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Arabia before Islam In writing the history of Islam, it is customary to begin with a survey of the political, economic, social and religious conditions of Arabia on the eve of the Proclamation by Muhammad (may God bless him and his Ahlul-Bait) of his mission as Messenger of God. They are mentioned in sources such as the Qur'an,[84][85][86][87][88][89] old Arabian poetry, Assyrian annals (Tamudi), in a Greek temple inscription from the northwest Hejaz of 169 CE, in a 5th-century Byzantine source and in Old North Arabian graffiti within Tayma. The tribe was the principle form of social and political organization. The religions weren't very different at the time, it would've just been like converting to stricter Christianity with more clear cut beliefs. [26] Dilmun is regarded as one of the oldest ancient civilizations in the Middle East. Those were assimilated in the next wave of humans consisted of cattle herders in the 6th millennium BCE who introduced cows, wild donkeys, sheep, dogs, camels and goats. Religion in Pre-Islamic Arabia included polytheism, Christianity, Judaism, and Iranian religions. Their first capital was Qaryat Dht Khil, today known as Qaryat Al-Fw.[96]. "[55] The people of Tyre in particular have long maintained Persian Gulf origins, and the similarity in the words "Tylos" and "Tyre" has been commented upon. ", "A history of the later Roman empire: from, "Sicker, Martin", "The Pre-Islamic Middle East","(Connecticut:2000)", "201. The promise of Enki to Ninhursag, the Earth Mother: For Dilmun, the land of my lady's heart, I will create long waterways, rivers and canals, whereby water will flow to quench the thirst of all beings and bring abundance to all that lives. He refers to the people in Greek as Khindynoi (Greek , Arabic Kindah), and mentions that they and the tribe of Maadynoi (Greek: , Arabic: Ma'ad) were the two most important tribes in the area in terms of territory and number. The origin of the Midianites has not been established. It left both the Byzantine and Sassanid empires exhausted and susceptible to third-party attacks, particularly from nomadic Arabs united under a newly formed religion. [citation needed] This fort is 50 miles northeast of al-Hasa in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia. Those peoples may have engaged in trade across the Red Sea with speakers of Cushitic or Nilo-Saharan. Direct link to tuaakin.2421752's post is there really a order o, Posted 3 years ago. The desert frontier of Arabia Petraea was called by the Romans the Limes Arabicus. [50] Some place names in Bahrain go back to the Tylos era, for instance, the residential suburb of Arad in Muharraq, is believed to originate from "Arados", the ancient Greek name for Muharraq island.[51]. Petra (from the Greek petra, meaning 'of rock') lies in the Jordan Rift Valley, east of Wadi `Araba in Jordan about 80km (50mi) south of the Dead Sea. 1. 1. 1 (1970), p28. Most people from Makkah earned money by trading, money lending or being . [33], Dilmun, sometimes described as "the place where the sun rises" and "the Land of the Living", is the scene of some versions of the Sumerian creation myth, and the place where the deified Sumerian hero of the flood, Utnapishtim (Ziusudra), was taken by the gods to live forever. [98] Since later Arab genealogists trace Kindah back to a person called Thawr ibn 'Uqayr, modern historians have concluded that this rbt w wrm (Rab'ah of the People of Thawr) must have been a king of Kindah (kdt); the Musnad inscriptions mention that he was king both of kdt (Kindah) and qhtn (Qan). Introduction to Arab history (6th century) Arabia, is a peninsula between the Persian Gulf, Indian Ocean, and the Red Sea. Once Muhammad was born, he and his followers were persecuted by the pagan rulers of Mecca, and then were forced to leave to another holy city for Islam, Medina. Yes, when the various tribes and kingdoms were conquered, fighting and war would be the last resort. Arabian Peninsula itself had two political zones. Before the rise of Islam, approximately between 400 and 600 CE, the Thamud completely disappeared. In the 3rd and 2nd millennium BCE, speakers of Semitic languages arrived from the Near East and marginalised and absorbed the rest. Justinian viewed his mercenaries as so valued for preventing conflict that he awarded their chief with the titles of patrician, phylarch, and king the highest honours that he could bestow on anyone. During the Late Byzantine or Early Islamic periods, the administrative borderlines were imposed by geographic rather than political considerations. important factor which also influenced the