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The Status of Women as Mothers in Pre-Islamic Arabia In pre-Islamic Arabia (al-Jahiliyyah), Arabs used to esteem their mothers highly. The status of women was Improved if they delivered male children. Children used to pride themselves upon having a mother from an old and respected family of noble descent. It is said that sometimes. women used to marry men from other tribes without leaving their, own. living with their husbands under the protection of their own tribe. If the husband divorcedhis wife, she used to keep the children and give them her family name, as Smith stated: 'But it is also possible that by tribal rule a woman is not allowed to leave her own kin. but may entertain a stranger as her husband. In this case, we may expect that the children., will remain with their mother's tribe and therefore the law of kinship will be the child is of the mother's stock. 1 Sometimes a woman might marry a man from another tribe, and live with him, but under a condition to restore the offspring of the marriage to her people. 2 There are many men who took their mother's name, such ascAmr bin Hind, also as al Mundhir bin Ma7a al-Sama. 3 Sometimes, mothers had such a high status that a man might do anything to protect her and her dignity, and honour. an example of which is 6 Amr bin Kalttrum who started a big war withwAmr bin Hind, the King of Hira because he (Hind) humiliatedoAmrls mother. The* story started when one daygAmr bin Hind said to his companions, 'Do you know any Arab whose mother would disdain to serve mine V They answered, 'Yes, the mother WAmi bin KulthTm. ' Then the King sent to'cAmr bin Kulth-um., inviting him to pay a visit to himself. and 4 -- -- -- - 1. Smith. op. cit.. P. 77 2. Ibid 3. al-ýUfrs op. cit-9 P- 90 -__e-------- -- --- I 47
asking him to bring his mother, Layla to visit his own mother, Hind. So they came and the king entertainedeAmr and his friends in his tent. Meanwhile, the king ordered his mother, as soon as he should call for dessert, to dismiss the servants, and cause Layla to wait upon her. At the pre-arranged signal, she desired to be left alone with her guest, and said, 10 Layla, hand me that dish'. Layla answered 'Let those who want anything to serve themselves. Oh shamell cried Layla, 'Help TagUbp. , help. When'tAmr heard his mother cry. he seized a sword hanging on the wall and killed the King. Women were highly appreciated if they gave birth to brave knights. Women who did so were given the description al-Munji bat of outstanding men). (the mothers One of these mothers was F; timah bint Khurshb 0 who had the perfect sons some of whom were leaders in pre-Islamic times. gave birth to Kt7alid, kalik 2 There was also'Ummgfi7atikah and Khuba/ah who by ý. and Rabi; /Jalafer bin Kulaib. In the tribes, poets often boasted in their poems of having of noble bitth mothers. The best example is Zuhay bin Abr Salama who prided himself upon having a woman such as F7timah bint Khurshub who had brave and courageous horsemen. The mother's status was naturally related to their social status, i. e. being free or slaves. Indeed. free women were more highly esteemed than slaves; children used to pride themselves upon having free mothers. This fact had various effects on children, since many children were subject to degradation and ridicule because of their origin. Despite this fact, sometimes children tried to defend their slave motherso For example, e Antartbin Shaddid the Poet and the brave knight , was a son of a black slave but he defended himself and his black skin and he regarded himself as a Courageous 1. See Nicholson, op. cit.. P. 110 2. Ibid 3. See Pufi, P. 85 3 48
- Page 1 and 2: THE CHANGING POSITION OF WOMEN IN A
- Page 3 and 4: ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I would like to exp
- Page 5 and 6: INTRODUCTION The Islamic and Arabic
- Page 7 and 8: The status of women in Islamic and
- Page 9 and 10: civilization or of both combined. S
- Page 11 and 12: funcultivatable valley', although i
- Page 13 and 14: 2) The second source of support was
- Page 15 and 16: and would not take them captive, be
- Page 17 and 18: fight Muslims; not satisfied with t
- Page 19 and 20: From the Qurlan, we know that she w
- Page 21 and 22: would not marry at all unless she h
