Al-Ma`roor ibn Suwayd, may Allah be pleased with him, reported: “I saw Abu Thurr, may Allah be pleased with him, wearing a fine gown, and his slave was wearing one similar to it. So I asked him about it, and he said that he had exchanged harsh words with another person during the lifetime of the Messenger of Allah and had put that person to shame by making a bad reference to his mother, who was a non-Arab. That person came to the Messenger of Allah and mentioned the incident to him. Thereupon, the Messenger of Allah asked Abu Thurr, may Allah be pleased with him: “Did you make reference to his mother in a bad way?” He replied: ‘Yes.’ So he said: “You are a person who has remnants of the Days of Ignorance in him.” He replied: "Even after having reached this old age?" He said: “Yes! Your slaves are your brothers. Allah has placed them under your authority. He who has his brother under him should feed him from whatever he eats, dress him with whatever he wears, and should not burden him (i.e., by assigning burdensome tasks to him) beyond his capacity; and if he does assign tasks, then he should assist him (in them).” [Al-Bukhari & Muslim]

In the narration of this story that is found in the book of Imaam Muslim Abu Thurr, may Allah be pleased with him, replied: "If one badmouths others, they should badmouth his father and mother." To which the Prophet said: “You are a person who has remnants of the Days of Ignorance in you.”

It was said that the man with whom Abu Thurr, may Allah be pleased with him, had an argument was Bilaal, may Allah be pleased with him, and that he had addressed him by saying, as stated in one of the narrations: “O you son of a black woman.”

The saying of the Prophet : “You are a person who has remnants of the Days of Ignorance in him” meant that he had qualities from the pre-Islamic era left in him.

It appears that this incident occurred before the prohibition of such words was known to everyone, and that is why he was surprised at the description with which the Prophet described him; despite his old age, he did not know that it was dispraised and that he must be kind and fair to others, especially his slaves.

The Arabs in the pre-Islamic era would seek support for war by shouting: “O tribe of so and so!” and his tribe would therefore respond by standing up to fight with whoever the call was from, even if he or they were oppressors, but when Islam came, it forbade all such practices. Jaabir, may Allah be pleased with him, reported: "A young man from the Ansaar once fought with another from the Muhaajireen, and each called for help from his people by saying: 'O People of the Ansaar!', and: 'O People of the Muhaajireen!', and both sets of people rushed to support their caller; when the Prophet saw all this, he said: “Do you use the slogans of the pre-Islamic era (i.e., deal with each other based on them) whilst I am living among you?” The Companions, may Allah be pleased with them, then stopped and replied: ‘No!’ Then, he said: “Help your brother, whether he is an oppressor or is oppressed.” A man enquired: 'O Messenger of Allah! I (know how to) help him when he is oppressed, but how can I help him when he is the oppressor?' He replied: “You can prevent him from committing oppression - that will be your help to him.” [Al-Bukhari & Muslim]  

It is not prohibited to seek help from other Muslims, but it is forbidden to act based on pre-Islamic qualities after the call for help, or to make the call for help based on other than Islamic teachings. In another narration, he said: “Refrain from this (i.e., making Pre-Islamic slogans), for it is an evil thing to do.”

Another practice that falls under the category of pre-Islamic remnants is what was narrated to us by Ibn Mas`ood, may Allah be pleased with him, who said: "The Messenger of Allah said: “He who (when a calamity befalls him) slaps his cheeks, tears his clothes and follows the ways and characteristics of the Days of Ignorance (i.e., the pre-Islamic era) is not of us.” [Al-Bukhari & Muslim]

Abu Malik Al-Ash’ari, may Allah be pleased with him, said: "The Messenger of Allah said: “Four things are from the qualities of the pre-Islamic era: Boasting about one's own lineage; cursing other people's lineage; attributing rain to the stars and wailing over the dead.” [Ahmad]

In the book of Imaam Al-Bukhari ‘Aa’ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, reported: “The Prophet adopted Zayd, and whenever a person adopted during the Pre-Islamic era, he would name the child after him and the child would inherit from him after his death, until Allah revealed the verse commanding people to name their children after their real fathers.”

Imaam Al-Bukhari reported that Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, once saw a woman who refrained from talking to others, and so he asked about her case. He was informed that she was performing pilgrimage and would only do so whilst remaining silent; thereupon, he, may Allah be pleased with him, said to her: “Talk, for this is prohibited and is a practice from the Pre-Islamic era.”

In another narration of this incident, the woman said to him, may Allah be pleased with him: “We were afflicted by your tribe during the pre-Islamic era, and I had made a pledge that if Allah protects us from your people, I would not speak until after I have performed the pilgrimage.” So he, may Allah be pleased with him, said to her: “Islam cancels all this! So talk!”

The scholars have extracted from this story that the one who pledges not to talk must break his promise and talk, and then expiate for breaking it, and Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, would not have said such a thing unless he heard it from the Prophet . This is substantiated by the story of Abu Israa’eel, may Allah be pleased with him, who pledged to walk and never ride, to never sit in the shade and to never speak, and the Prophet commanded him to ride, sit in the shade and to talk.

Imaam Al-Khattaabi said: “It was one of the rituals during the pre-Islamic era for people to refrain from speaking, and people would stay in the Haram for a day and a night and refrain from talking, so Islam forbade this practice.”

Regarding women, Allah Says what means: “And abide in your houses and do not display yourselves as [was] the display of the former times of ignorance…” [Quran 33: 33] Meaning, stay in your homes and do not leave them except for an Islamically justified need, such as going to pray in the mosque and so forth. Mujaahid said: “If a woman is used to going out, then she has committed what this verse warns against.” Qataadah said: “This refers to women who walk seductively.” Muqaatil said: “This refers to women whose jewellery shows from under their headcovers, due to it being ill fitting.”

Banishing pre-Islamic remnants – II