Before Islam, the main religion of the Arabian Peninsula was pagan idolatry. Carved figures of wood, stone, and clay were worshiped either as gods or as intermediaries between people and the gods. Some people worshiped the heavenly bodies, and it was not uncommon for children to be called such names as Abdel-Shams (sun worshiper) or Abdel-Uzza (worshiper of Uzza, an ancient pagan goddess).

In the city of Mecca, some people did understand the concept of monotheism, based on the local oral traditions of the Prophet Abraham. There were Jewish and Christian tribes in the region, but the pagan leaders in Mecca did not welcome them. The economic foundation of the city had come to revolve around pagan business and religious practices, and the monotheistic faiths posed a threat to the existing economic prosperity. For this reason, the Jewish and Christian tribes remained in the outlying areas.