Note: This is Part 1 of a three-part series exploring the status of women before and after the advent of Islam. [Part 2] focuses on the restoration of women’s rights, and [Part 3] examines their broader impact on Islamic civilization.
Societal Perceptions and the Stigma of Daughters
In the Arab Age of Ignorance (Jahiliyyah), women possessed no intrinsic value; attention was solely granted to women who bore male children or demonstrated exceptional proficiency in managing the domestic affairs of men. Consequently, the general Arab populace considered having daughters a source of shame and disgrace, to the extent that they would become profoundly enraged upon receiving news of a baby girl’s birth. The Holy Qur’an illustrates this phenomenon: “And when one of them is informed of [the birth of] a female, his face becomes dark, and he suppresses grief” [Surah An-Nahl, 16:58].
The Practice of Female Infanticide
The practice of female infanticide (burying infant girls alive) was not universally prevalent across the Arab society. Although, as previously noted, the entirety of the ignorant Arab society viewed daughters as a disgrace, the live burial of female infants was exclusively a tradition among the aristocracy of two specific tribes—Banu Tamim and Banu Asad—located in the northern Arabian Peninsula. They justified this practice through the apprehension that daughters might be captured by enemies during the frequent tribal wars and conflicts. Thus, they deemed it preferable not to have daughters from the outset. They also resolved their generational needs by raiding caravans and other tribes to abduct their women and girls.
Property Rights and the Legal Status of Women
The status of women in the Jahili society was such that, in numerous instances, upon a man’s death, his wives were distributed among his heirs as part of his estate and property. Even if a woman possessed personal wealth prior to marriage, she forfeited her ownership rights entirely, with all her assets becoming the property of her husband. Furthermore, in pre-Islamic Arab society, polygyny lacked any legal limitations; it was entirely contingent upon the desires, intentions, and financial capacity of the man. Therefore, amidst these dire circumstances, individuals such as Lady Khadijah (Peace Be Upon Her) constituted rare exceptions, wherein her family accorded her distinct respect and prestige, and she possessed her own independently inherited wealth.
Conclusion
The pre-Islamic era was characterized by the systemic disenfranchisement of women, where their identity and rights were entirely subsumed by patriarchal control. From being treated as inheritable property to facing the horrific practice of infanticide among certain tribes, women in Jahili society endured profound subjugation. Understanding this dark historical backdrop is essential for appreciating the monumental social shifts introduced by the Prophet of Islam, which fundamentally dismantled these oppressive traditions.
In Part 2 of this series, we will explore how the advent of Islam dismantled these pre-Islamic traditions and fundamentally restored women’s individual, economic, and social rights.
[Read Part 2: How the Prophet Restored Women’s Rights here.]
