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Ishmael knew the God of Abraham and had the faith of Abraham. When Hagar was sent out with him, he prayed unto God, and the Lord heard the child and showed Hagar a well of water.
Jethro, the father in law of Moses, performed a burnt offering when Israel was delivered from Egypt. He also gave wise counsel to Moses to divide up the responsibility over the people.
The early Arabs knew the God of Israel, but their hatred of their cousins has blinded them from the fact that Jesus said,"Salvation is of the Jews." It is faith in the promised Seed, the Redeemer, the child of promise, the Seed of David, which saves the soul. They have left off faith in the promises of God, to please God with their own works of righteousness, which works fall terribly short of the glory of God, unable to satisfy the righteous requirements of the Holy One of Israel.

It may go just a little deeper:

Go back to Genesis, and the 2 creations. One a little more expansive than the other. Right off the bat there is light, to seperate the darkness. Meaning all was darkness at first. Since the sun and moon didn't come along til later... this 'light' and 'darkness' to me indicate 'good and evil' or 'right and wrong'. Duality.

Next thing that stands out is obedience. Or more precisely 'dis-obedience'. Adam and Eve are kicked out of the garden.

Now, this is just an observation, and one I noticed several years ago, and that is, that in the 1st creation all animals including and Adam and Eve were told to go forth and multiply. In the 2nd creation, these words are missing.

Now, I suppose one could look at things from different perspectives, but we don't have a whole lot of 'time' involed, to compare data, so it would only be a supposition to say, that had they not partaken of the tree of knowledge, they wouldn't have known of evil, or procreation.

The first creation being 'carnal/flesh/darkness'?, (be fruitful and multiply) and the second not.What we might consider 'spiritual/light'?

I also noticed something else, Adam and Eve's first born is Cain. Second born is Abel. Cain kills Abel. Just as the first creation was carnal/flesh, so too, was Adam and Eve's first creation, Cain 'carnal or bad/evil', committing the first murder, because of 'jealousy'.

Did Eve partake of the tree of knowledge because she wanted to be 'better' than what she was? 'Pride'? Is there where we get the saying, 'Pride goeth before a great fall'?

Then we get to Abram and Hagar. Hagar becomes prideful when she conceives, eventually giving birth to Ishmael. Later Abram, now called Abraham and Sarah give birth to Isaac. Ishmael's birth is 'carnal/of the flesh/darkness', while Isaac's birth was based on a Promise/spiritual/light from God.

God reinforced the separation of the child of 'flesh', from the Child of 'Promise', when Hagar and Ishmael were sent off to wander. Another separation of darkness from light.

Arabs are descended from Ishamel. I don't know if all muslims believe that they will be rewarded with 72 virgins in Paradise/Heaven, but Islam is the only 'religion' that I can think of that wants to continue the carnal/fleshly desires in Heaven/Paradise. How spiritual is that??

Romans 13:12
The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light.

Ephesians 5:8
For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light:

2 Corinthians 6:14
Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?

Ephesians 6:12
For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

1 John 1:5
This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.

1 John 1:6
If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth:

I think that were are witnessing a war between the children of light and those of the darkness. Is it the final war? Who knows. But, I do think this is a war between good and evil.

jmho