social and moral life of the pre-Islamic Arabs was the economic condition. Slideshow 5006669 by yves. Nabateens Routes. Following the death of Khosrau II in 628, the Persian governor in Southern Arabia, Badhan, converted to Islam and Yemen followed the new religion. As a frontier province, it included a desert area of northeastern Arabia populated by the nomadic Saraceni. Indeed, in a society shaped by the rigors of desert life, women were relegated to the margins of community life. - Free Online Library", "Culture of Yemen - history, people, clothing, traditions, women, beliefs, food, customs, family", "Saudi Aramco World: Well of Good Fortune", "MANICHEISM v. MISSIONARY ACTIVITY AND TECHNIQUE: Manicheism in Arabia", "6th millennium BC structure discovered in Saudi Arabia", "Marking the sacral landscape of a north Arabian oasis: a sixth-millennium BC monumental stone platform and surrounding burials", "Mecca On The Caravan Routes In Pre-Islamic Antiquity", "Arabia In Late Antiquity: An Outline of The Cultural Situation In The Peninsula At The Time of Muhammad", "Sources For The History of Pre-Islamic Religion", "Literacy In Pre-Islamic Arabia: An Analysis of The Epigraphic Evidence", "The Earliest Relations of Islam with Other Religions: The Meccan Polytheists", Internet Medieval Sourcebook: Pre-Islamic Arabia: The Hanged Poems, before 622 CE, Ancient History Sourcebook: Ancient Accounts of Arabia, 430 BCE - 550 CE, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Pre-Islamic_Arabia&oldid=1138747575, "Perishing Arabs": These are the ancients of whose history little is known. Pre-Islamic conditions. He referred to it in surahs aal-Imran, al-Ma'idah, al-Ahzab, and al-Fath. Ships from Himyar regularly traveled the East African coast, and the state also exerted a considerable amount of political control of the trading cities of East Africa. The economy was based on agriculture. Wells is a well known science fiction author from the early 20th century, but he also wrote a two-volume, non-fiction history of the world. [18], Zoroastrianism was also present in Eastern Arabia. [citation needed] It was first referenced by an outside civilization in an Old Sabaic inscription of Karab'il Watar from the early 7th century BC,[citation needed] in which the King of Hadramaut, Yada`'il, is mentioned as being one of his allies. It is also featured in the Epic of Gilgamesh. Curtis E. Larsen. Zaheerul Islam, Guest lecturer, Deptt. As a result of this, the Aksumite Empire was able to capture the Himyarite capital of Thifar in the first quarter of the 3rd century. [79][80] The standing relief image of a crowned man, is taken to be a representation possibly of the Jewish king Malkkarib Yuhamin or more likely the Christian Esimiphaios (Samu Yafa').[81]. Additionally, the influence of the Sasanian Empire resulted in Iranian religions being present in the peninsula. For many years it was also the major intermediary linking East Africa and the Mediterranean world. Recently evidence has been discovered that Roman legions occupied Mada'in Saleh in the Hijaz mountains area of northwestern Arabia, increasing the extension of the "Arabia Petraea" province.[94]. Gradually the whole city converted to that faith. Socio-Religious conditions of pre-Islamic Arabia 2. However, in the early epic "Enmerkar and the Lord of Aratta", the main events, which center on Enmerkar's construction of the ziggurats in Uruk and Eridu, are described as taking place in a world "before Dilmun had yet been settled". [29] Dilmun appears first in Sumerian cuneiform clay tablets dated to the end of fourth millennium BCE, found in the temple of goddess Inanna, in the city of Uruk. The ancestral lineage followed through males, since the tribes and clans were named after the male ancestors. There was a dam in this city, however one year there was so much rain that the dam was carried away by the ensuing flood. Were Moses and Abraham really prophets? In other places, such as the city of Mecca, and in . [82] The Lihyanite kingdom went through three different stages, the early phase of Lihyan Kingdom was around the 7th century BC, started as a Sheikdom of Dedan then developed into the Kingdom of Lihyan tribe. They participated in the Second Persian invasion of Greece (479-480 BCE) while also helping the Achaemenids invade Egypt by providing water skins to the troops crossing the desert.