What's happened Arab world and how did it develop? This article will focus on its culture and the development of science, history and features of the worldview. What was it like several centuries ago and what does the Arab world look like today? Which modern states refer to it today?
The essence of the concept of "Arab world"
This concept means a certain geographical region, consisting of the countries of northern and eastern Africa, the Middle East, inhabited by Arabs (a group of peoples). In each of them, Arabic is the official language (or one of the official ones, as in Somalia).
The total area of the Arab world is approximately 13 million km2, which makes it the second largest geolinguistic unit on the planet (after Russia).
The Arab world should not be confused with the term "Muslim world", used exclusively in a religious context, as well as with an international organization called the League of Arab States, created in 1945.
Geography of the Arab world
What states of the planet are usually included in the Arab world? The photo below gives general idea about its geography and structure.
So, the Arab world includes 23 states. Moreover, two of them are partially not recognized by the world community (they are marked with asterisks in the list below). About 345 million people live in these states, which is no more than 5% of total population peace.
All countries of the Arab world are listed below, in decreasing order of their population. This:
- Egypt.
- Morocco.
- Algeria.
- Sudan.
- Saudi Arabia.
- Iraq.
- Yemen.
- Syria.
- Tunisia.
- Somalia.
- Jordan.
- Libya.
- Lebanon.
- Palestine*.
- Mauritania.
- Oman.
- Kuwait.
- Qatar.
- Comoros.
- Bahrain.
- Djibouti.
- West Sahara*.
The largest cities in the Arab world are Cairo, Damascus, Baghdad, Mecca, Rabat, Algiers, Riyadh, Khartoum, Alexandria.
Essay on the ancient history of the Arab world
The history of the development of the Arab world began long before the rise of Islam. In those ancient times, the peoples that today are an integral part of this world still communicated in their own languages (although they were related to Arabic). Information about what was the history of the Arab world in antiquity, we can draw from Byzantine or ancient Roman sources. Of course, looking through the prism of time can be quite distorted.
The ancient Arab world was perceived by highly developed states (Iran, Roman and byzantine empire) poor and semi-wild. In their view, it was a desert land with a small and nomadic population. In fact, the nomads were an overwhelming minority, and most of Arabs led a sedentary way of life, gravitating towards the valleys of small rivers and oases. After the domestication of the camel, caravan trade began to develop here, which for many inhabitants of the planet became the reference (template) image of the Arab world.
The first beginnings of statehood arose in the north of the Arabian Peninsula. Even earlier, according to historians, originated ancient state Yemen, in the south of the peninsula. However, the contacts of other powers with this formation were minimal due to the presence of a huge desert several thousand kilometers long.
The Arab-Muslim world and its history are well described in Gustave Le Bon's book "History of the Arab Civilization". It was published in 1884, it was translated into many languages of the world, including Russian. The book is based on independent travel author on the Middle East and North Africa.
Arab World in the Middle Ages
In the VI century, the Arabs already made up the majority of the population of the Arabian Peninsula. Soon the Islamic religion is born here, after which the Arab conquests begin. In the 7th century, a new public education- The Arab Caliphate, which spread over vast expanses from Hindustan to the Atlantic, from the Sahara to the Caspian.
Numerous tribes and peoples of northern Africa very quickly assimilated into Arab culture, easily adopting their language and religion. In turn, the Arabs absorbed some elements of their culture.
If in Europe the era of the Middle Ages was marked by the decline of science, then in the Arab world it was actively developing at that time. This applied to many of its industries. Algebra, psychology, astronomy, chemistry, geography and medicine reached their maximum development in the medieval Arab world.
The Arab caliphate existed for a relatively long time. In the 10th century, the processes of feudal fragmentation of a great power began. Ultimately, the once unified Arab Caliphate disintegrated into many separate countries. Most of them in the XVI century became part of another empire - the Ottoman Empire. IN XIX century the lands of the Arab world become colonies of European states - Britain, France, Spain and Italy. To date, they have all become independent and sovereign countries again.
