The Use of the Term "Ahl al-Bayt" During the Jahiliyyah, with Emphasis on Institutionalizing the Concept of the "Honored Clan"

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 PhD student, History of Ahl al-Bayt (AS), Al-Mustafa Al-Alamiyah Society، Afghanistan

2 Ahl al-Bayt History Group, Islamic Civilization and History Complex, Al-Mustafi (PBUH) Al-Alamiya University, Qom, Iran.

3 History Department of Ahl al-Bayt (AS), Higher Education Complex of History, Sira and Islamic Civilization of Al-Mustafa (PBUH) Al-Alamiya University, Qom, Iran

10.22034/skh.2025.21118.1624

Abstract

In the culture of pre-Islamic Arabia, terms and expressions related to "bayt" (household) carried meanings beyond mere spatial references. Within the framework of tribal structures and kinship relations, these terms acquired significant identity-based and social connotations. Although the expression Ahl al-Bayt was not employed during the Jahiliyyah in the established, technical sense it later assumed in the Islamic period, its early, and sometimes basic, usages warrant careful historical investigation.
The main research question of this study is: How was the expression or concept of "Ahl al-Bayt" employed during the Jahiliyyah, and did it play a symbolic role in consolidating the social status of certain clans?
The research methodology is descriptive-analytical, utilizing literary sources such as pre-Islamic poetry, historical works, genealogical texts, and relevant lexicons.
The findings reveal that although the Arabs of the Jahiliyyah did not always use the literal phrase Ahl al-Bayt, they nonetheless cultivated, in both their language and mindset, a notion emphasizing the importance of certain distinguished families. Initially, this concept was primarily based on blood ties and tribal affiliations, but over time it evolved into an element within the broader structure of social — and sometimes cultural — status. Later, in the context of Islamic revelation, this notion acquired a new and religious dimension.
Thus, examining the conceptual transformations of Ahl al-Bayt from the Jahiliyyah to the early Islamic period plays a crucial role in understanding the status of the Prophet’s Ahl al-Bayt (peace be upon him).

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References

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