[93]. The Condition of Arabia before the Advent of Islam In writing the history of Islam, it is customary to begin with a survey of the political, economic, social and religious conditions of Arabia on the eve of the Proclamation by Muhammad (may God bless him and his Ahlul-Bait) of his mission as Messenger of God.In writing the history of Islam, it is customary to begin with a survey of the . As in most of the nomadic tribes of the ancient world, women were deemed unimportant in pre-Islamic Arabia. These recurred throughout the 6 th and 7 th centuries, and contributed to the demise of both civilizations. The Greeks called Yemen "Arabia Felix" (Happy Arabia). Once it was one of the most important small kingdoms of South Arabia. Scientific studies of Pre-Islamic Arabs starts with the Arabists of the early 19th century when they managed to decipher epigraphic Old South Arabian (10th century BCE), Ancient North Arabian (6th century BCE) and other writings of pre-Islamic Arabia. Gadarat (GDRT) of Aksum began to interfere in South Arabian affairs, signing an alliance with Saba, and a Himyarite text notes that Hadramaut and Qataban were also allied against the kingdom. With the waning of Seleucid Greek power, Tylos was incorporated into Characene or Mesenian, the state founded in what today is Kuwait by Hyspaosines in 127 BCE. Arabia in the past has never supported a large population. Information about these communities is limited and has been pieced together from archaeological evidence, accounts written outside of Arabia, and Arab oral traditions which were later recorded by Islamic historians. Here, according to Agatharchides, they were for a time very troublesome, as wreckers and pirates, to the reopened commerce between Egypt and the East, until they were chastised by the Ptolemaic rulers of Alexandria. Additionally, from the second half of the second millennium BCE,[3] Southern Arabia was the home to a number of kingdoms such as the Sabaeans, Minaeans, and Eastern Arabia was inhabited by Semitic speakers who presumably migrated from the southwest, such as the so-called Samad population. ), so it was not known in great detail. See answer (1) Best Answer. The Roman province of Arabia Petraea was created at the beginning of the 2nd century by emperor Trajan. It is currently unknown exactly when Gerrha fell, but the area was under Sassanid Persian control after 300 CE. 'Amr bin Luayy played a vital role in changing the religious conditions in Pre-Islamic Arabia. Spread Of Islam Dbq Essay. to 1300 C.E. The adjective "Dilmun" is used to describe a type of axe and one specific official; in addition there are lists of rations of wool issued to people connected with Dilmun.[30]. Instead, they simply provided 1,000 talents of frankincense a year. The Roman emperor Augustus sent a military expedition to conquer the "Arabia Felix", under the command of Aelius Gallus. Before the founding of Islam, most Arabs followed? Direct link to George Estep's post Were Moses and Abraham re, Posted 5 years ago. H.G. Women in Islam. It is often translated as the "Age of Ignorance". The religious, social, political and economical climates of seventh century Arabia, also known as pre-Islamic Arabia, contributed immensely to the emergence of Islam. The Romans called the vassal nomadic states within the Roman Empire "Arabia Petraea" after the city of Petra, and called unconquered deserts bordering the empire to the south and east Arabia Magna (Larger Arabia) or Arabia Deserta (Deserted Arabia). The kingdom of Hadramaut was eventually conquered by the Himyarite king Shammar Yahri'sh around 300 CE, unifying all of the South Arabian kingdoms.[77]. [46] Alexander had planned to settle the eastern shores of the Persian Gulf with Greek empires, and although it is not clear that this happened on the scale he envisaged, Tylos was very much part of the Hellenised world: the language of the upper classes was Greek (although Aramaic was in everyday use), while Zeus was worshipped in the form of the Arabian sun-god Shams. Gods and goddesses were worshipped at local shrines, such as the Kaaba in Mecca. "State and Society in Pre-Islamic Arabia." In The Early Islamic Conquests. [47] Tylos even became the site of Greek athletic contests. It was formed of a group of Arab Christians who lived in Southern Iraq, and made al-Hirah their capital in (266). -- influence on Islamic law; Five Pillars of Islam. [22] The sedentary dialects of Eastern Arabia, including Bahrani Arabic, were influenced by Akkadian, Aramaic and Syriac languages. This overlap, however, provides opportunity for interactivity between chapters and . 