Features of the culture of the Arab world
The culture of the Arab world cannot be imagined without the Islamic religion, which has become its integral part. So, unshakable faith in Allah, veneration of the Prophet Muhammad, fasting and daily prayers, as well as pilgrimage to Mecca (the main shrine for every Muslim) are the main "pillars" religious life all inhabitants of the Arab world. Mecca, by the way, was a holy place for the Arabs in pre-Islamic times.
Islam, according to researchers, is in many ways similar to Protestantism. In particular, he also does not condemn wealth, and the commercial activity of a person is evaluated from the point of view of morality.
In the Middle Ages, it was in Arabic that a huge number of works on history were written: chronicles, chronicles, biographical dictionaries etc. With special trepidation in Muslim culture belonged (and still do) to the image of the word. So-called Arabic script It's not just calligraphy. The beauty of the written letters among the Arabs is equated with the ideal beauty of the human body.
No less interesting and noteworthy are the traditions of Arab architecture. The classical type of Muslim temple with mosques was formed in the 7th century. It is a closed (deaf) rectangular courtyard, inside of which a gallery of arches is attached. In that part of the courtyard that faces Mecca, a luxuriously decorated and spacious prayer hall was built, topped with a spherical dome. Above the temple, as a rule, rises one or more sharp towers (minarets), which are designed to call Muslims to prayer.
Among the most famous monuments Arab architecture can be called in Syrian Damascus (VIII century), as well as the mosque of Ibn-Tulun in Egyptian Cairo, the architectural elements of which are generously decorated with beautiful floral ornaments.
In Muslim temples there are no gilded icons or any images or paintings. But the walls and arches of the mosques are decorated with elegant arabesques. This is a traditional Arabic pattern consisting of geometric patterns and floral ornaments(it should be noted that artistic image animals and humans is considered blasphemous in Muslim culture). Arabesques, according to European culturologists, are "afraid of the void." They completely cover the surface and exclude the presence of any colored background.
Philosophy and literature
Very closely related to the Islamic religion. One of the most famous Muslim philosophers is the thinker and physician Ibn Sina (980 - 1037). He is considered the author of at least 450 works on medicine, philosophy, logic, arithmetic and other fields of knowledge.
The most notable work Ibn Sina (Avicenna) - "The Canon of Medicine". Texts from this book have been used for many centuries in various universities in Europe. Another of his works, The Book of Healing, also significantly influenced the development of Arabic philosophical thought.
The most famous literary monument medieval Arab world - a collection of fairy tales and stories "A Thousand and One Nights". In this book, researchers have found elements of pre-Islamic Indian and Persian stories. Over the centuries, the composition of this collection has changed; it acquired its final form only in the 14th century.
The development of science in the modern Arab world
In the Middle Ages, the Arab world occupied a leading position on the planet in the field of scientific achievements and discoveries. It was Muslim scientists who "gave" the world algebra, made a huge leap in the development of biology, medicine, astronomy and physics.
However, today the countries of the Arab world pay disastrously little attention to science and education. Today, there are just over a thousand universities in these states, and only 312 of them employ scientists who publish their articles in scientific journals. In all of history, only two Muslims have been honored with Nobel Prize in the scientific field.
What is the reason for such a striking contrast between "then" and "now"?
Historians do not have a single answer to this question. Most of them explain this decline in science by the feudal fragmentation of the once unified Arab state (the Caliphate), as well as the emergence of various Islamic schools, which provoked more and more disagreements and conflicts. Another reason may be that the Arabs know their own history quite poorly and are not proud of the great successes of their ancestors.
Wars and Terrorism in the Modern Arab World
Why are the Arabs fighting? The Islamists themselves claim that in this way they are trying to restore the former power of the Arab world and gain independence from Western countries.
