ARABIAN UNDERSTANDING OF PROPHETHOOD WITHIN THE CONTEXT OF FALSE PROPHETS

The Arab tribes had been living in Arabian-peninsula and adjacent regions before the birth of Islam. Those communities had no political cohesion but division among various tribes and clans. They believed in Zoroastrianism, Sabaeanism, Christianity and Judaism etc. during the Jahiliyyah period. However, the idea of idolatry mainly formed their mentality. Also they often integrated certain principles of other religions into their own beliefs. By this way, their religious senses, which seemed to be incoherent and mostly secular, gradually took a idiosyncratic shape. Which had a deep impact on their understanding of Godhead, afterlife, worship and prophethood. Although Islam had spreaded over the whole Arabian peninsula towards the end of Prophet Muhammad's (pbuh) life, some late-converts hardly gave up their previous faith. In fact, numerous clans' involvement in the Apostasy (al-Riddah rebellion) breaking out following the death of Prophet Muhammad (phub) proved this claim to be true. The most dangerous leaders of this rebel movement were the false prophets who claimed to be so. The issue of false prophets had both political aspect and revealed the essence of relevant tribes' beliefs. This study aims to clarify the understanding of the Arab tribes who joined in al-Riddah within the context of false prophets. To better apprehend this affair, history of Arabian peninsula, state of religious centers, the status of the prominent persons such as poets and oracles in tribal life, historical background of al-Riddah and driving forces behind the emergence of false prophets need to be taken into account