2. It is thought that the Qedarites were eventually subsumed into the Nabataean state after their rise to prominence in the 2nd century CE. And such a prophecy would not have been an altogether vain one, . Gerrha was destroyed by the Qarmatians in the end of the 9th century where all inhabitants were massacred (300,000). Meccan Arabs, themselves, called the Pre-Islamic period as the Jahiliyya, meaning Age of Ignorance, or Age of Immorality. [115] The Ghassanids, as Monophysite Christians from Iraq, believed that God and Jesus Christ were only one nature. Ancient South Arabian inscriptions mention a tribe settling in Najd called kdt, who had a king called rbt (Rabi'ah) from w wr-m (the people of Thawr), who had sworn allegiance to the king of Saba' and Dh Raydn. The adjective Dilmun refers to a type of axe and one specific official; in addition, there are lists of rations of wool issued to people connected with Dilmun.[9]. [19][20][21] The Zoroastrians of Eastern Arabia were known as "Majoos" in pre-Islamic times. Use the following terms in your description: desert, prosperous, trading city, merchants, religious center. When the Minaeans took control of the caravan routes in the 4th century BCE, however, Hadramaut became one of its confederates, probably because of commercial interests. Allah refers to Jahiliyyah in the Holy Quran. Before the ByzantineSassanid War of 602628, the Plague of Justinian had erupted (541-542), spreading through Persia and into Byzantine territory. The politics of the Middle East during the 5 th and 6 th centuries CE were complex. Actually pre-Islamic Arabia was like a checkerboard in which any point could be reached by any route. 700 BCE and provided irrigation for about 25,000 acres (101km2) of land[76] and stood for over a millennium, finally collapsing in 570 CE after centuries of neglect. Following the collapse of the Kassite dynasty, Mesopotamian documents make no mention of Dilmun with the exception of Assyrian inscriptions dated to 1250 BCE which proclaimed the Assyrian king to be king of Dilmun and Meluhha. The art is similar to that of neighbouring cultures. According to Herodotus, Cambyses did not subdue the Arabs when he attacked Egypt in 525 BCE. BIBLIOGRAPHY THE STATE OF RELIGION IN PRE-ISLAMIC ARABIA The period in the Arabian history which preceded the birth of Islam is known as the Times of Ignorance. See: Jawd 'Al: Al-Mufaal f Trkh al-'Arab Qabl al-Islam, Part 39. harvnb error: no target: CITEREFBlench2010 (, harvnb error: no target: CITEREFMcNutt2003 (, harvnb error: no target: CITEREFBosworthHeinrichsDonzel2003 (, harvnb error: no target: CITEREFMeeker1979 (, harvnb error: no target: CITEREFDoughtyLawrence2010 (, "Bury, John. Nat. The biggest challenge they had was that their was no fertile soil, This led the Mecca's to sell slaves. The Persian king Khosrau I sent troops under the command of Vahriz (Persian: ), who helped the semi-legendary Sayf ibn Dhi Yazan to drive the Aksumites out of Yemen. As already discussed that the pre-Islamic Arabia was inhabited by two types of people, i.e. a. a sacrament. The Aksumite intervention is connected with Dhu Nuwas, a Himyarite king who changed the state religion to Judaism and began to persecute the Christians in Yemen. Dilmun is also described in the epic story of Enki and Ninhursag as the site at which the Creation occurred. The Kindites were polytheistic until the 6th century CE, with evidence of rituals dedicated to the idols Athtar and Khil found in their ancient capital in south-central Arabia (present day Saudi Arabia). During Sabaean rule, Yemen was called "Arabia Felix" by the Romans, who were impressed by its wealth and prosperity. The whole world lay in the fast grip of paganism, savagery, debauchery, anarchy and other vices. The ancient Kingdom of Awsan with a capital at Hagar Yahirr in the wadi Markha, to the south of the wadi Bayhan, is now marked by a tell or artificial mound, which is locally named Hagar Asfal. [42] At this time, Eastern Arabia incorporated the southern Sassanid province covering the Persian Gulf's southern shore plus the archipelago of Bahrain. Limestone sculpture from pre-Islamic Yemen that represents a ram. The Dilmun civilization was the centre of commercial activities linking traditional agriculture of the land with maritime trade between diverse regions as the Indus Valley and Mesopotamia in the early period and China and the Mediterranean in the later period (from the 3rd to the 16th century CE). Mecca was a sort of religious center at the time of Muhammad's birth, as there was an annual pilgrimage to it by Arabs for religious reasons. Pre-Islamic Arabia -social and economic conditions, -beliefs and customs, Istis-hab (Presumption of Continuity), -Stare Decisis. Pre-Islamic Yemen produced stylized alabaster (the most common material for sculpture) heads of great aesthetic and historic charm. Religion in pre-Islamic Arabia included pre-Islamic Arabian polytheism, ancient Semitic religions (religions