Holy Qur'an (2...

Holy Qur'an (2:118) This similarity among the hearts of the deviated nations and peoples and the unity of the mental trend, which the Qur'an has revealed, is the common line which identifies all aspects of the pre-Islamic period of ignorance and is the center from which all activities of the ignorant man begins. This similarity is the factor forming the identity and personality of this pre-Islamic nation.

Also this description may be applied to all stages of human history whose generations have evolved into a devious and deviated system and refused to follow the straight path of truth and peace-the straight path of Allah, the law of the Lord, and the message of salvation. When we examine Islamic texts and phrases about identifying and describing the life of (pre-Islamic period) ignorance, we are able to understand the meaning of the idiom `Jahiliyah' and the reason why the Qur'an has used it.

Also we are able to understand why the same idiom has been applied to other nations throughout history.

We are able to understand this terminology and labelling once we learn of the ignorance in the history of past nations and its connected parts, when we follow the unity of the line and trends which associated `Jahiliyah' through its effects and remains, and when we study the description of the Qur'an about the most important aspects of ` Jahiliyah ’, its ways of thinking, and its psychological and behavioral trends.

When we reach this awareness, we find that `jahiliyah' means error, going astray, deviation from Allah's straight path, and negligence in His worship. That is because `jahiliyah' , in the Qur'anic viewpoint, means a religion and lifestyle that follows a line contrary to the line of Islam in nature and aim. It follows the line of deviation from the path of true religion and Allah's ` shari'ah ' (law) which guides man. `Jahiliyah' (ignorance) is a way of life.

It has its own faith, way of thinking, and lifestyle including social manners, worship, values and concepts, viewpoint towards life, method to create civilization, and a direction for human activities in areas such as culture, art, literature, politics, economy, power, law and order, etc.

In order to unveil the ugly face of `jahiliyah' and discover the thread that entwines current ignorant international thoughts, it is better to return to the Holy Qur'an which describes `Jahiliyah' , and its people, and the dimensions of their lifestyle and the features of their civilization and social system.