Quraish Clan Songs of Wells in the Pre-Islamic Period

Abstract

This paper is based on garnering the songs of wells in the Pre-Islamic Period. The significance of these songs lies in getting today’s reader acquainted with his/ her Arab heritage of which they constitute a vital past related to the various aspects of life in the Pre-Islamic Period. The researcher’s doing this job provides us with the indication that such lyrics, though few in number, were popular amongst Arabs who dug their wells to supply people and pilgrims with drinking water, bearing in mind that water, in Mecca was insufficient, that people used to drink from ponds at the mountain peaks outside of Mecca. That each tribe tried hard to attract other tribes by using its wells to supply people and pilgrims with drinking water, which gave it the upperhand over the other tribes in terms of religion, politics, and economy, and that Mecca at that time was a religious theater targeted by pilgrims coming from different parts of the world to perform their religious rites. To achieve the afore-mentioned objectives, Arabs followed different ways to highlight the advantages of their wells in their lyrics. Many a time did they describe their wells as being full and overflowing, and the water in them as being rich, tasty, pure, clear, and good for diseases. In view of the deep connection between these lyrics and providing drinking water for pilgrims, the researcher has mad much use of religious books, such as those dealing with the prophet’s (Allah May Bless Him) life, uncommon Hadith and news of Mecca. She has also resorted to dictionaries of towns and language that referred to a group of these lyrics.