The First and Second Seals
From 2005 – 2010, I lived and worked in the Middle East, specifically the country of Qatar. Work involved working closely with many Muslims, some of whom would like to discuss Allah and the Koran, whenever the opportunity arose. In order to be polite, and maintain a good relationship with them, I would try to divert the conversation, toward them telling me more about the History of Islam, and thereby avoid the direct discussions about the Allah and the Koran. Over 5 years, I learn quite a lot and became interested in researching more of it on my own after I retired. I had learned enough during our conversations, to become suspicious about Islam and Bible prophecy, but didn´t have the time to properly research it then. In searching the Internet for Islam History info, I came across the following Thesis/Book on line by Sayyid Ali Asghar Razwy. Here is a link to it;
https://www.al-islam.org/restatement-history-islam-and-muslims-sayyid-ali-asghar-razwy
I have read a couple of other books, but have found this to be the best, but unfortunately there are no page numbers for easy referencing. The author, Sayyid, explains Islamic history from a Shia (Shite) point of view, as most Islamic History is written from a Sunnis historical perspective. I don´t have the time and space here to cover the whole History of Islam, but will support what I write, as best as possible, with unaltered pertinent cut and pastes, from this book with chapter reference so you can verify. If you have the time, I would highly recommend reading this entire history to obtain the total context of the main characters and events of Islamic history. What is particularly interesting about Sayyid´s work, is his extensive inclusion of many Islamic Historians writings, as well as Western (non-Muslim), in a collation comparison of the important aspects. This ultimately provides a more comprehensive view in 1 book, but it lengthens this historical work considerably. But it should be noted that as objective as Sayyid may attempt to be, his Shia bias does show through particularly toward the conclusion, when he tries, to present Ali in the most favorable light possible. Here is a cut and paste excerpt from the introduction which highlights why I find this work one of the better resources.
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From Introduction - All that they (other historians) have to do is not to be tendentious, and not to accept blindly those interpretations and conclusions which have become the clichés of the history of Islam, but to rediscover truth for themselves through collation and examination of the evidence.
In the introduction to the Cambridge History of Islam, Volume I, published by the University Press, Cambridge (1970), P.M. Holt, writes:
“The study of Islamic history is now developing, many of the apparent certainties of the older Western historiography (often reflecting the assertions and interpretations of the Muslim traditional historians) have dissolved, and it is only gradually through detailed research that a truer understanding of the past may be attained.”
The certainties of the older Western historiography reflecting the assertions and interpretations of the Muslim traditional historians have not dissolved yet, but let us hope that they will, and a truer understanding of the past will be attained in due course.
An attempt to interpret the history of Islam, especially the history of its first century, is like stepping into a mine field; it's seething with controversy, diatribes and polemics, and one may approach it only extremely gingerly.
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The point is, Western historians, in particular, have often mischaracterized the main characters of Islamic history and we should be careful what we read on sites like Wikipedia, which probably have their source of info from other biased Historians.
I am going to start by trying to write, as brief as possible, a historical overview of the 3 most important characters of Islamic history, The Prophet Mohammed (credited we birth of Islam), his Cousin Ali ibn Abi Talib (Called Ali, and credited as father of Islamic – Shai Sect), and Abu Bakr (credited as father of Islamic – Sunnis Sect).
In the days when Mohammed was born in Mecca in 570 AD, the Arabian Peninsula was inhabited by Bedouin family tribes. The Arabs for the most part, were uncultured, uneducated, and Idol Worshippers. Mecca (Arabic – Makkah) was along the major Middle East trade route, and the center of the Idol production (it was a major valuable industry). The caretakers of the Kaaba (what the Muslims walk around today in their Hajj pilgrimage – Black Cube) was Mohammad´s family, particularly his father. At the time the Kaaba was a place of Idol Worship and full of Arab sacred Idols.
