In pre-Islamic Arabia - the period before the advent of Islam - which some Western writers considered to be "the Age of Ignorance or Barbarism," and which they thought to be between the years (500-622 AC), the woman's position was indeed unenviable; though she participated in many a social and economic activity, and though, sometimes, glowing tributes were paid to sweethearts in pre-Islamic poetry; generally, women were treated as chattels.
There was no limit to a man taking as many wives as he liked.
Similarly, he divorced his wives at will and indeed, frequently.
There was no rule of prohibition; so a man could, and did marry irrespective of blood relationship.
Often two sisters were joined as wives to a man at the same time.
Some married their fathers' ex-wives or widows (excepting their own mothers).
The birth of a daughter was considered inauspicious and disliked.
Some of the inhumane ways that many Arabs, out of a false sense of honor and the fear of poverty, were that, they buried their young daughters alive.
And, despite the ill-treatment of women, this was what a pre-Islamic poet called Al Munakhal al-Yashkuni had to say about love: "And I love her and she loves me" "And her she-camel loves my camel.
" What al-Yashkuni wanted to convey to us was that, the love between he and his sweetheart was so intense and pervasive that it caused their two camels to also (by default), fall in love with each other.
This was in spite of the fact that he and other men like him, during that epoch married and divorced their sweethearts at will without the slightest compunction.
A man in love might say to his sweetheart: " I love you more than the love ants have for one another.
" This could be a hyperbole, indeed, it might just also be a meretricious expression albeit with no real feeling behind it.
One housewife lamented: " Does my husband really loves me? Won't he abandon me in the course of time for a much younger wife? These days, he always returns home late from work...
, and when I attempt to ask him why, he yells at me, is he having an affair?" She lamented.
It's only recently that researchers have found out that the "fire of love" between ants is several times hotter than that between human beings.
It has been found out by scientist that every act of interaction between ants springs from their lofty and very sincere love for one another.
In effect, ants have love for one another that can't be matched by any other creature on Earth.
Why won't those in relationships take a long walk into the wilderness close to where there are ant hills in order to observe for themselves, the "fire of love" that exists amongst these tiny creatures? Indeed, they may also just find these creatures closer to home in their backyards!