It is important to note that the main holy book of Muslims, the Koran, does not deny the possibility of capturing foreign territories and taxing the occupied lands with tribute (this is indicated by the eighth sura "Production"). Besides, with the help of weapons it has always been much easier to spread one's religion.
Arabs from the most ancient times became famous as brave and rather cruel warriors. Neither the Persians nor the Romans dared to fight with them. And the desert Arabia did not attract the attention of large empires too much. However, Arab warriors were gladly accepted into the service of the Roman troops.
After the end of the First World War and the collapse Ottoman Empire Arab-Muslim civilization plunged into a deep crisis, which historians compare with the Thirty Years' War of the 17th century in Europe. It is obvious that any such crisis sooner or later ends with a surge of radical sentiments and active impulses to revive, return the "golden age" in its history. The same processes are taking place in the Arab world today. So, in Africa, a terrorist organization is rampant in Syria and Iraq - ISIS. Aggressive activity last education already goes far beyond the Muslim states.
The modern Arab world is tired of wars, conflicts and clashes. But no one knows for sure how to extinguish this "fire".
Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia is often called the heart of the Arab-Muslim world today. Here are the main shrines of Islam - the cities of Mecca and Medina. The main (and, in fact, the only) religion in this state is Islam. Representatives of other faiths are allowed to enter Saudi Arabia, but they may not be allowed to enter Mecca or Medina. Also, "tourists" are strictly forbidden to demonstrate in the country any symbols of a different faith (for example, wear crosses, etc.).
IN Saudi Arabia there is even a special "religious" police, the purpose of which is to suppress possible violations of the laws of Islam. Religious criminals will face appropriate punishment - from a fine to execution.
Despite all of the above, Saudi Arabian diplomats are actively working on the world stage in the interests of protecting Islam, maintaining partnerships with Western countries. Difficult relationship the state develops with Iran, which also claims leadership in the region.
Syrian Arab Republic
Syria is another important center of the Arab world. At one time (under the Umayyads), it was in the city of Damascus that the capital of the Arab Caliphate was located. Today, the country continues to be bloody Civil War(since 2011). Western human rights organizations Syria is often criticized, accusing its leadership of violating human rights, using torture and significantly restricting freedom of speech.
About 85% are Muslims. However, "non-believers" have always felt free and quite comfortable here. The laws of the Koran on the territory of the country are perceived by its inhabitants, rather, as traditions.
Arab Republic of Egypt
The largest (by population) country in the Arab world is Egypt. 98% of its inhabitants are Arabs, 90% profess Islam (Sunni). Egypt has a huge number of tombs with Muslim saints, which attract thousands of pilgrims during religious holidays.
Islam in modern Egypt has a significant impact on society. However, Muslim laws here are significantly relaxed and adjusted to the realities of the 21st century. It is interesting to note that most of the ideologists of the so-called "radical Islam" were educated at Cairo University.
Finally...
The Arab world refers to a special historical region, roughly covering the Arabian Peninsula and North Africa. It geographically includes 23 modern states.
The culture of the Arab world is specific and very closely connected with the traditions and canons of Islam. The modern realities of this region are conservatism, the weak development of science and education, the spread of radical ideas and terrorism.
group of peoples. The Arab world consists of 20 countries in North Africa and the Middle East with a population of about 430 million people. Arabic language (Semitic language group), suppressing religion - Islam.
A complicated Arab history
The history of the Arab world is so multifaceted and confusing that historians still express their versions.
Arabs mentioned for the first time ancient sources- Assyrian and Babylonian chronicles. Much is said about the Arab people in the Bible. On the pages Holy Scripture it is reported about the appearance in Palestine of tribes of shepherds from the southern oases. These tribes became known as Ibri, which means "crossed the river." Arabs consider Arabia their homeland. The island of the Arabs - Jazirat al-Arab - is washed by the Red Sea and the Aden, Persian, Ottoman gulfs. However, if among historians there is a dispute about the origin of the Arabs, then it is still difficult for them to indicate a specific place. For this reason, the history of the origin of the Arabs is presented in the form of several territorial zones:
1. The ancient Arabian region, which does not coincide with the borders of the modern peninsula. This zone includes eastern Syria and Jordan.
