What is the Jahilliya Period?
The term Jahiliya Period is an Islamic term that refers to the period in the Arabian Peninsula prior to Muhammad and Qur'anic Islam. The word "Jahiliya" is an Arabic word meaning "Ignorant" since, according to the Muslims who coined the term, the Arabs at that time were ignorant of the Truth of Islam. The Jahiliya Period was generally composed of a fragmented Arabian peninsula, with numerous warring tribes, some of which had brutal and repressive customs. Muslims argue that a number of tribes buried women alive. However, there was a strong element of religious pluralism and poetry contests were established as a high form of artistry. It was also during this period that much of the Arabic language became more-or-less standardized across the various tribes because of the poetry contests and developed its own unique script.