Jahiliyya (Pre-Islamic Arabia)

Jahiliyyah ( ‏جَاهِلِيَّة‎‎ jāhilīyah "ignorance") is an Islamic concept referring to the period of time and state of affairs in Arabia before the advent of Islam in 610 CE. It is often translated as the "Age of Ignorance". The term jahiliyyah is derived from the verbal root jahala "to be ignorant or stupid, to act stupidly". In modern times various Islamic thinkers have used the term to criticize what they saw as un-Islamic nature of public and private life in the Muslim world.

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Hadith . Imamah . Jahiliyya (Pre-Islamic Arabia)

Where can I find sources for the narration that if a person has not recognised the Imam of their time they die the death of Jahiliyya?

Sayyed Mohammad Al-Musawi, Sayyed Mohammad al-Musawi is originally from Iraq and heads up the World Ahlul Bayt Islamic League in London. Other than being involved in various humanitarian projects, he frequently responds to... Answered 1 year ago

This Hadeeth has been narrated in many wordings but with the same meaning. This called Tawaatur Ma'nawi تواتر معنوي.

In Saheeh Muslim , V. 6, P. 22 Kitab al-Imaarah : Who dies without allegiance in his neck, will die a death of Jahiliyyah.

In Musnad Ahmed Ibn Hanbal , V. 4, P. 96: Who dies with out Imam, will die a death of Jahiliyyah.

In Kitab al-Sunnah by Ibn Abi 'Aassim , P. 489: Who dies with out Imam on him will die a death of Jahiliyyah.

The Hadeeth is also narrated in the most authentic Shia books of Hadeeth like al-Kaafi, V.1, P.276 and in many other books. It means that the meaning of this Hadeeth is Ijmaa' (unanimous) between all Muslims.

Wassalam.

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Jahiliyya (Pre-Islamic Arabia) . Idolatry . Imam Ali

Is it recorded in any Shi'a collections of hadith that Imam Ali (as) destroyed idols of ancient Arabia?

Zoheir Ali Esmail, Shaykh Zoheir Ali Esmail has a Bsc in Accounting and Finance from the LSE in London, and an MA in Islamic Studies from Middlesex University. He studied Arabic at Damascus University and holds a PhD... Answered 3 years ago

Bismillah

Thank you for your question. There are traditions in Manaqib Al Abi Talib, vol 2, p 135; al-Burhan fi tafsir al-Qur'an, vol 3, p 578 and Bihar al-anwar vol 38, p 76 to the effect that Imam Ali (as) climbed on the shoulders of the Prophet (saw) to destroy the idol hubl (which was the biggest of the idols).

Below is one of the traditions in Manaqib Al Abi Talib:

May you always be successful.

أَبُو بَكْرٍ الشِّيرَازِيُّ فِي نُزُولِ الْقُرْآنِ فِي شَأْنِ أَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ع عَنْ قَتَادَةَ عَنِ ابْنِ الْمُسَيَّبِ عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ قَالَ قَالَ لِي جَابِرُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ‏ دَخَلْنَا مَعَ النَّبِيِّ مَكَّةَ وَ فِي الْبَيْتِ وَ حَوْلَهُ ثَلَاثُمِائَةٍ وَ سِتُّونَ صَنَماً فَأَمَرَ بِهَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ فَأُلْقِيَتْ كُلُّهَا لِوُجُوهِهَا وَ كَانَ عَلَى الْبَيْتِ صَنَمٌ طَوِيلٌ يُقَالُ لَهُ هُبَلُ فَنَظَرَ النَّبِيُّ إِلَى عَلِيٍّ وَ قَالَ لَهُ يَا عَلِيُّ تَرْكَبُ عَلَيَّ أَوْ أَرْكَبُ‏ عَلَيْكَ‏ لِأُلْقِيَ هُبَلَ عَنْ ظَهْرِ الْكَعْبَةِ قُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ بَلْ تَرْكَبُنِي فَلَمَّا جَلَسَ عَلَى ظَهْرِي لَمْ أَسْتَطِعْ حَمْلَهُ لِثِقَلِ الرِّسَالَةِ قُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ بَلْ أَرْكَبُكَ فَضَحِكَ وَ نَزَلَ وَ طَأْطَأَ لِي ظَهْرَهُ وَ اسْتَوَيْتُ عَلَيْهِ فَوَ الَّذِي فَلَقَ الْحَبَّةَ وَ بَرَأَ النَّسَمَةَ لَوْ أَرَدْتُ أَنْ أُمْسِكَ السَّمَاءَ لَأَمْسَكْتُهَا بِيَدِي فَأَلْقَيْتُ هُبَلَ عَنْ ظَهْرِ الْكَعْبَةِ فَأَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى‏ وَ قُلْ جاءَ الْحَقُّ وَ زَهَقَ الْباطِلُ إِنَّ الْباطِلَ كانَ زَهُوقاً