MYSTICAL ELEMENTS IN THE RELIGIOUS AND CULTURAL SYSTEM OF PRE-ISLAMIC ARABS

Abstract

This study examines the mystical elements in pre-Islamic Arab society and their role as formative influences on the development of Islamic Sufism. While much of European Orientalist scholarship of the 19th and 20th centuries often viewed Sufism as a foreign or externally introduced phenomenon, more recent research emphasizes its intrinsic connection to Islam, the importance of considering pre-Islamic socio-religious contexts was forgetten. This article is a part of my research that explores ascetic tendencies, mystical practices, and spiritual experiences among the Arabs of the Jahiliyyah period, drawing attention to early forms of piety, meditation, and esoteric exercises that prefigure Sufi doctrines. It investigates the influence of surrounding cultures, including Christian and Jewish mysticism, as well as Greek philosophical currents, while stressing that these external elements interacted with a pre-existing mystical substratum within Arab society rather than generating Sufism in isolation. The role of divination, mystical medicine, and encounters with supernatural phenomena are also discussed as integral components of the mystical worldview. Pre-Islamic Arabs’ exposure to monotheistic, polytheistic, and esoteric traditions, facilitated by trade networks and intercultural exchanges, created a fertile environment for spiritual exploration, which subsequently informed the emergence of Islamic Sufism. By tracing these pre-Islamic mystical trends, the study seeks to clarify the socio-cultural foundations of Sufism, highlighting the continuity between earlier Arab spiritual practices and the ascetic, esoteric, and devotional dimensions of Islamic mysticism.