2. The territory of Syria, Palestine, Lebanon and Jordan.
3. Iraq, Egypt, Libya, North Sudan.
4. Mauritanian zone (Tunisia, Morocco, Algeria, Mauritania, Western Sahara).
Arab occupations
Among the Arabs, according to the type of employment, they distinguish nomads, farmers And townspeople. The nomads of central and northern Arabia raised sheep, cattle and camels. The nomadic tribes of the Arabs were not isolated, so they were located mainly surrounded by economically developed regions. Arab farmers work tirelessly on their lands, as a good harvest will feed the family and make it possible to make a reserve. Southern plantations grow grain, fruits, vegetables, and even cotton. A typical urban way of life reigns in Sanaa, Cairo, Beirut. Dubai, Abu Dhabi are luxurious cities where tourists tend to get to enjoy the magnificence of the Arab state. Arabs work in factories, drive cars about their business, and children go to school. Ordinary city dwellers. The tragic events in Syrian Aleppo are known to the whole world. Here, the once flourishing city is turned into a pile of stones and ruins.
Arabic culture
Arab culture reached its peak in the period from the 8th to the 11th century. The Arabs became the founders mathematical science, medicine, architecture, philosophy and poetry. Ibn Al-Haytham dedicated his life exact sciences: mathematics, astronomy, physics and optics. He first illuminated the building human eye. In astronomy, the Arab scientist Mohammed ibn Ahmed al-Biruni became famous. medical encyclopedia provided to the world by the author of the monograph "The Canon of Medicine" the famous Ibn Sina (Avicenna). famous fairy tales"A Thousand and One Nights" are known all over the world.
The customs and traditions of the Arabs in the modern world
Arabs honor their traditions. When a man meets a woman, he always speaks first. The salutation of two men goes like this: both touch their cheeks to each other, and then clapping alternately on the backs. Slowly relate to time not only in everyday life, but also on business meetings. A philosophical attitude to life underlies this type of behavior. Arabs do not tolerate fuss, spontaneity, running around and hassle. However, they make their decisions deliberately, following a predetermined system. A calm, cool attitude to what is happening does not mean at all that the Arab is the same in temperament. The freedom-loving great-grandson of militant ancestors, he can momentarily become enraged and become a daring opponent. Arab revenge is not without reason called blood. To protect their desecrated honor or loved ones, the Arabs are not afraid to grab weapons and join the battle. Honor for an Arab is sacred!
Family Arabic way
Visiting an Arab family, you will be quite comfortable. The host will meet you with cordiality, seat you at the table and offer flavored coffee. IN Muslim world it is customary to respect the interlocutor, to try to make his stay in a strange house as comfortable as possible. The family in the Arab world is the first life value. The family includes a large number of relatives other than spouses and their heirs. The power of a man in the family is undeniable, he is a protector, breadwinner, master.
