Interaction of Islam with the Ethical Outward Aspects in Pre-Islamic Period (Jāhiliyya)

Although the pre-Islamic Arab culture is always recalled as the jāhilī (pagan) culture, naturally not all traditions and socio-ethical systems of the Arabs consisted of evil and blameworthy traditions or objectionable and detestable morality; as, were it so, they were never able to survive. Undoubtedly, however, the wrong culture and indecent habits prevailed more strikingly in most of their lifestyles. We encounter many ethical ideals in the Holy Quran that existed among the Arabs in some form or another, including such virtues as generosity, bravery, forbearance, loyalty, etc.; however, characteristically, the Quran did not revive and bring back these virtues the way they existed among the Bedouin Arabs; rather, in its adoption and acceptance of these virtues, the Quran edified and reconstructed them and set their power and vitality in a new direction that it had provided. My attention in this article is more focused on description of the outstanding traits and virtues of the jāhilī Arabs which have been accepted and improved.