Spirituality and Morality in Pre-Islamic Arabia

Episode 5: Monotheism Before Islam

Welcome to Seerah Pearls, which aims to highlight some tantalising learning points from each episode of the Seerah- Life of the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wasallam).

Although idol worship was rampant in Pre-Islamic Arabic, there remained a few people who followed the religion of Prophet Ibrahim- the ‘Hunafa’, and these individuals are explored. The singular form ‘Haneef’ means to ‘focus constantly’. Two notable personalities include:

1. Zaid bin Amr bin Nufayl: he travelled outside Arabia in search of the true message. He strongly denied idolatry and its associated practices, as well as saving newborn girls from being buried alive. The Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) is narrated to have said that he will be resurrected as an Ummah by himself between the Prophet Muhammed (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) and Isa bin Maryam (alaihissalam).

2. Waraqa bin Nawfal: he also travelled with Zaid bin Amr bin Nufayl to explore the truth, and converted to Christianity. A cousin of Khadija, the wife of the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wasallam), Waraqa was the person consulted after the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) received the first revelation. He proclaimed his belief, but died soon after.

The lineage of the Prophet Muhammad (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) is explored back to Prophet Adam (alaihissalam).