The Environment and Its Impact on the Inhabitants of the Arabian Peninsula Before Islam (A Study on the Impact between Nomads and Settled People)

 
The environment encompasses everything surrounding humans, influencing and being influenced by them. The environment is divided into two categories: natural and human-made. The natural environment includes all living and non-living phenomena surrounding humans, while the human-made environment consists of human achievements within their natural surroundings. The Arabian Peninsula's environment is distinguished by its harsh climate and terrain, where hot weather, scarce rainfall, deserts, mountains, and plateaus have significantly impacted its inhabitants. These conditions have greatly influenced their customs, political, economic, and social traditions, imposing specific patterns. However, the inhabitants have adapted and made efforts to overcome these challenges to sustain their lives, striving to utilize everything available in nature, both on land and in the sky, for their benefit. Thus, the relationship between the environment of the Arabian Peninsula and its inhabitants has been distinctive at times and challenging at others.
Before Islam, the inhabitants of the Arabian Peninsula were divided into nomads, settled people, and those living near the coasts. Each community developed unique social, political, and economic practices influenced by the environment, yet they managed to adapt and overcome many difficult phases in their lives.