Religions of Arabia:-
In the 7th century Arabia when Muhammad was born and started his preachings
(571 & 610), there were several Arabian belief systems surrounding him:
1 Pagans: They were idol worshippers/polytheists, most of the Arabs fell into this category. They dedicated the Ka'ba to worshipping 360 deities with Allah as the supreme of all the gods and goddesses.
2 Sabines/Sabeans:These were star worshippers.
3 Zindiqs/Zoroasterians: They were influenced by the Persian religion of
[one god Ahura Mazda] dualism in nature of two gods one for good and the other for evil. A perpetual struggle for supremacy between light and darkness.
4 Mousawiyoun/Jews: The descendants of Bani Israil (Israelites), the first pure Monotheists in the world. Several indigenous Arab tribes converted without coersion to the Law of Moses.
Most were involved in agriculture, metal manufacturing and trade. They were the richest among all of the other Arab tribes.
5 Christians: Some of the Arab tribes in the north were converted by the Romans to Christianity. There were also other tribes in Najran in the Yemen who were converted by the Ethiopians.
6 Hanifs: They were Arab monotheists who believed only in the God of Abraham but did not belong to the People of the Book as such.
This group was forming on the eve of the rise of 'Islam'. Khadijah, the wife of Muhammad was one of them.
*** One can discern from all of the above that Muhammad was surrounded by very important theologies, especially the last three.
His 'revelations' were NOT original concepts or precepts but copies and/or modifications Plundered, Pirated, Plagiarized or Perverted from existing ones ***
