Pre-Islamic Medina – Biographies of the Salaf

Table of Contents

Name: The city was known as Yathrib. This name is mentioned once in the Qur’an (33:13). Muslim scholars report that after the Prophet’s (ﷺ) migration and the establishment of the Islamic community, the name was changed to “Madīnat an-Nabī” (City of the Prophet), eventually shortened to Al-Madīnah.
Geography: Scholars like Ibn Ishaq and Al-Bakri describe it as a fertile oasis in the Hijaz, notable for its date palm groves and protected by a landscape of harrah (volcanic rock fields) which made it naturally defensible. Its water sources, like the famous well of Bi’r Rūma, were of strategic importance.

Muslim sources emphasize a society deeply divided by tribal conflicts, primarily between two major Arab tribes and three influential Jewish tribes.

The Arab Tribes: The Aws and the Khazraj, collectively known as the Ansār (Helpers) after Islam. They were originally from South Arabia (Yemen) and had migrated to Yathrib after the collapse of the Ma’rib Dam.
The Jewish Tribes: The three major tribes were:
1. Banu Qaynuqa’ (Allied with the Khazraj, mostly goldsmiths).
2. Banu Nadir (Allied with the Aws, lived in fortified towers).
3. Banu Qurayza (Allied with the Aws).
  Scholars like Ibn Khaldun note that these tribes were politically dominant and economically prosperous, controlling much of the best agricultural land and practicing skilled crafts. They were also Arabic-speaking and culturally integrated, but religiously distinct.

The pre-Islamic history of Yathrib is marked by the “Battle of Bu’āth” (c. 617 CE), a devastating, years-long war between the Aws and Khazraj in which their respective Jewish allies participated.
Muslim historians (e.g., Al-Waqidi, Ibn Sa’d) detail this conflict as the pivotal event that left the city exhausted, leaderless, and yearning for peace and a unifying authority. This created the perfect conditions for the Prophet (ﷺ) to be invited as a neutral arbitrator.

Polytheism: The Aws and Khazraj practiced the typical Arabian polytheism, with minor idols and sanctuaries.
Judaism: The Jewish tribes were well-established and literate, possessing their scripture. Their monotheism and messianic expectations are noted by scholars like Ibn Ishaq as a context for their initial interest in, and later conflict with, the Prophet’s (ﷺ) message.
Hanifiyya: Some individuals, influenced by the remnants of Abrahamic tradition, were known as Hanifs (monotheists seeking the true religion). Scholars mention that some Medinans had abandoned idolatry before Islam’s arrival.

Agriculture: The economy was primarily based on date palm cultivation and some grain farming, concentrated in the Jewish-owned estates.
Trade: Yathrib was a minor stop on the incense trade route, but not a major commercial center like Mecca. Its economy was more agrarian and insular.

The Pledges of Al-‘Aqabah: Muslim sources meticulously document the secret meetings between the Prophet (ﷺ) and delegations from Yathrib during the Hajj season in Mecca.
1. First Pledge of Al-‘Aqabah (621 CE): A small group from Khazraj pledged to worship One God and follow Islamic morals.
2. Second Pledge of Al-‘Aqabah (622 CE): 75 representatives from both Aws and Khazraj pledged to protect the Prophet (ﷺ) as they would their own families, inviting him to migrate to Yathrib. This is known as the Pledge of War.

The primary Islamic sources for this history are:

Ibn Ishaq’s (d. 767) Sīrah Rasul Allah: The earliest comprehensive biography, preserved in the recension of Ibn Hisham (d. 833). It provides the most detailed narrative.
Al-Waqidi’s (d. 823) Kitab al-Maghazi: Focuses on military campaigns but includes extensive background on pre-Islamic Medinan society and alliances.
Ibn Sa’d’s (d. 845) Al-Tabaqat al-Kubra: Contains biographical entries of Companions from Yathrib, detailing their tribal backgrounds.
Works of Tafsir: Commentaries on Qur’anic verses mentioning the “hypocrites,” the Jewish tribes, and the Ansār (e.g., by Al-Tabari) contain historical context.
Later Historians: Scholars like Ibn Khaldun (d. 1406) in his Muqaddimah analyzed the social structure and ‘asabiyyah (group solidarity) of Yathrib as a case study.