The Hanifs of Pre-Islamic Arabia

[Rainbow Mage]

In Islam I think Hanif just means Monotheist, but Karen Armstrong and other authors claim the Hanifs were also a pre-Islamic movement that were not Christians or Jews, but were Monotheists. History tells us that when Muhammad came all the Hanifs embraced Islam with pretty much no qualms.

I guess my question is who exactly were these Hanifs and what did they believe? Is there any scholarship that exists on them?

Were they Ebionites or Gnostics? I have seen both speculated.

 

[F0uad]

I personally think that the Hanif's where there when Abraham(p) and hes son Ishmeal(p) went to Arabia to build the Kaba. It later became a School of law ''Madhhab'' in the Sunni community since the majority accepted Mohammed(saws) as prophet/messenger.

Or are the Hanifs different from the Hanafis?

 

[Rainbow Mage]

That depends on rather the Hanifi school is rooted in this pre-Islamic Monotheistic movement or not.

 

[F0uad]

All that i can find about it says yes. There are some Islamic sources about it that date back to Mohammed(saws)'s time.

 

[Caladan]

In Islam I think Hanif just means Monotheist, but Karen Armstrong and other authors claim the Hanifs were also a pre-Islamic movement that were not Christians or Jews, but were Monotheists. History tells us that when Muhammad came all the Hanifs embraced Islam with pretty much no qualms.

That is not entirely accurate. Many of the Hanifs if not the Hunufa movement in general maintained loyalty to the Quraysh alliance, the bitter adversaries of Muhammad and his followers. They were monotheists, but political loyalties came first, and theirs laid with the guardians of the Ka'aba, the powerful pagan Quraysh who fought Muhammad.

 

[Rainbow Mage]

Yeah I recall that not all of them went to Muhammad, but a good number did. I forget who that rival to Muhammad was. There was another figure claiming to be a prophet.

 

[Bob Dixon]

Yeah I recall that not all of them went to Muhammad, but a good number did. I forget who that rival to Muhammad was. There was another figure claiming to be a prophet.

His name was Musaylimah.
He's got a Wikipedia article, too!

Musaylimah - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[Caladan]

Yeah I recall that not all of them went to Muhammad, but a good number did. I forget who that rival to Muhammad was. There was another figure claiming to be a prophet.

There were a few 'Muhammads' during the time, pretty much like there were several 'Jesus' or Judean miracle makers during the first century.
Several men in the Hejaz of the 7th century claimed prophethood and a monotheistic message. Muhammad's agenda was the one that sold at the end.

 

[fallingblood]

In Islam I think Hanif just means Monotheist, but Karen Armstrong and other authors claim the Hanifs were also a pre-Islamic movement that were not Christians or Jews, but were Monotheists. History tells us that when Muhammad came all the Hanifs embraced Islam with pretty much no qualms.

I guess my question is who exactly were these Hanifs and what did they believe? Is there any scholarship that exists on them?

Were they Ebionites or Gnostics? I have seen both speculated.

I would be careful in taking what Karen Armstrong says too seriously. Having learned a lot more in the last few years, and rereading her work, it is clear that she takes many liberties.

As for the Hanifs, from what I have seen is that they followed the Abrahamic tradition, which had came down to the area. Mohammad took this earlier revelation and republished (or brought it back) to the Arabs (that may not be the best way to state this, so if it isn't clear, I can possibly try to word it better).

I could see them maybe being Ebionites. That becomes a little harder to find. I would say that they were probably an early branch of Christians (or a sect that broke off), as they appeared to follow the same scripture (or at least in part).