Pre-Islamic Arabia
The collection is a record of the highest importance of the thought and poetic art of Pre-Islamic Arabia in the immediate period before the appearance of the Prophet Muhammad. The great majority belonged to the days of Jahiliyyah ('Ignorance')no more than five or six of the 126 poems appear to have been by Islamic era poetsand though a number of Jahiliyyah-born poets had adopted Islam (e.g. Mutammim ibn Nuwayrah, Rabi'a ibn Maqrum, Abda ibn at-Tabib and Abu Dhu'ayb), their work bears few marks of the new faith. While ancient themes of virtue; hospitality to the guest and the poor, extravagance of wealth, valour in battle, tribal loyalty, are praised yet other practices forbidden in IslamWine, gambling (the game of maisir), etc.,are all celebrated by poets professing adherence to the faith. Neither the old idolatry nor the new spirituality are themes.