The Age of Ignorance

Ancient religions

After the Prophet of Allah, 'Isa ibn Maryam, there was a long period without a Prophet. Light and knowledge disappeared. Christianity fell into disrepute and became a matter of sport for the corrupt and the hypocrites. From the very beginning, Christianity had been subjected to alterations by extremists and to interpretations by the ignorant. The simple teaching of the Messiah was buried beneath the transgressors' evil behaviour.

The Jews had become a society obsessed with rites and rules lacking all life and spirit. Apart from that, Judaism, a tribal religion, did not carry a message to the world nor a summons to other nations nor, mercy to humanity at large. The Magians were devoted to fire-worship. They built altars and shrines to fire. Outside the shrines they followed their own pursuits. Eventually, no difference whatever could be discerned between the Magians and those with no religion or morality.

Buddhism, a religion widespread in India and Central Asia, was transformed into outright paganism. Altars were built and images of the Buddha set up wherever it went.

Hinduism, the basic religion of India, is distinguished by its millions of idols and gods, and-by the unjust separation that exists between its castes, discrimination between the castes being a harsh reality of daily life.

The Arabs also suffered from a paganism and idol-worship of the most abhorrent kind that had no parallel, even in pagan Hindu India. They were involved shirk and adopted gods other than Allah. Every tribe, region or city had a particular idol. Indeed, every house had a private idol. Inside the Ka'bah, the house which Ibrahim (peace be upon him)1 had built for the worship of Allah alone, and in its courtyard, stood three hundred

and sixty idols.