What was the predominant religion in the Middle East/Arabian peninsula before Islam?

Answer 1

in egypt qept langauge and christianity
in gulf countries pagans
in north most were christians and minor were jews

but after that most of them converted to islam

Answer 2

The Arabian Penninsula had a polytheistic religion (worshipping several gods and goddesses). The tribal confederations on the Northern frontier of Arabia (the Lakhmids and the Ghassanids) were Nestorian Christian; Yemen was a Jewish kingdom for a while (Judaism accepted converts in those days) and famously there were three Jewish tribes in Yathrib (now Medina - the City [of the Prophet]) as well as elsewhere in Arabia, though there were also Christians in Yemen.

The Middle East in general had more religions - Iran had Zoroastrianism and Manicheism, and pagans of various sorts still existed (the pagan schols of philosophy were driven into Persian protection at the time of Justinian) but from Iraq westwards most people were Christian (or Jewish) . There were also various Gnostic sects, some Christian or near-Christian, others less so. One sect still survives, the Mandaeans. In the East of Persia - Bactria and Sogdia in current Afghanistan and Uzbekistan - Buddhism was practiced as well as Christianity and Manicheism.

Answer 3

Hi and peace.

well, Since the Middle East and Arabian Peninsula is a VERY huge place with a TON of ethnic and linguistic and yes even religious diversity before Islam came into this world the predominant religion varied a great deal depending on where in the Middle East you were.

In the North-West, where modern day palestine, lebanon, syria and jordan are...many were followers of some sect of Christianity, there were also smaller pockets following Judaism.

Further south in what is modern day Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Oman, etc etc, there were small pockets of Christian and Jewish groups but most of the tribes followed some form of what basically amounted to Paganism and they had many gods.

But, the tribes in the peninsula wasnt always like that, centuries previous many tribes were Deists and believed in one powerful God, this is evidenced by the fact that the Kab'ah in Makkah was actually built by Abraham (called Ibraheem in the Arabic language) as a place for pilgrimage and was dedicated to the one God or Illah. Unfortunatly, sometime after the time of Abraham the tribes in that area adopted multiple gods and turned the Kab'ah into a place for pilgrims to come to pray and supplicate to the multiple gods they believed in.

The time "before Islam" in the peninsula is called the "jaheliyyah" or age of ignorance because the practices the various peninsular tribes frequently practiced were offensive to humanity such as belief in multiple dieties, burying baby girls alive, wife swapping or selling, not giving women their inheritance and other inhuman and indecent acts that were destroyed when the tribes adopted Islam as their religion.

A excellent book about what the Arabian Penninsula was like at the time the prophet Mohammed (peace be upon him) was born is Muhammad, his life based on the earliest souces by Martin Ling, published by Inner Traditions International. Rochester Vermont.
There are several references to the beliefs of the tribes in the Peninsula at that time, additionally there is one such reference which covers the trading trip the prophet did as a young boy to palestine (or what is modern day Palestine or Syria, that area) where he meets some very pious Christian monks,
Its a very educational and fascinating book. I highly recommend it

Ive also included some links for you to paruse...

Answer 4

Judaism was never the predominant religion of the area. It was always practiced solely by a small group, the Hebrews.
When the Romans ruled the region, their religion (a variety of gods borrowed mostly from Greek mythology) was forced to be predominant. Before that, it was the Persian Empire's brand of multiple gods. And before that, Marduk of Babylon was the main god.
Egyptian mythology also was practiced over a wide area of the middle east, waxing and waning as Egypt's influence did the same. Their religious structure of one "main" god (Ra, the sun god), with his son Osiris (who was killed by being dismembered, then re-born after being re-assembled, then standing as the savior of the Egyptian race and their judge for their deeds after death) is widely believed to be the basis for both Judaism and Christianity. The Egyptians had defined their theology and been practicing it for thousands of years before the bible even says the world existed.

Answer 5

In the alleged words of P.T.. Barnum, "there is a sucker born every minute". I'd put a quote into every famous and unknown atheist's mouth and say that "all religions are bad, if only because they are a substitution of belief for reality." Look at it this way, we observe people becoming neo-Nazis, vegetarians, pro-lifers, pro-choice, anti-vaxers, or any number of things. None of these "conversions" implies that what they are "converting" to is true. Further, the more that any religion/philosophy/belief... claims that "famous people" or large numbers of people are converting, just shows that it has nothing to do with truth or reality. Edit: On the other hand, when we look at strongly Muslim countries, we see a huge abuse of human rights, i.e. women being whipped for what they wear, 13 year old rape victims being stoned, death threats against people drawing Mohammed after centuries of depictions of him, husbands beheading their wives because they want a divorce while men can easily divorce their wives, tourist women required to "cover up" even though they do not believe the country's religion. Granted, when we look at the "salt of the earth" or ordinary Muslim that is not involve in any sort of political power, they are no different than the equivalent person in any other religion, but when Islam becomes in government or power, rarely does it fail to institute a barbaric, intolerant, misogynistic rule.

Answer 6

Christianity, Judaism, Paganism.

Answer 7

The Arabs were idol worshippers. If one were to pull back the black cloth covering the Kabaa in the Grand Mosque in Mecca, one would find 365 niches where the arab gods once stood. Allah was/is the god of the moon and Mohammed considered Allah the most powerful of the arab pantheon. Therefore, he elevated Allah to the same status as the God of Israel and the 'Father' of Christianity and destroyed the others. Hence the symbol of Islam is the crescent moon.

Answer 8

Judaism and Early Christianity.

Answer 9

Christianity mainly, but also Mandeanism, Maniceanism, Ashurism, Judaism and Zoroastrianism. The christian minorities in places such as iraq, syria, lebanon and egypt are direct descendants of the ancient pre arab original inhabitants of those countries, Assyrians like me have been christian since ad78 and still speak Aramaic as a mother tongue.

Answer 10

mostly are idol worshipers. like the ancient egyptian but with less Arts. building big idols and bow down to it, or worship it, or fear they may get curses by these idols. there were also few jewish and christians.

after Muhammad become a prophet, he went and destroy any idol around the black house, and declare that his God is only one, and he is the prophet sent by this God.