MMW 12 Lecture Notes - Lecture 16: Quraysh, Jahiliyyah, Quran
21 Mar 2017
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No significant identity outside of your clan. Fighting constantly over control of water and better land. Mecca had the kaba (a special building) Built on the altar that abraham (of the old hebrew bible) had built. Abraham and family were dying of thirst but finally found a spring of water at this site. Therefore, abraham built an altar to god in thankfulness. Pre muslim - each tribe worshipped a different god. Kind of like how in greece, each god had a special tribe. Mecca run by quraysh (mohammed"s tribe) Contains the kaba and well of zamzam. Had organized trade up and down the peninsula. Religious center supported the commercial center and vice versa. Keen sense of the vulnerability of orphans. Ex) wet nurses did not want to take care of muhammad because his father had already died and they did not know who would pay them. Biography of mohammed is not a sacred text.
