Episode 1: Pre-Islam-Arabia

Ignorance upon Ignorance

From sacrificing humans to their idols to the so-called “wolves of Arabia,” who hid near rare water sources so that travelers would die of thirst—just to make plundering easier—pre-Islamic Arabia was marked by a brutal social landscape.

Some men from certain tribes even killed their own daughters once they reached the age of five or six, before their innocent words could soften their fathers’ hearts. They would lead them outside the city to a pit already dug, push them in, and stone them while listening to their cries for help. For certain tribes, this horrifying act was a matter of pride.

Heavy gambling, deep-seated malice, widespread soothsaying, and feuds that continued for generations were common features of the time. These are only a few of the harsh customs that defined Arab society before the arrival of Islam.