Pre-Islamic Arabia

Haj

I'tikaf

Quote :

Volume 8, Book 78, Number 688:
Narrated Ibn 'Umar:

'Umar said "O Allah's Apostle! I vowed to perform I'tikaf for one night in Al-Masjid-al-Haram, during the Pre-Islamic Period of ignorance (before embracing Islam). "The Prophet said, "Fulfill your vow." Ibn 'Umar said to the lady, "Pray on her behalf." Ibn 'Abbas said the same.

http://www.usc.edu/schools/college/crcc/engagement/resources/texts/muslim/hadith/bukhari/078.sbt.html

Definition: A spiritual retreat in the mosque, usually performed during the last ten days of Ramadan. A person "making i'tikaf" will spend the evening and night in the mosque, devoting his or her time to worship and reading the Qur'an.

Quote :

Book 13, Number 2468:
Narrated Abdullah ibn Umar:

Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) took a vow in the pre-Islamic days to spend a night or a day in devotion near the Ka'bah (in the sacred mosque). He asked the Prophet (peace_be_upon_him) about it. He said: Observe i'tikaf (i.e. spend a night or a day near the Ka'bah) and fast.

http://www.usc.edu/schools/college/crcc/engagement/resources/texts/muslim/hadith/abudawud/013.sat.html



Slavery

Quote :

Volume 3, Book 46, Number 715:
Narrated Hisham:

My father told me that Hakim bin Hizam manumitted one-hundred slaves in the pre-lslamic period of ignorance and slaughtered one-hundred camels (and distributed them in charity). When he embraced Islam he again slaughtered one-hundred camels and manumitted one-hundred slaves. Hakim said, "I asked Allah's Apostle, 'O Allah's Apostle! What do you think about some good deeds I used to practice in the prelslamic period of ignorance regarding them as deeds of righteousness?' Allah's Apostle said, "You have embraced Islam along with all those good deeds you did.

http://www.usc.edu/schools/college/crcc/engagement/resources/texts/muslim/hadith/bukhari/046.sbt.html



Fasting

Quote :

Book 006, Number 2499:
'A'isha (Allah be pleased with her) reported that the Quraish used to fast on the day of 'Ashura in the pre-Islamic days and the Messenger ot Allah (may peace be upon him) also observed it. When he migrated to Medina, he himself observed this fast and commanded (others) to observe it. But when fasting during the month of Ramadan was made obligatory he said: He who wishes to observe this fast may do so, and he who wishes to abandon it may do so.


http://www.usc.edu/schools/college/crcc/engagement/resources/texts/muslim/hadith/muslim/006.smt.html#006.2499

Jinns

Quote :

. They used to seek refuge with the greatest Jinn of a particular place so that no harm or evil would afflict them. Like one would do if he entered into the land of his enemies, in the vicinity of a great and powerful man, he would seek the protection and guardianship of that man. So when the Jinns saw that the humans were seeking refuge with them due to their fear of them, they increased them in Rahaq which means fear, terror and fright. They did this so that the people would be more afraid of them and seek refuge with them even more

Al-Jinn (The Jinn)

72:6 Yet [it has always happened] that certain kinds of humans would seek refuge with certain kinds of [such] invisible forces: [4] but these only increased their confusion –

Waannahu kana rijalun mina alinsi yaAAoothoona birijalin mina aljinni fazadoohum rahaqan

وَأَنَّهُ كَانَ رِجَالٌ مِّنَ الْإِنسِ يَعُوذُونَ بِرِجَالٍ مِّنَ الْجِنِّ فَزَادُوهُمْ رَهَقًا (72:6




Mourning

Quote :

(It is four months and ten (nights)! During the Jahiliyyah, one of you would mourn for an entire year.)

Zaiynab the daughter of Umm Salamah said (about the pre-Islamic era of ignorance), "When the woman's husband died, she would go into seclusion and would wear the worst clothes she has. She would refrain from wearing perfume or any adornments until a year passed. She would then come out of seclusion and would be given dung that she would throw. Then an animal would be brought out, a donkey, a sheep, or a bird. Then some blood would be drained from it, usually resulting in its death.''

In short, the mourning required from a wife whose husband dies, includes not using beautification aids, such as wearing perfume and the clothes and jewelry that encourage the men to seek marriage from the woman. All widows must observe this period of mourning whether they are young, old, free, servant, Muslim or disbeliever, as the general meaning of the Ayah indicates.

http://www.tafsir.com/default.asp?sid=2&tid=6324