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The Status of Women as Mothers in Pre-Islamic Arabia
In pre-Islamic Arabia (al-Jahiliyyah), Arabs used to esteem their
mothers highly. The status of women was Improved if they delivered
male children. Children used to pride themselves upon having a mother
from an old and respected family of noble descent. It is said that
sometimes. women used to marry men from other tribes without leaving
their, own. living with their husbands under the protection of their
own tribe. If the husband divorcedhis wife, she used to keep the
children and give them her family name, as Smith stated: 'But it
is also possible that by tribal rule a woman is not allowed to leave
her own kin. but may entertain a stranger as her husband. In this
case, we may expect that the children., will remain with their mother's
tribe and therefore the law of kinship will be the child is of the
mother's stock.
1 Sometimes a woman might marry a man from another
tribe, and live with him, but under a condition to restore the
offspring of the marriage to her people.
2 There are many men who
took their mother's name, such ascAmr bin Hind, also as al Mundhir bin
Ma7a al-Sama.
3
Sometimes, mothers had such a high status that a man might do
anything to protect her and her dignity, and honour. an example
of which is 6 Amr bin Kalttrum who started a big war withwAmr bin Hind,
the King of Hira because he (Hind) humiliatedoAmrls mother. The*
story started when one daygAmr bin Hind said to his companions,
'Do you know any Arab whose mother would disdain to serve mine V
They answered, 'Yes, the mother WAmi bin KulthTm. ' Then the King
sent to'cAmr bin Kulth-um., inviting him to pay a visit to himself. and
4 -- -- -- -
1. Smith. op. cit.. P. 77
2. Ibid
3. al-ýUfrs op. cit-9 P- 90
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