Aswaq al-Arab fi al-Jahiliya wal-Islam
- Author died
- 1417 AH
- Editions
- Aswaq al-Arab fi al-Jahiliya wal-Islam
Aswaq al-Arab fi al-Jahiliya wal-Islam (The Markets of the Arabs in Pre-Islamic Times and Islam) is a historical and literary study by the Syrian scholar Said al-Afghani (1327–1417 AH / 1909–1997 CE) that investigates the commercial, social, and literary seasonal markets of the Arabian Peninsula from pre-Islamic antiquity through the early Islamic era.
Background and Purpose
Al-Afghani completed the first draft of the book on 1 Rabi al-Thani 1355 AH (2 June 1936 CE). He conceived the work to fill what he viewed as a void in the Arabic library regarding the history of seasonal Arab markets and to compare their historical function with ancient Greek assemblies and modern exhibitions. The historical scope of his research spans from the pre-Islamic period (al-Jahiliyya) to the second century AH.
In his preface to the second edition, dated Damascus, 1379 AH (1960 CE), al-Afghani noted that he chose to preserve his original 1936 preface unaltered—despite requests from some orientalists to omit it—because it documented the social, political, and economic conditions in Damascus during the 1936 Damascus Fair and recorded the specific circumstances surrounding the book's composition.
Structure and Contents
The work is organized into three main parts (abwab), preceded by introductory remarks and followed by analytical indices:
- Part One: Commercial Affairs of the Arabs between Jahiliyya and Islam (Shu'un al-Arab al-Tijariyya bayn al-Jahiliyya wal-Islam): Surveys Arab trade routes and geographical positioning, followed by an examination of pre-Islamic commercial transactions—such as ramy bi-l-hasah, al-munabadhah, al-mulamasah, al-mu'awamah, al-muzabanah, al-muhaqalah, al-mukhabarah, habal al-habalah, al-tasriyah, al-sirar, and al-najiz—and the Islamic legal rulings regarding them. It also examines pre-Islamic usury (riba al-jahiliyya) and religious classes such as al-muhillun, al-muharrimun, and al-hums.
- Part Two: Commercial Events of Quraysh (Ahdath Quraysh al-Tijariyya): Explores the mercantile role of Quraysh, their leaders, official offices, and commoners, as well as the trade pact of Ilaf Quraysh. It details the Sacrilegious Wars (Harb al-Fijar), including its causes and battle-days (Nakhlah, Shamzah, al-Abla, Sharb, and al-Harirah), and the subsequent alliance known as the Pact of the Virtuous (Hilf al-Fudul).
- Part Three: The Markets of the Arabs (Aswaq al-Arab): Divided into two sections:
- Pre-Islamic Markets: Monographic chapters on major seasonal fairs, including Dawmat al-Jandal, al-Mushaqqar, Hajar, Uman, Hubashah, Suhar, Daba, al-Shihr, Adan Abyan, Sanaa, Hadramawt, Ukaz, Majannah, Dhu al-Majaz, Natah Khaybar, Hajr, Dayr Ayyub, Busra, Adhri'at, and al-Hira. The chapter on Ukaz covers tribal boastings (munafarah), the Sacrilegious Wars, preaching, poetical rivalries, and the early preaching of Islam.
- Islamic Markets: Focuses primarily on the market of al-Mirbad in Basra, detailing its commercial life, poetical debates (notably between Jarir and al-Farazdaq), grammatical significance, and political conflicts.
The volume concludes with specialized indexes of Quranic verses, hadiths, proper names, tribal and social groups, place names, poetry lines, cited book titles, and topics.
Methodology and Typology
Al-Afghani gathered scattered reports from early Arabic literary, geographical, and historical compilations, clarifying obscure vocabulary and difficult phrasings throughout. In his critical evaluation of the source material on Arab markets, he noted that the orientalist Fritz Krenkow sent him a photographic reproduction of the chapter on markets from Muhammad ibn Habib's Kitab al-Muhabbar in 1937 CE (and later transcribed it upon publishing the text in Hyderabad in 1361 AH / 1942 CE), showing that subsequent classical compilers such as al-Marzuqi had drawn directly upon Ibn Habib's account.
In classifying the markets, al-Afghani divided them into three broad categories:
- Foreign-influenced markets: Fairs subject to foreign administrative influence (Persian or Byzantine), such as al-Hira, Hajar, Uman, Busra, Adhri'at, Gaza, and Ayla, where Arab customs were less dominant and taxes (ushur) were collected by appointed local overseers on behalf of foreign governors.
- Purely Arab markets: Fairs established entirely by Arab tribes to serve their own social, economic, and judicial needs, exempt from foreign control and tithes, best exemplified by Ukaz.
- Mixed coastal markets: Maritime trading centers—such as Adan, Suhar, and Daba—where Arab traders interacted directly with merchants from India, China, Abyssinia, and Persia.
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