Contrary to most western belief, Mohammad was a quiet, and reserved man, who didn´t like violence and tribal fighting. Tribal fighting was a means of sport in the day, to prove manhood and attain rank in the family tribe, as well as a form of retribution.
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From Section - Political Conditions in Arabia
Since Arabia did not have a government, and since the Arabs were anarchists by instinct, they were locked up in ceaseless warfare. War was a permanent institution of the Arabian society. The desert could support only a limited number of people, and the state of inter-tribal war maintained a rigid control over the growth of population. But the Arabs themselves did not see war in this light.
To them, war was a pastime or rather a dangerous sport, or a species of tribal drama, waged by professionals, according to old and gallant codes, while the “audience” cheered. Eternal peace held no appeal for them, and war provided an escape from drudgery and from the monotony of life in the desert.
They, therefore, courted the excitement of the clash of arms. War gave them an opportunity to display their skills at archery, fencing and horsemanship, and also, in war, they could distinguish themselves by their heroism and at the same time win glory and honor for their tribes. In many cases, the Arabs fought for the sake of fighting, whether or not there was a cause
From Section - Arabia Before Islam
The State of Religion in Pre-Islamic Arabia
The period in the Arabian history which preceded the birth of Islam is known as the Times of Ignorance. Judging by the beliefs and the practices of the pagan Arabs, it appears that it was a most appropriate name. The Arabs were the devotees of a variety of “religions” which can be classified into the following categories.
Idol-worshippers or polytheists. Most of the Arabs were idolaters. They worshipped numerous idols and each tribe had its own idol or idols and fetishes. They had turned the Kaaba in Makkah, which according to tradition, had been built by the Prophet Abraham and his son, Ismael, and was dedicated by them to the service of One God, into a heathen pantheon housing 360 idols of stone and wood.
From Section - Education among the Arabs Before Islam
Among the Arabs there were extremely few individuals who could read and write. Most of them were not very eager to learn these arts. Some historians are of the opinion that the culture of the period was almost entirely oral. The Jews and the Christians were the custodians of such knowledge
Continued in Part 7
From 2005 – 2010, I lived and worked in the Middle East, specifically the country of Qatar. Work involved working closely with many Muslims, some of whom would like to discuss Allah and the Koran, whenever the opportunity arose. In order to be polite, and maintain a good relationship with them, I would try to divert the conversation, toward them telling me more about the History of Islam, and thereby avoid the direct discussions about the Allah and the Koran. Over 5 years, I learn quite a lot and became interested in researching more of it on my own after I retired. I had learned enough during our conversations, to become suspicious about Islam and Bible prophecy, but didn´t have the time to properly research it then. In searching the Internet for Islam History info, I came across the following Thesis/Book on line by Sayyid Ali Asghar Razwy. Here is a link to it;
https://www.al-islam.org/restatement-history-islam-and-muslims-sayyid-ali-asghar-razwy
I have read a couple of other books, but have found this to be the best, but unfortunately there are no page numbers for easy referencing. The author, Sayyid, explains Islamic history from a Shia (Shite) point of view, as most Islamic History is written from a Sunnis historical perspective. I don´t have the time and space here to cover the whole History of Islam, but will support what I write, as best as possible, with unaltered pertinent cut and pastes, from this book with chapter reference so you can verify. If you have the time, I would highly recommend reading this entire history to obtain the total context of the main characters and events of Islamic history. What is particularly interesting about Sayyid´s work, is his extensive inclusion of many Islamic Historians writings, as well as Western (non-Muslim), in a collation comparison of the important aspects. This ultimately provides a more comprehensive view in 1 book, but it lengthens this historical work considerably. But it should be noted that as objective as Sayyid may attempt to be, his Shia bias does show through particularly toward the conclusion, when he tries, to present Ali in the most favorable light possible. Here is a cut and paste excerpt from the introduction which highlights why I find this work one of the better resources.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From Introduction - All that they (other historians) have to do is not to be tendentious, and not to accept blindly those interpretations and conclusions which have become the clichés of the history of Islam, but to rediscover truth for themselves through collation and examination of the evidence.