Ow, pl. arabes pl. 1. Semitic people ethno-linguistic group. BAS 2. We took the science of rhyming from the Arapov. East rum. 69. I decided to call myself not a European, but a Baghdad Arab. Pant. in. sl. 2 255. This respect is not only for women ... ... Historical dictionary gallicisms of the Russian language
Modern Encyclopedia
- (self-name al Arab) a group of peoples (Algerians, Egyptians, Moroccans, etc.), the main population Arab countries Zap. Asia and North. Africa. The total number of St. 199 million people (1992). Arabic language. Most Muslims... Big encyclopedic Dictionary
ARABS, Arabs, unit. arab, arab, male The people of Arabia. Dictionary Ushakov. D.N. Ushakov. 1935 1940 ... Explanatory Dictionary of Ushakov
ARAB, ov, units arab, a, husband. The peoples inhabiting Western Asia and North Africa, the Crimea includes Algerians, Egyptians, Yemenis, Lebanese, Syrians, Palestinians, etc. | female arab, i. | adj. Arabic, oh, oh. Explanatory dictionary of Ozhegov. S.I. Ozhegov, ... ... Explanatory dictionary of Ozhegov
Arabs- (self-name al Arab) a group of peoples with a total number of 199,000 thousand people. Settlement regions: Africa 125200 thousand people, Asia 70000 thousand people, Europe 2500 thousand people, America 1200 thousand people, Australia and Oceania 100 thousand people. Main countries ... ... Illustrated Encyclopedic Dictionary
Ov; pl. An extensive group of peoples inhabiting the countries of Southwest Asia in the Persian Gulf and North Africa; representatives of these peoples. ◁ Arab, a; m. Arabka, and; pl. genus. side, dat. bcam; and. * * * Arabs (self-name al Arab), a group ... ... encyclopedic Dictionary
Arabs Ethnopsychological dictionary
ARAB- representatives of twenty-two states of the Near and Middle East, having common ethnic roots and similar psychology. Arabs are cheerful, cheerful and funny people, distinguished by observation, ingenuity, friendliness. However… Encyclopedic Dictionary of Psychology and Pedagogy
Arabs- Africa (self-name al Arab), a group of peoples. They make up the majority of the population of Egypt (Egyptian Arabs), Sudan (Sudanese Arabs), Libya (Libyan Arabs), Tunisia (Tunisian Arabs), Algeria (Algerian Arabs), Morocco ( Moroccan Arabs) … Encyclopedic reference book "Africa"
Books
- Arabs, . Reproduced in the original author's spelling of the 1897 edition (publishing house ʻpublishing the Bookstore of P.V. Lukovnikov`). IN…
- Arabs, . This book will be produced in accordance with your order using Print-on-Demand technology. Reproduced in the original author's spelling of the 1897 edition (publishing house "Edition of the Book ...
There are hundreds of nations all over the world. All of them are of different numbers, they all have their own special traditions, their own mentality. Many live in some separate territory of their own, as, for example, the peoples of Russia or Africa. And what is the name of the country where the Arabs live?
Arab League
This people long story, which originates tens of centuries ago. Their ancestors lived in the Middle East and North Africa. At present, nothing much has changed. Arabs still live on their territory. There is the League of Arab States, which includes not one country where the Arabs live, but several located just on this territory. The largest of them:
- Saudi Arabia.
- Egypt.
- Algeria.
- Libya.
- Sudan.
- Morocco.
This organization includes twenty-two states where Arabs live, the total population of which exceeds 425 million people! For comparison, the population of the European Union is approximately 810 million people. Not a very big gap, is it? Especially when you consider that a mixed population lives in Europe: different peoples and nationalities. Arabs are one people.
Ancient world
Arabs live not only in Africa and the Middle East. More precisely, the first ancestors of this group of peoples (and the Arabs are precisely a group of peoples) settled on
And the first Arab states began to appear in the second half of the second millennium BC. Moreover, even then it was believed that where the Arabs live, in which country it is not so important, the state will be one of the most developed. before them Ancient Rome and the new Europe of the dark times was still very far away.
Modernity
Now, in the twenty-first century, a huge number of representatives of this people are settled around the world. For example, in South America in total, about 15 million 100 thousand people live. And more specifically:
- in Brazil - 9 million people;
- in Argentina - 4.5 million people;
- in Venezuela - 1.5 million people.
In the aforementioned Europe, where the Arabs live, there are more than six and a half million representatives of this nation. Most of them are in France: almost six million. Even in Asia, there are a huge number of ethnic Arabs who are settled throughout the region.
Islam and Arabs
And, in general, this is not surprising. After all, around the beginning of the seventh century AD, a man whom all Muslims would later call the prophet Muhammad began to preach the religion of Islam. On this basis, the state of the Caliphate was created.
