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[THREAD]
1/18
About 500 miles to the southwest of Ankara less than half an hour from the Turkey-Syria border lies the city of Harran. Here lived, long ago, a pagan star-worshipping people called the Sabians. This was long before Muhammad and Islam.
1/18
About 500 miles to the southwest of Ankara less than half an hour from the Turkey-Syria border lies the city of Harran. Here lived, long ago, a pagan star-worshipping people called the Sabians. This was long before Muhammad and Islam.
2/18
The Harranians weren't the only Sabians, there were also the Mandaeans but we'll not be discussing them this time. Amongst all Sabian deities was Sin, the Moon goddess. This was also the chief deity, the queen of the Sabian-Akkadian pantheon.
The Harranians weren't the only Sabians, there were also the Mandaeans but we'll not be discussing them this time. Amongst all Sabian deities was Sin, the Moon goddess. This was also the chief deity, the queen of the Sabian-Akkadian pantheon.
3/18
The city of Harran was settled around 2000 BC as a trading outpost of Ur, a major Mesopotamian metropolis best known for the Ziggurat. The site of Harran was a hot desolate landscape described even in the antiquity as a "dry barren wasteland."
The city of Harran was settled around 2000 BC as a trading outpost of Ur, a major Mesopotamian metropolis best known for the Ziggurat. The site of Harran was a hot desolate landscape described even in the antiquity as a "dry barren wasteland."
4/18
Given these conditions, night naturally came to be seen as a welcome relief from the scorching heat of the day. Sun became the enemy while Moon, a friend. No wonder the Harranians built a temple to Sin, a structure that soon became a major landmark.
Given these conditions, night naturally came to be seen as a welcome relief from the scorching heat of the day. Sun became the enemy while Moon, a friend. No wonder the Harranians built a temple to Sin, a structure that soon became a major landmark.
5/18
So just as Paris has its Eiffel Tower and the NYC its Statue of Liberty, Harran had its Temple of Sin. Now the Sabians didn't really have a concept of week. They had days and then they had months. One of these was Rajab, roughly corresponding to March-April.
So just as Paris has its Eiffel Tower and the NYC its Statue of Liberty, Harran had its Temple of Sin. Now the Sabians didn't really have a concept of week. They had days and then they had months. One of these was Rajab, roughly corresponding to March-April.
6/18
Legends say the Moon once disappeared behind the Pleiades star cluster which spooked our the Harranians. They prayed to the Moon but it would not return. This happened at the beginning of the spring month, Rajab. When praying failed, they decided to fast. Hunger strike?
Legends say the Moon once disappeared behind the Pleiades star cluster which spooked our the Harranians. They prayed to the Moon but it would not return. This happened at the beginning of the spring month, Rajab. When praying failed, they decided to fast. Hunger strike?
7/18
The Moon, though pleased, didn't promise to return to Harran, but did commit a return to Deyr Kadi, a town just outside of Harran, after a month. So they fasted the whole month and on the promised day, gathered at Deyr Kadi to welcome the Moon. This became an annual event.
The Moon, though pleased, didn't promise to return to Harran, but did commit a return to Deyr Kadi, a town just outside of Harran, after a month. So they fasted the whole month and on the promised day, gathered at Deyr Kadi to welcome the Moon. This became an annual event.
8/18
Sin was not exclusive to the Sabians of Harran though. The Moon goddess was worshipped by everyone from the Sumerians to the Assyrians and from the Akkadians to the pagans of Southern Arabia. The fabled Ziggurat of Ur was a shrine to Nanna, the Sumerian name for Sin.
Sin was not exclusive to the Sabians of Harran though. The Moon goddess was worshipped by everyone from the Sumerians to the Assyrians and from the Akkadians to the pagans of Southern Arabia. The fabled Ziggurat of Ur was a shrine to Nanna, the Sumerian name for Sin.
9/18
Oh and the annual Deyr Kadi shindig? It grew into a major Harranian feast with time. A feast after a month-long fast is hardly an anomaly. Especially when you favorite deity is showing up after a long absence. They called it al-Feter.
Oh and the annual Deyr Kadi shindig? It grew into a major Harranian feast with time. A feast after a month-long fast is hardly an anomaly. Especially when you favorite deity is showing up after a long absence. They called it al-Feter.
