The conflicts of Ancients and Contemporary Scholars over the Culture of Pre-Islamic Era (with an Emphasis on Illiteracy)

A controversial issue among contemporary Arab historians, intellectuals, and scholars is the culture and civilization of Arabs before Islam and the topic of illiteracy and its widespread in that era. What makes the truth out of reach are the contradictory historical accounts and some are not even approved of. Moreover relying on the literature of pre- Islamic era would not bestow a fair judgment due to its fictitious and untrue portrayal of the realities. This leaves the researcher with the only valid and contemporary source, the Koran. This glorious book could present us with the final verdict not only on this issue but many similar cases. The present article aims to extract this matter considering the pre- Islamic interpretations and a critique on the contemporary critics. Through descriptive analysis various historical and literary documents have benefited from.