100 years after its founding, it has already stretched its borders from the coast of Spain to Southwest Asia. Title, if expressed modern terminology, the nation of this state was Arab. Arabic was the state language and Islam was the predominant religion.
It was as a result of such political and religious transformations that the Arabs appeared in Asia. But what is interesting is that arab nation makes up the majority of the population of such Asian countries where Arabs live, such as:
- Bahrain.
- Jordan and Iraq.
- Yemen.
- Qatar and
- Syria.
- Lebanon.
- Yemen.
As before, the main religion of the Arabs is Islam. There are a considerable number of supporters in Syria, Egypt and Libya Christian religion. But Islam is not a single religion. Its followers are divided into at least two areas: the followers of the Islamic religion of the Sunni and Shiite persuasion.
The culture of this group of peoples is also quite interesting to study. We can say that the Arab culture is almost one of the most ancient in the world. When in Europe began to collect Crusades, first of all, go where they live Arab peoples. They were already among the developed countries.
But the world does not stand still. Some kind of micro-migrations of small peoples and nationalities are constantly taking place. In addition, according to many reputable scientists, humanity is now experiencing almost another one. So, who knows, perhaps in a couple of centuries the main place of residence of the Arabs will not be the Middle East and as it is now, but Australia, Europe or North America. Who knows, anything can happen.
Berbers
Interestingly, the Berbers are related to the Arabs. This is a people whose representatives profess predominantly the Islamic religion. The approximate number of Berbers, if we take into account the whole world, is approximately 25 million people, most of whom live in Algeria and Morocco: in total, about 20 million people are obtained - 10.7 million in Algeria and 9.2 million in Morocco. This people can be called one of the largest in North Africa.
In the northern part of Morocco, where Arabs and Berbers live, the Amatsirgs settled, in the southern part - shillu, Algerian Berbers - Kabyles, Tuareg and Shaouya. Tuareg live in the territories of such countries as:
- Niger.
- Burkina Faso.
- Mali.
The Berbers themselves do not call themselves that. This name was given to them by the Europeans when they heard their strange language. You can immediately draw an analogy with the barbarians, who have roughly the same situation.
Where do the Berbers live?
The Berbers speak both their national language and Arabic and French. The question arises: how do Berbers know French? The answer is simple: Algeria and part of Morocco were until recently the colonial possessions of France, and more than 1.2 million representatives of the Berber people live in the country itself. And the Berber language itself is divided into many dialects that are spoken in different parts Sveta.
A considerable number of Berbers live in the Canary Islands (900 thousand) and in Libya (260 thousand). What is most surprising, representatives of this people live even in Canada. About 10 thousand Berbers live in the United Kingdom.
Despite their kinship with the Arabs, the Berbers adhere to a different culture, which in some aspects is fundamentally different from the Arab. But there are also a number of similarities. In general, hospitality is held in high esteem among the Berbers. And the law of hospitality, as you know, is the main law of the East.
These people have different ideas about material values than the Europeans. The Berbers consider gold to be a diabolical metal, unlike silver. Much higher than gold, camels are valued. Yes, yes, camels. They are considered a sign of wealth and prosperity in the family.
Arabs - indigenous people Arabia - belong to the so-called Semitic group of peoples. In the 6th-7th centuries, they were divided into Arab townspeople and Bedouins.
The name "Bedouin" means in Arabic a person living in the steppe, and comes from the word "badiye", which means "steppe, desert."
The Bedouins were nomads. They were engaged in cattle breeding. The camel was the main animal in their household. The whole life of a Bedouin is connected with a camel from birth to death. The camel gave him milk, dairy products, meat. Camel wool was used to make clothes and dwellings - tents and tents. Sandals, saddles, harnesses, wineskins for storing water were made from camel skins and skins. The shoulder blades of a camel often served as a material for records among Arab townspeople, and dried dung was used as fuel.
