The document summarizes the status of women in ancient Arab society prior to Islam. It describes how Arab society was divided between urban and tribal Bedouin communities. Within the patriarchal tribal system, women had limited rights and roles. They could not make independent decisions, participate in religious activities, or inherit property. Female infanticide was common out of fears of poverty or disgrace. Marriage was a flexible institution that sometimes involved capture or purchase of wives. Divorce entitled the husband to keep the dowry. For survival, women engaged in professions like prostitution or trading, which was considered more noble.

1. ARAB SOCIETY
AN ERA OF IGNORANCE

2. INTRODUCTION
 Arabia has the stern, grim and inhospitable land, and
was, until the obtrusion of oil, a constant challenge for
survival to the wits of man. His survival in it depended
upon his ability to come to terms with it.
 The Arab countries totaled around 367 million, nearly
5.2% of the world’s population,.
 For trading they used to do bartering or practical physical
return.

3. DIVISION OF ARAB
Arabs were divided into two classes:
1. Urban(developed)
2. Bedouin(Tribal communities)
(3500 and 3000 B.C.E)

4. TRIBAL SYSTEM
 A tribe, was composed of
those who had connections
to a common relative(3500
and 3000 B.C.E).
 Tribes were of matrilineal
decent and therefore were
only formed by male links .
The tribe itself was tied
together by a mutual
understanding of spoken
rules.
 The only chief right a
woman had during these
times was stated in the Code
of Hammurabi in 1752 B.C.E.

5. STATUS OF POOR WOMEN IN ANCIENT ARAB
In Arab poor women
experienced limited rights.
Women were not
considered "worthy of
prayer" and played no
role in the religious aspect
.
Women could not make
decisions based on their
own beliefs.
They were never bound
by contract for marriage
or custody of children and
their consent was never
sought.

6. FEMALE INFANTICIDE
 Arabs committed
infanticide before Islam
Female infanticide was
commonly done by
fathers
Female infanticide was
usually prompted by one
of two reasons:
1. Fear of poverty
2. Fear of disgrace

7. MARRIAGE
Marriage was a
flexible and loose
institution.
Marriage by
agreement
Marriage by
capture
Marriage by
purchase
Marriage by
inheritance

8. DIVORCE
Marriage was often an
arrangement between the
husband and the woman’s
father, so was divorce.
If a husband did not get back
the dowry, the woman could not
be free because the husband
had purchased the exclusive
right, similar to the right of
property, to use the woman as a
wife.

9. INHERITANCE
Women were usually excluded
from inheriting. The reason for
this inequity has to do with the
tribal structure of the society
where the strength of each tribe
depended on the ability of its
members to participate in war.
If a woman did have the right of
inheritance, it was usually among
the tribes where there were still
traces of an ancient matriarchal
culture which dictated that the
woman remain with her tribe after
marriage.

10. ROLES OF WOMEN FOR THEIR
SURVIVAL
Prostitution
 Prostitution was one of the most common
source to survive.
 These women flew flags on their houses, and
were called “ladies of the flags” .
 It was banned by the early “Jews”, but some
adopted that as a profession.

11. ROLES OF WOMEN
TRADING
 Trading was another source of to get
value in those days.
 Trading was done by the women of
urban areas of the Arab , who got the
rights in inheritance.
 It was commonly adopted by the
women of high society in those days.
 Trading was considered a noble
profession throughout the Arab.

12. THANK YOU