In the introduction to the Cambridge History of Islam, Volume I, published by the University Press, Cambridge (1970), P.M. Holt, writes:
“The study of Islamic history is now developing, many of the apparent certainties of the older Western historiography (often reflecting the assertions and interpretations of the Muslim traditional historians) have dissolved, and it is only gradually through detailed research that a truer understanding of the past may be attained.”
The certainties of the older Western historiography reflecting the assertions and interpretations of the Muslim traditional historians have not dissolved yet, but let us hope that they will, and a truer understanding of the past will be attained in due course.
An attempt to interpret the history of Islam, especially the history of its first century, is like stepping into a mine field; it's seething with controversy, diatribes and polemics, and one may approach it only extremely gingerly.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The point is, Western historians, in particular, have often mischaracterized the main characters of Islamic history and we should be careful what we read on sites like Wikipedia, which probably have their source of info from other biased Historians.
I am going to start by trying to write, as brief as possible, a historical overview of the 3 most important characters of Islamic history, The Prophet Mohammed (credited we birth of Islam), his Cousin Ali ibn Abi Talib (Called Ali, and credited as father of Islamic – Shai Sect), and Abu Bakr (credited as father of Islamic – Sunnis Sect).
In the days when Mohammed was born in Mecca in 570 AD, the Arabian Peninsula was inhabited by Bedouin family tribes. The Arabs for the most part, were uncultured, uneducated, and Idol Worshippers. Mecca (Arabic – Makkah) was along the major Middle East trade route, and the center of the Idol production (it was a major valuable industry). The caretakers of the Kaaba (what the Muslims walk around today in their Hajj pilgrimage – Black Cube) was Mohammad´s family, particularly his father. At the time the Kaaba was a place of Idol Worship and full of Arab sacred Idols.
Contrary to most western belief, Mohammad was a quiet, and reserved man, who didn´t like violence and tribal fighting. Tribal fighting was a means of sport in the day, to prove manhood and attain rank in the family tribe, as well as a form of retribution.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From Section - Political Conditions in Arabia
Since Arabia did not have a government, and since the Arabs were anarchists by instinct, they were locked up in ceaseless warfare. War was a permanent institution of the Arabian society. The desert could support only a limited number of people, and the state of inter-tribal war maintained a rigid control over the growth of population. But the Arabs themselves did not see war in this light.
To them, war was a pastime or rather a dangerous sport, or a species of tribal drama, waged by professionals, according to old and gallant codes, while the “audience” cheered. Eternal peace held no appeal for them, and war provided an escape from drudgery and from the monotony of life in the desert.
They, therefore, courted the excitement of the clash of arms. War gave them an opportunity to display their skills at archery, fencing and horsemanship, and also, in war, they could distinguish themselves by their heroism and at the same time win glory and honor for their tribes. In many cases, the Arabs fought for the sake of fighting, whether or not there was a cause
From Section - Arabia Before Islam
The State of Religion in Pre-Islamic Arabia
The period in the Arabian history which preceded the birth of Islam is known as the Times of Ignorance. Judging by the beliefs and the practices of the pagan Arabs, it appears that it was a most appropriate name. The Arabs were the devotees of a variety of “religions” which can be classified into the following categories.
Idol-worshippers or polytheists. Most of the Arabs were idolaters. They worshipped numerous idols and each tribe had its own idol or idols and fetishes. They had turned the Kaaba in Makkah, which according to tradition, had been built by the Prophet Abraham and his son, Ismael, and was dedicated by them to the service of One God, into a heathen pantheon housing 360 idols of stone and wood.
From Section - Education among the Arabs Before Islam
Among the Arabs there were extremely few individuals who could read and write. Most of them were not very eager to learn these arts. Some historians are of the opinion that the culture of the period was almost entirely oral. The Jews and the Christians were the custodians of such knowledge
Continued in Part 7