- Page 23 and 24: unequal match. "If you can't find a
- Page 25 and 26: ut also among the Hebrews and Arame
- Page 27 and 28: that The fact is/ this marriage doe
- Page 29 and 30: elated to the economic and social c
- Page 31 and 32: However. Islam forbade this kind of
- Page 33 and 34: How was the wife treated Most of th
- Page 35 and 36: 49 Another example is the Zainah ma
- Page 37 and 38: 'Excepýi for rare cases in countri
- Page 39 and 40: ArZý; The wife of Shai used to dis
- Page 41 and 42: A man could divorce his wife. remar
- Page 43 and 44: women as the Qurlan says: For those
- Page 45 and 46: divorce. the man takes compensation
- Page 47 and 48: The Woman's Inheritance in Pre-Isla
- Page 49: among his children. giving to a mal
- Page 53 and 54: Burying Daughters Alive In Pre-Isla
- Page 55 and 56: 2. The second motive was the fear t
- Page 57 and 58: "But infanticide was not a new thin
- Page 59 and 60: Or was it at any' specific age ? Th
- Page 61 and 62: some mothers must have felt that it
- Page 63 and 64: So it is not surprising that the tw
- Page 65 and 66: 0 The Qurlan caýe prohibiting this
- Page 67 and 68: CHAPTER TWO In the previous chapter
- Page 69 and 70: Ia I "As to the thief. male or fema
- Page 71 and 72: to defend the tribe or bring in boo
- Page 73 and 74: For the majority of Arab men, this
- Page 75 and 76: the Islamic system for sharing out
- Page 77 and 78: Marriage in Islam The family is the
- Page 79 and 80: A tradition reported that. "when a
- Page 81 and 82: I. The first kind includes those wo
- Page 83 and 84: 2. Also. Islam has forbidden a man'
- Page 85 and 86: However. a man can get married to a
- Page 87 and 88: I c Ati"said, No. ýnless she is wi
- Page 89 and 90: ut the woman can not have two husba
- Page 91 and 92: His chief duty is to see that the p
- Page 93 and 94: Dowry in Islam. is the wife's right
- Page 95 and 96: iron ring. " The man went and searc
- Page 97 and 98: , without , paying it. If a man div
- Page 99 and 100: give me what is sufficient for me a
asking him to bring his mother, Layla to visit his own mother, Hind.<br />
So they came and the king entertainedeAmr and his friends in his tent.<br />
Meanwhile, the king ordered his mother, as soon as he should call for<br />
dessert, to dismiss the servants, and cause Layla to wait upon her. At<br />
the pre-arranged signal, she desired to be left alone with her guest,<br />
and said, 10 Layla, hand me that dish'. Layla answered 'Let those who<br />
want anything to serve themselves. Oh shamell cried Layla, 'Help<br />
TagUbp. , help. When'tAmr heard his mother cry. he seized a sword<br />
hanging on the wall and killed the King.<br />
Women were highly appreciated if they gave birth to brave<br />
knights. Women who did so were given the description al-Munji bat<br />
<strong>of</strong> outstanding men).<br />
(the mothers One <strong>of</strong> these mothers was F; timah bint Khurshb<br />
0<br />
who had the perfect sons some <strong>of</strong> whom were leaders<br />
in pre-Islamic<br />
times.<br />
gave birth to Kt7alid, kalik<br />
2 There was also'Ummgfi7atikah and Khuba/ah who<br />
by<br />
ý.<br />
and Rabi; /Jalafer bin Kulaib.<br />
In the tribes, poets <strong>of</strong>ten boasted in their poems <strong>of</strong> having <strong>of</strong><br />
noble bitth mothers. The best example is Zuhay bin Abr Salama who<br />
prided himself upon having a woman such as F7timah bint Khurshub who<br />
had brave and courageous horsemen. The mother's status was naturally<br />
related to their social status, i. e. being free or slaves. Indeed.<br />
free women were more highly esteemed than slaves; children used to<br />
pride themselves upon having free mothers. This fact had various effects<br />
on children, since many children were subject to degradation and ridicule<br />
because <strong>of</strong> their origin. Despite this fact, sometimes children tried<br />
to defend their slave motherso For example, e Antartbin Shaddid the Poet<br />
and the brave knight<br />
, was a son <strong>of</strong> a black slave but he defended<br />
himself and his black skin and he regarded himself as a Courageous<br />
1. See Nicholson, op. cit.. P. 110<br />
2. Ibid<br />
3. See Pufi, P. 85<br />
3<br />
48