TOTEMISM IN PRE-ISLAMIC ERA: A HISTORICAL STUDY

This research examines the concept of totemism, not only as a socio-religious system in pre-Islamic Arabia but also as a persistent mythological framework that influenced fabricated hadith (narrations) in the post-Islamic era. Drawing on historical accounts of pre-Islamic tribal names (e.g., Banu Asad, Banu Kalb) and sacred taboos surrounding animals and plants, the paper first establishes the existence of classic totemic practices in the Jahiliyyah period. It then transitions to a critical analysis of specific narrations within Islamic, particularly Shiite, heritage featuring miraculous animals (whales, wolves, lions) and plants (the staff of Moses, a magical palm tree). The study argues that these tales are not genuine miracles but are rather mythical constructs rooted in a pre-Islamic totemic consciousness. By critiquing the chains of transmission and highlighting the unreliability of their narrators (such as al-Mufaddal and Yunus ibn Dhibyan), the research concludes that these narrations represent a form of superstition that must be distinguished from authentic religious doctrine and the true status of the infallible Imams.