[gusty]

The origins of Islam are directly related to the borderlands of the Roman and Persian Empires. The Arab tribes on the borders were aware of religious thought within the Eastern Roman Empire. They borrowed and modified quite a lot of it. The Arabs served both empires as mercenaries. Some current historians of the period are know doubting that a Muhammed even existed. That the Koran itself was only written decades after the Arabs conquered the area. Their conquest was helped by the brutal war between the Byzantine and Persians brought both empires to ruin, thus allowing the Arabs to burst out of the borderlands against both.

[Pelham]

thanks. I enjoy your posts.