The camel, on the other hand, was the main means of transportation, especially convenient in the desert, since it can not drink for up to twenty-five days in winter and more than five days in summer. It is no coincidence that there are still about a thousand names of a camel in the Arabic language, which characterize the most subtle shades in the color of wool and differences in age and purpose. The Arabs considered the camel a gift from Allah and sang it in their songs.
In addition to camels, the Bedouins raised sheep, goats and, to a lesser extent, horses.
In addition to raising livestock, worthy men occupations were considered raids on neighboring tribes for the sake of robbery and the removal of livestock. The life of a Bedouin, full of hardships and dangers, required constant struggle. Fight against thirst, cold, hunger, enemies. These conditions created strong, courageous and dexterous people who knew how to overcome difficulties and quickly find the right solution in case of danger. And it is not surprising that, living constantly as if in a state of siege, the Arabs considered courage to be the greatest virtue.
Hospitality was another Bedouin virtue. The same camel that the Bedouin sang, he was ready to generously slaughter to feed his hungry companions and his guest.
Bedouin (modern image).
As long as the guest was under the roof of the host, he was safe. However, when the guest, having said goodbye, drove off for a certain distance, the recent host could rob him or even kill him.
The basis of the Bedouin society was the tribal organization. Each tent represented a family of five to eight people. A group of tents made up a "hayy" or camp. All members of the haya
belonged to the same genus. Several clans made up a tribe. The head of the clan was "sheikh", which means "old man", usually the oldest member of the clan. The sheikh was chosen and he ruled based on personal experience, knowledge, authority and generosity.
Under the sheikh, there was something like a council of representatives of individual families.
It is clear that in such a society the most important thing was kinship by blood, connection with the tribe. In heavy natural conditions In the desert, a man without a family, without a tribe, was completely helpless and was in constant danger. The mutual connection and support of the members of the tribe was especially clearly manifested in the custom of blood feud. If a member of the clan killed his relative, then the rest of the members of the clan refused to support him. In the event of flight, he became an outcast, and anyone could kill him without fear of revenge. If the murder was committed outside the clan, then any member of the clan could pay for it with his life, and the whole clan protected each of its representatives. And vengeance was bound to follow. The death of the Bedouin did not frighten, but the fear that his blood would be shed in vain was frightening. The enmity caused by the custom of blood feud could last for decades.
Sometimes one tribe asked for protection from another. The tribes connected by such relations promised not to attack each other, to help each other. At the same time, a weak tribe had to bear more responsibilities and obey a stronger one. The same relationship could exist between individuals.
But one should not think that the life of the Bedouins proceeded in patriarchal simplicity, without internal complications and conflicts.
By the 6th-7th centuries, rich and poor stand out more and more sharply among them. The leaders of clans and tribes use power in their own interests. The pastures that belonged to the whole tribe gradually pass into the hands of the leaders. They exploit their poor compatriots. They have slaves and slaves who graze cattle, care for them and perform various household chores. Some families get richer, others get poorer.
Unable to explain to themselves the various phenomena of nature, the Bedouins endowed the objects around them with supernatural qualities. They deified trees, stones, wells, springs, caves and worshiped them. In addition, each tribe had its own deity.
One tribe had a deity made of dough, and when there was a famine year, the tribe ate it without a trace.
The deserts and gorges of the Bedouins were inhabited by spirits, the so-called jinn. These genies, according to the ideas of the Arabs, sometimes helped travelers, but they could destroy them if they were angry with something.
Many tribes of Arabia worshiped the moon, the sun, and the stars. But for all Arabs, the city of Mecca was a sacred place. Representatives of another group of the population of Arabia lived there - the city-Arabs.
Black stone.
The urban Arabs - the settled population of the "Island of the Arabs" - lived in a few oases where cities arose. The largest and most famous were Mecca, Yathrib, later called Medina, and Taif.
In Yathrib, and especially in Taif, the inhabitants were mainly engaged in agriculture and gardening. The main plant cultivated by the Arabs was the date palm. In the life of an Arab city dweller, a palm tree was as important as a camel for a Bedouin.
