Could you explain in detail the exact beliefs of Makkah Mushrik in the period of Jahiliyya?.
In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful
Assalaamu `alaykum waRahmatullahi Wabarakatuh
The Mushkrikeen of Makka believed in one God coupled with the belief that God requires help and support from others. They also believed in god and goddesses and worshiped idols, jins and the angles of Allah Ta’ala. Allah Ta’ala refutes such believes in the Quran where He mentions:
- Verily, those who do not belief in the hereafter name the angles of Allah female names. (53:27)
- “And they assign daughters unto Allah Glorified (and exalted) is he from all that they associate with him”. (16:57)
- “Will you invoke to ba’l (an idol) and forsake the best of creators “Allah Ta’ala” your creator and the creator of your forefathers”. (37:125,126)
- “(And) they ascribe the ginn as partners with Allah, though He created them (the ginn); and they attribute falsely without knowledge sons and daughters to Him. And Allah Ta’ala is exalted and glorified above all that they attribute to him”. (6:100)
The Mushrikeen testified to a supreme being (Allah) having created the heavens and earth, and to him belongs power and control. It is for this reason that they would use the name of Allah in their poetry jointly with the names of their idols. As Allah Ta’ala mentions in the Quran:
- Say (to them): “To whom do the earth and its contents belong to? if you but know!” They will say; “it belongs to Allah!” “Will you not then take heed?”
- Say (to them) “Who is the lord of the seven heavens and the lord of the Arsh (great throne)?” They will say ‘‘Allah.’’ Say; “Will you not then fear Allah”. (Belief in his oneness, and obey him)
- Say (to them): “In whose hands in the sovereignty of everything and protects (all), while against Whom there is no protector, if you know?” They will say:” (sovereignty belongs) to Allah.” Say: “How then are you deceived, and turn away from the truth?” Nay we have brought them the truth (Islamic monotheism), and verily, they (the disbelievers) are lairs. (23:83-90)
They believed that their idols, god and goddesses were the friends of Allah, and through their worship the pleasure and friendship of Allah was certain. Allah Ta’ala mentions in the Quran:
- “And those who take Auliya (protectors, friends, helpers, and gods) besides Allah (they say): “We worship them only that they may bring us closer to Allah” (29:03)
Allah Ta’ala reproaches the mushrikeen in many other places in the Quran, as to why they call others ‘god’, and worship other than Him after having testified that He alone is the creator of the heavens and earth.
(تاريخ ارض القران. ج, 1. ص, 513 .للعلامة سيد سليمان ندوى, مجلس نشريات اسلام)
And Allah knows best
Wassalam
Ml. Safraz Mohammed,
Student Darul Iftaa
Checked and Approved by:
Mufti Ebrahim Desai
Darul Iftaa, Madrassah In’aamiyyah