TY - JOUR

T1 - Why was Muhammad Nursed by the Bedouins? The Institute of Milk Kinship in Pre-Islamic Arabia in the Light of the Hadith

AU - Rozov, V.

PY - 2019

Y1 - 2019

N2 - According to Muslim sources, noble families of pre-Islamic Mecca gave their children to the neighbouring Bedouin tribes for nursing. Traditionally, this custom was explained by the necessity to protect children against dangers of the city or as a means to introduce them to the “pure Arabic” culture of the desert. This article proposes a different explanation for this practice. An analysis of milk-kinship practices in other cultures and of Prophetic hadith suggests that giving one's children to a neighbour tribe to foster was likely a ritual way to establish and maintain socio-political ties and alliances.

AB - According to Muslim sources, noble families of pre-Islamic Mecca gave their children to the neighbouring Bedouin tribes for nursing. Traditionally, this custom was explained by the necessity to protect children against dangers of the city or as a means to introduce them to the “pure Arabic” culture of the desert. This article proposes a different explanation for this practice. An analysis of milk-kinship practices in other cultures and of Prophetic hadith suggests that giving one's children to a neighbour tribe to foster was likely a ritual way to establish and maintain socio-political ties and alliances.

KW - milk kinship

KW - ritual kinship

KW - marriage

KW - alliance conclusion

KW - pre‑Islamic Arabia

KW - hadith

KW - Muhammad

KW - Bedouins

UR - http://manuscripta-orientalia.kunstkamera.ru/archive/2019_02_25/04

UR - https://elibrary.ru/item.asp?id=42393288

M3 - Article

VL - 25

SP - 28

EP - 31

JO - Manuscripta Orientalia

JF - Manuscripta Orientalia

SN - 1238-5018

IS - 2

ER -