَا إِثْمٌ كَبِيرٌ وَمَنَافِعُ لِلنَّاسِ وَإِثْمُهُمَا أَكْبَرُ مِن نَّفْعِهِمَا

"And the Sin of them is greater than their benefits." [2:219]

2. Keeping a covenant: For the Arab, to make a promise was to run into debt. He would not care for the death of his children or the destruction of his household, all for the sake of upholding the deep rooted tradition of keeping one's oath or pledge. The literature of that period is rich in stories highlighting this merit.

3. Sense of honour and denial of injustice: This attribute developed mainly from a surfeit of courage and the keen sense of self-esteem. The Arab was always in revolt against the slightest hint of humiliation or disdain. He would never hesitate to sacrifice himself to maintain his ever - alert sense of self-respect.

4. Firm will and determination: An Arab would never lose an opportunity that contributed to keeping up an object of pride or a standing of honour, even if it were at the expense of his life.

5.Forbearance, preservance and mildness:* The Arab regarded these qualities with great admiration, no wonder his impulsiveness and audacious lifestyle was sadly in need of them.

6. Pure and simple bedouin life: This lifestyle was still clean from the trappings of deceptive urban appearances, and was a driving reason behind his nature of truthfulness and honesty, and detachment from intrigue and treachery.

Search priceless ethics couple with the favourable geographical position of Arabia were the factors that lay behind selecting the Arabs to undertake the burden of communicating the message (of Islam) and leading humanity down a new course of life.

In this regard, these ethics by themselves, though harmful in some areas, and in need of modification in certain aspects, were invaluable to the ultimate welfare of humanity, and it was this task of reformation that Islam performed.

The most priceless ethics, next to keeping one's covenant, were no doubt their sense of self-esteem and strong determination - - two human qualities indispensable in combating evil and eliminating moral corruption on the one hand, and establishing a good and Justice oriented society, on the other

To sum up, the life of Arabs in the pre-Islamic period was rich in other countless virtueswhich do not need to be enumerated.