1st century BC practices

[Ibrahim]

Yeah, that's exactly the type of stuff I'm looking for. I'll check up what moo'rah is, and find sources if I can now that I know what to look for. I'm really really bad at research, or searching in general....I'm more of a "finder", the type that stumbles into random info on said subject.

Thanks a lot, and more feedback will be even better =)

well, now that I have some time, I'll enlighten ye:

muroo'ah literally means "manliness"; its basically everything that is supposed to make the ideal ancient arab man. according to it, a man must have:

-pride in his tribe/state/king.
-absolute loyalty to said tribe and tribe's shaikh (leader), or king or state.
-extreme pride in one's self (must be justifiable pride, otherwise its vanity, and not condoned)
-must be a freewheeling spender on his tribe/women/alcohol*, etc (i.e he must have karam, or generosity)
-must be compassionate, up to a point.
-mst be honest and blunt.
-virility
-bravery in combat.
-devotion to the old social order and religion. this is tied into tribal loyalty.
-help those who ask for it, even if they are bad. this is known as ighathatu ulmalhoof.


and that's just a few examples of what a man must be like. much of pre-islamic poetry talks about all of these in varying details; men boasted of fighting for a woman, killing a man who slights the tribe/family, etc, drinking, spending, and generosit. hati' at-ta'i could be considered the ideal pre islamic arab: generous, loyal, and kind to everybody.

wait, did I just describe European romantic chivalry?

*Arabs did put a limit on how much you could drink. drink too much, and you could become a "mufrad", or tribally expelled.