Peninsula ya Uarabuni, katika kipindi kilichotangulia kuchomoza kwa Uislamu, iligawanyika sana kwa misingi ya kikabila. Watu waliokuwa wakiishi katika hema au nyumba waliunda familia; kundi la familia lilitengeneza ukoo, na kundi la koo lilitengeneza kabila. Kila kabila lilikuwa na seti yake ya sheria na kanuni ambazo watu walitawaliwa nazo. Heshima, fahari na uaminifu vilithaminiwa sana na makabila haya. Shughuli zote zilidhibitiwa ndani ya mfumo wa muundo wa kikabila, na yeyote aliyevuka mipaka hiyo alikemewa. Kukusanyika pamoja kwa namna hii kulitoa usalama kwa watu wa kabila husika, pamoja na kwa yeyote aliyetafuta hifadhi kwao.

The Arabian peninsular, during the period leading up to the dawn of Islam, was heavily split on nationalistic lines. People living in a tent or a house formed a family; a group of families made a clan and a group of clans formed a tribe. Each tribe had its own set of rules and regulations according to which people were governed. Honour, pride and loyalty were held in high esteem by these tribes. All activities were confined within the framework of the tribalistic structure and anyone stepping outside these limits was reprimanded. Herding together in this fashion provided security for the individuals belonging to the tribe and also for anyone seeking refuge with them.

Baadhi ya makabila makubwa yalikuwa Quraysh huko Makkah, Aus na Khazraj pamoja na baadhi ya makabila ya Kiyahudi huko Yathrib (Madinah), na Thaqif huko Ta‘if.

Some of the dominant tribes were Quraysh in Makkah, Aus, Khazraj and some Jewish tribes in Yathrib (Madinah) and Thaqif in Ta‘if.

Uaminifu mkubwa kwa makabila mara nyingi ulisababisha ushindani kati ya makabila. Ushindani huu mara nyingi ulifikia kilele katika mapigano ya kimwili, ambayo nayo yalisababisha vita vya kikabila, vilivyopiganwa kwa sababu ndogo kama malisho, maji, farasi na ngamia. Kipindi cha jahiliyyah (ujinga)

The strong loyalties to the tribes often led to inter-tribal rivalries. These rivalries often culminated in physical clashes, which in turn led to tribal wars, fought over trivial issues such as pastures, water, horses and camels. The period of jahiliyyah (ignorance)

Ni mifano mingi kama hii. Katika karne ya 5, mojawapo ya vita maarufu ilikuwa Harb al-Basus, ambayo ilianza kwa kujeruhiwa kwa ngamia jike aliyeitwa Basus, aliyekuwa mali ya mwanamke mzee wa Banu Bakr. Vita hii ilidumu kwa miaka thelathini kwa mashambulizi ya kulipiziana, uporaji na mauaji. Harb al-Dalis ilizuka kutokana na mwenendo usio wa haki katika mbio za farasi kati ya kabila la Abs na Dhabyan katikati mwa Arabia. Vita hii ilidumu kwa miongo kadhaa.

is full of such examples. During the 5th Century, one of the well known wars was Harb al-Basus, which started from the wounding of a she-camel named Basus that belonged to an old woman of Banu Bakr. This war lasted for thirty years with reciprocal raids, plundering and killings. Harb al-Dalis arose from an unfair conduct in a horse race between the tribe of Abs and Dhabyan in central Arabia. This war lasted for decades.

Makabila miwili ya Aus na Khazraj huko Yathrib (ambayo sasa inaitwa Madinah) walishiriki katika Vita vya Bu‘ath, na huko Makkah Quraysh pamoja na washirika wao, Kinanah, walipigana na Hawazin katika vita vilivyojulikana kama Vita vya Fujjar.

The two tribes of Aus and Khazraj in Yathrib (now called Madinah) were involved in Harb al-Bu‘ath, and in Makkah the Quraysh and their allies, the Kinanah, fought the Hawazin in the war known as Harb al-Fujjar.