But some of the recounting has the same issue as the famous joke line "Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor?" Mohammed was a merchant who became wealthy by marrying a rich older widow (could explain why John Kerry is so sympathetic). He began his religious career in admiration of Christianity and Judaism and only turned on them when both communities refused to recognize him as a successor prophet. This is why there are chapters in the Quran taken from the early days stating that Christians and Jews are accepted as fellow "Peoples of the Book".
He became a warlord later on after escaping assassination in Mecca for Medina (he was going to ruin the basic business of Mecca. It was a Walmart of cults at that time) where he organized an armed force and returned to Mecca in conquest. The Kaaba is a black meteorite not onyx, it's located in Mecca not in Jerusalem where the Dome of the Rock (the Rock is where legend places Abraham's sacrifice of Isaac, although the Muslims distort that story to say it was Ishmael) is, Allah is just the Arabic definite noun "the god", and as for the moon god for which the Kaaba was a shrine, it was one among dozens worshipped in seventh not fourth century Mecca.
But as with Bluto's famous rant, the author was on a roll. The problem is when a writer, however valid his underlying point and intentions, inserts the kinds of mistakes that get 8th grade history papers red marked and evoke laughter when spoken aloud he makes himself appear ignorant and his basic argument is lost in the shuffle.
I appreciate your backhanded compliment, but none of the minor errors are of any substance to the message.
The one that is you are being dishonest: http://www.billionbibles.org/sharia/allah-moon-god.html
I appreciate a doctor of Arabic Studies would be critiquing my post, but question the motives.