When the Prophet (pbuh) was born, what intellectual disasters was the Arabian Peninsula suffering from?
The Commander of the Faithful (a.s.) has described in many parts of Nahj al-Balagha the time before the Holy Prophet (s.w.a.) was born. Specifically, he said, "the world lost its light and pride appeared." There was no light for humanity. People lived in a dark era. Ignorance, rebellion, and misguided beliefs - whose manifestations were most obvious where the Prophet (s.w.a.) was born and subsequently chosen as the Prophet of Islam, Jaziratul Arab [Arab Island] - pervaded the lives of the people. All the manifestations of darkness and misguided beliefs were represented in one form or another in Mecca and Jaziratul Arab.
Misguided beliefs, polytheism that brings humiliation on mankind, savage social behavior, and brutal actions were examples of the norms at the time the Prophet (s.w.a.) was born and chosen as the Prophet of Islam. "And when the birth of a daughter is announced to one of them, his face becomes black and he is full of wrath. He hides himself from the people because of the evil of what is announced to him. Shall he keep it with disgrace or bury it (alive) in the dust? Now surely evil is what they judge!" [The Holy Quran, 16: 58-59]. That is an example of human morality at the time the Prophet (s.w.a.) was born and chosen as the Prophet. "And then there was guidance from misguided beliefs and light from darkness." Mankind was blind, but the Prophet (s.w.a.) made it see.
Darkness pervaded the world until the Prophet (s.w.a.) enlightened it. That is the significance of the Prophet's (s.w.a.) birth and being chosen as the Prophet of Islam. Not only Muslims, but all humanity has benefited from this divine blessing.