10/18
Around 552 BC Nabonidus, the king of Harran and a Sin fanatic, conquered Arabia. The Babylonian priests of the time accorded supremacy to Marduk, i.e. Jupiter. Being a Sin worshipper though, Nabonidus disagreed. So he left Harran to his son and went to live in Arabia.
Around 552 BC Nabonidus, the king of Harran and a Sin fanatic, conquered Arabia. The Babylonian priests of the time accorded supremacy to Marduk, i.e. Jupiter. Being a Sin worshipper though, Nabonidus disagreed. So he left Harran to his son and went to live in Arabia.
11/18
Nabonidus started proselytising at Teima in northern Arabia. In time, the last Babylonian king of Harran added more Arabian cities to his kitty, one of them being Yathrib. This later became al-Medina. With Nabonidus also came the Harranian fasting and al-Feter.
Nabonidus started proselytising at Teima in northern Arabia. In time, the last Babylonian king of Harran added more Arabian cities to his kitty, one of them being Yathrib. This later became al-Medina. With Nabonidus also came the Harranian fasting and al-Feter.
12/18
Medieval historian Ibn al-Nadim documented various pre-Islamic cults of Arabia in his book, al-Fahrisit. In it he writes of various al-Feter rituals including animal sacrifices and almsgiving. He also writes of prayers and ablutions.
Medieval historian Ibn al-Nadim documented various pre-Islamic cults of Arabia in his book, al-Fahrisit. In it he writes of various al-Feter rituals including animal sacrifices and almsgiving. He also writes of prayers and ablutions.
13/18
According to al-Nadim, pagan Arabs also prayed 5 times a day but instead of Mecca, they faced Yemen. Why? I don't know. By the beginning of the 7th century AD though, Harranian fasting and al-Feter were mainstream throughout Arabia, particularly Medina.
According to al-Nadim, pagan Arabs also prayed 5 times a day but instead of Mecca, they faced Yemen. Why? I don't know. By the beginning of the 7th century AD though, Harranian fasting and al-Feter were mainstream throughout Arabia, particularly Medina.
14/18
It's here in Medina that Muhammad picked up most embedded practices and repurposed them for his brand new theology. The Harranian fasting moved from Rajab to Ramadan, i.e. spring to summer. Al-Feter became Eid al-Fitr. This shift wasn't without problems though.
It's here in Medina that Muhammad picked up most embedded practices and repurposed them for his brand new theology. The Harranian fasting moved from Rajab to Ramadan, i.e. spring to summer. Al-Feter became Eid al-Fitr. This shift wasn't without problems though.
15/18
Humans resist change, more so of the religious kind. The Sabians of Medina resisted too. Not all of Arabia had embraced Islam during Muhammad's lifetime. It took time, coercion, and a series of "Caliphs" to make that happen. One of them was Omar.
Humans resist change, more so of the religious kind. The Sabians of Medina resisted too. Not all of Arabia had embraced Islam during Muhammad's lifetime. It took time, coercion, and a series of "Caliphs" to make that happen. One of them was Omar.
16/18
Omar succeeded Abu Bakr as the 2nd Caliph of the Rashidun Caliphate in 634 AD. Inspired to bring the entirety of Arabia into the Islamic fold at all cost, Omar employed some mighty radical means. One of his biggest challenges was the Sabians of Medina.
Omar succeeded Abu Bakr as the 2nd Caliph of the Rashidun Caliphate in 634 AD. Inspired to bring the entirety of Arabia into the Islamic fold at all cost, Omar employed some mighty radical means. One of his biggest challenges was the Sabians of Medina.
17/18
They were still carrying on with their pagan ways, worshipping the Moon goddess and fasting for her throughout Rajab. Omar has them flogged and force-fed during Rajab so they could fast during Ramadan. Obviously this seems to have worked well for Islam.
They were still carrying on with their pagan ways, worshipping the Moon goddess and fasting for her throughout Rajab. Omar has them flogged and force-fed during Rajab so they could fast during Ramadan. Obviously this seems to have worked well for Islam.
18/18
So that's the story of Ramadan fasting, an Islamic practice that predates Islam by at least 2,000 years.
This story is just a slice of documented history with no political or social objectives.
Ramadan/Ramzan Mubarak!
So that's the story of Ramadan fasting, an Islamic practice that predates Islam by at least 2,000 years.
This story is just a slice of documented history with no political or social objectives.
Ramadan/Ramzan Mubarak!