predating the Abrahamic religions which themselves likewise originated among the ancient Semitic-speaking peoples), Abrahamic religions such as Christianity, Judaism, Samaritanism, and Mandaeism, and Iranian religions such as Zoroastrianism and Manichaeism, as well as Dharmic religions such as Buddhism. Pre-Islamic religions in Arabia included Arabian indigenous polytheistic beliefs, ancient Semitic religions (religions predating the Abrahamic religions which themselves likewise originated among the ancient Semitic-speaking peoples), various forms of Christianity, Judaism, Samaritanism, and Mandaeism, Manichaeism, Zoroastrianism, and rarely Buddhism. vi. that they had some qualities as well. Many small kingdoms prospered from Red sea and Indian Ocean trade. Some of the settled communities developed into distinctive civilizations. I. Shahid, 'Pre-Islamic Arabia', The Cambridge History of Islam, vol. Immortality: many practices went on in pre Islamic Arabia which are considered immoral by the standards of Islam which included; Idol worship - commits sins of shirk. Direct link to Saravalenciatorres's post Describe Mecca around the, Posted 3 years ago. [45], It is not known whether Bahrain was part of the Seleucid Empire, although the archaeological site at Qalat Al Bahrain has been proposed as a Seleucid base in the Persian Gulf. Southern Arabia became a Persian dominion under a Yemenite vassal and thus came within the sphere of influence of the Sassanid Empire. To log in and use all the features of Khan Academy, please enable JavaScript in your browser. Like the other Southern Arabian kingdoms, it gained great wealth from the trade of frankincense and myrrh incense, which were burned at altars. In pre-Islamic Arabia, women's status varied widely according to the laws and cultural norms of the tribes in which they lived. Gerrha was the center of an Arab kingdom from approximately 650 BCE to circa 300 CE. By about 250 BCE, the Seleucids lost their territories to Parthians, an Iranian tribe from Central Asia. Muhammad spreads revelations rejecting the idol worship of Mecca and urged his followers to submit to God, forming a religious community that became the Islamic faith. They settled east of the Syro-African rift between the Dead Sea and the Red Sea, that is, in the land that had once been Edom. 32) says it was 5 miles in circumference with towers built of square blocks of salt. From the 3rd century CE, Arabian history becomes more tangible with the rise of the imyarite, and with the appearance of the Qanites in the Levant and the gradual assimilation of the Nabataeans by the Qanites in the early centuries CE, a pattern of expansion exceeded in the Muslim conquests of the 7th century. [42][60] The name, meaning 'ewe-fish' would appear to suggest that the name /Tulos/ is related to Hebrew /leh/ 'lamb' (Strong's 2924). Pre-Islamic Arabia is the Arabian Peninsula prior to the emergence of Islam in 610 CE. As you read this, remember that Muslims consider Muhammad to be the last in a line of prophets which include Abraham, Moses and Jesus. Politico-Notional . Mr Pahary (Islamic Religion And Culture (2068) & Islamic Studies (9013)) Page 1 Pre Islamic Arabia Tribal / Political System in Arabia before Islam. This book collects a diverse range of ancient texts and inscriptions for the history especially of the northern region during this time period. The capital of Qataban was named Timna and was located on the trade route which passed through the other kingdoms of Hadramaut, Saba and Ma'in. Think about how these connections might have influenced the adoption of Islam. Gerrha and Uqair are archaeological sites on the eastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula. Some authors assert that the Lihyanites fell into the hands of the Nabataeans around 65 BC upon their seizure of Hegra then marching to Tayma, and finally to their capital Dedan in 9 BC. "Epigraphic South Arabian". Petra or Sela was the ancient capital of Edom; the Nabataeans must have occupied the old Edomite country, and succeeded to its commerce, after the Edomites took advantage of the Babylonian captivity to press forward into southern Judaea. Qataban was one of the ancient Yemeni kingdoms which thrived in the Beihan valley. [38] It was 2 miles from the Persian Gulf near current day Hofuf. Arabia would have seemed what it had been for times immemorial, , the refuge of small and bickering nomadic tribes, . [112] The exact number; however, is often disputed by contemporary historians. 4. [28], Dilmun was mentioned in two letters dated to the reign of Burna-Buriash II (c. 1370 BCE) recovered from Nippur, during the Kassite dynasty of Babylon. [56] However, there is little evidence of occupation at all in Bahrain during the time when such migration had supposedly taken place.