The fruits of the date palm were eaten fresh and dried in reserve. They also prepared an intoxicating drink - nabiz. Camels were fed with fruit bones, and various household items were made from trunks.
In addition to the date palm, grapes, apples, pomegranates, apricots, almonds, oranges, sugar cane, watermelons, and bananas grew in Arabia. Wheat and barley were grown in small quantities.
Mecca was significantly different from other cities of the peninsula. Located in a dry and unhealthy area, it arose from the very beginning as a holy city for all Arabs.
In Mecca there was a temple, the so-called Kaaba, which in Arabic means "cube". The name of the temple was due to its cubic shape. A sacred black stone was placed in the temple, which, according to legend, fell from the sky. The idols of almost all the tribes of Arabia were also kept there. Every Arab considered it his duty at least once in his life to visit the Kaaba and kiss the black stone. (Probably this stone is of meteoric origin.)
The area around the city was also considered sacred, and it was impossible to wage war on it. In the same place, in Mecca, there is also a sacred spring Zemzem. Pilgrims (people who come to venerate a shrine)
when visiting Mecca, they performed a number of rituals and made sacrifices to the gods.
Great importance Mecca also had as a trading point. For a long time, it has become a station on the “spice road”, through which goods went further north. The Meccans themselves annually sent a rich caravan of goods to Syria. Trade greatly enriched the inhabitants of Mecca. In 624, for example, a caravan was equipped, which consisted of a thousand camels and was estimated at 50,000 dinars, almost 400,000 rubles in our money. The Mecca area was considered sacred, and therefore safe. Therefore, Mecca also became the center of intra-Arabian trade.
Every year during sacred months When war was banned, Arabs from all over the peninsula gathered in the city itself for the fair.
... Here is a Bedouin riding a camel. On his head is a white scarf, the corners of which hang down over his shoulders and back. The scarf is reinforced on top with an akal - a ring made of a rope made of willow 
The caravan of Hadjievs (pilgrims) enters Mecca. (Snapshot of the 20th century.)
133
Mecca. General form. In the center is a rectangular building of the Meccan mosque. In the courtyard of the mosque, the Kaaba, hung with a black veil, in which the Black Stone is located. (Drawing of the 18th century.)
puffer wool. On the shoulders of the Bedouin is a long black cloak, under which a white (gray from dust) shirt is visible. Bare feet. In his hand is a long bamboo spear. Behind the rider slowly and sedately steps another camel with skins and skins laden on it, and in front of it a small herd of sheep dusts with bleating and noise. The tents are scattered all around. People crowd in groups. A ram is being slaughtered behind one of the tents. Several people are watching nearby: how can you miss this an important event! Merchants laid out their goods right on the ground. One has colorful Yemeni fabrics. The other has Indian swords. A third offers dried dates. The fourth arranged pottery and various trifles needed in the nomad's household.
At the other end of the fair, a large crowd is listening to the poet. There are exclamations, exclamations of surprise and admiration for the poems.
Everything makes noise, talks, shouts, sings. The fair splashes in a narrow valley, bordered by gray cliffs.
And the bright Arabian sun mercilessly burns the rocks devoid of vegetation, and the steppe with sparse shrubs adjoining the valley, and people...
This is what these annual fairs looked like, at which representatives of all parts of the "Island of the Arabs" met.
Mecca and its shrines were in the hands of the Koreish tribe. The inhabitants of Mecca and other cities, like the Bedouins, had a tribal organization. However, in their environment, property inequality manifested itself much more sharply than among the Bedouins. The Meccan merchants had many more slaves than the Bedouins.
Not limited to the exploitation of slaves, rich merchants enslaved their relatives. This was usually done through loans. Wanting to participate in the trade, the poor borrowed money from the rich before leaving the caravan to Syria. When the caravan returned and all transactions were completed, the debtor was obliged to pay an amount much larger than that borrowed.