[57]. Most of it originates from Hadith and historical traditions, pre-Islamic poetry, and early biographical accounts, or from conclusions from Qur'anic statements. [114] By the late 6th century, an uneasy peace remained until disagreements erupted between the mercenaries and their patron empires. (History, I:1). According to the Persians best informed in history, the Phoenicians began the quarrel. We will write a custom Essay on The State of Religion in Pre-islamic Arabia specifically for you. [110], The demographic situation also favoured Arab expansion: overpopulation and lack of resources encouraged Arabs to migrate out of Arabia.[111]. On the similarity of sounds, Jerome suggested a connection with the tribe Nebaioth mentioned in Genesis, but modern historians are cautious about an early Nabatean history. Answer and Explanation: Become a Study.com member to unlock this answer! Introduction. "Bowersock", "Brown", and "Grabar", ""Alphabetical Guide" in Late Antiquity: A Guide to the Post-Classical World", "(Cambridge: 2000)", "469". Votive alabaster figurines from Yemen that represent seated women and female heads; 3rd-1st century BC; National Museum of Oriental Art (Rome, Italy), Stele, male wearing a baldric an iconic artwork for pre-Islamic Arabia; 4th millennium BCE, Al-'Ula (Saudi Arabia); exhibition at the National Museum of Korea (Seoul), Another anthropomorphic stele from pre-Islamic Saudi Arabia. But before that let me parcel an interesting side of . In pre-Islamic Arabia, most sedentary Arabs were of Arabian origin. It was the first of the Yemeni kingdoms to end, and the Minaean language died around 100 CE . Arabia was the cradle of Islam, and through this faith it influenced every Muslim people. the political environment in which the conception of a community of . [31] Dilmun's commercial power began to decline between 2000 BCE and 1800 BCE because piracy flourished in the Persian Gulf. It produced valuable incense and was known for its gold, , and the fierce independence of its inhabitants made it impossible to conquer, In addition to indigenous Arabian polytheism and some forms of Judaism and Christianity practiced in the, , there is evidence that other forms of monotheism were practiced there, . chapter 6 (part 1 of 5). There common language was Arabic, There was no political unity among them. [citation needed] Recent archaeological work has revealed numerous Thamudic rock writings and pictures. Pre-Islamic Arabia refers to the Arabic civilization which existed in the Arabian Peninsula before the rise of Islam in the 630s. Nebes, Norbert. The Minaean Kingdom was centered in northwestern Yemen, with most of its cities lying along Wd Madhab. Arabia forms the connection between Asia (by the dry plains extending northward to the Euphrates) and Africa (by the equally dry isthmus of Suez). Christianity made a lesser impact, but secured some conversions, in the remainder of the peninsula. Lihyan, also called Dadn or Dedan, was a powerful and highly organized ancient Arab kingdom that played a vital cultural and economic role in the north-western region of the Arabian Peninsula and used Dadanitic language. The Lakhmid Kingdom was founded by the Lakhum tribe that immigrated out of Yemen in the 2nd century and ruled by the Banu Lakhm, hence the name given it. "Thamud", in the writings of Aristotle, Ptolemy, and Pliny. I don't remember any prophecies from them in the Bible, and I don't think the Koran (or any interpretation of it) shows that these men told prophecies. The first point is that the social structure within the nomadic life of the Arabs in the desert. Prophet's life at Makkah and Madina 4. Direct link to Saravalenciatorres's post Before the founding of Is, Posted 3 years ago. The poet's role in pre-Islamic culture was religious and ritualized. Pre-Islamic Arabia. A grasp of the geography of Arabia, therefore, is necessary . The Byzantines' official religion was Orthodox Christianity, which believed that Jesus Christ and God were two natures within one entity. The Muslims were able to launch attacks against both empires, which resulted in destruction of the Sassanid Empire and the conquest of Byzantium's territories in the Levant, the Caucasus, Egypt, Syria and North Africa. b. the ulama. Of these the most remarkable was the existence of a belief in Allah as the Supreme God (Q. The most organized of the Northern Arabian tribes, at the height of their rule in the 6th century BCE, the Kingdom of Qedar spanned a large area between the Persian Gulf and the Sinai.