[Cronos]

In my opinion, if we tear away religious sensibilities, it is clear that Mohammed's religion is a mish-mash of Gnosticism, Nestorian and Orthodox Christianity merged with Zoroastrian dualism and arabic paganism. To me its also clear that the Arabs are powerful when united, bt that has always been short-lived (remember T.E. Lawrence's speech "Unless the arabs are united, you will always be a small people")

Plus the clear appeal of islam to warrior men in its doctrines and living

[SunkenCiv]

The Major Religions of the World ....Revisited: The Significance of Mecca
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/chat/2770618/posts

Travels in Arabia, by John Lewis Burckhardt
Some Historical Notices Concerning the Kaaba, and the Temple of Mekka; Extracted from the Works of El Azraky, El Fasy, Kotobeddyn, and Asamy, Writers More Particularly Mentioned in the Introduction.
http://ebooks.adelaide.edu.au/b/burckhardt/john_lewis/arabia/chapter10.html

[snip] An Arab of Kossay, named Ammer Ibn Lahay, first introduced idolatry among his countrymen; he brought the idol, called Hobal, from Hyt, in Mesopotamia, [See El Azraky.] and set it up at the Kaaba. Idolatry then spread rapidly; and it seems that almost every Arab tribe chose its own god or tutelar divinity; and that, considering the Kaaba as a Pantheon common to them all, they frequented it in pilgrimage. The date-tree, called Ozza, says Azraky, was worshipped by the tribe of Khozaa; and the Beni Thekyf adored the rock called El Lat; a large tree, called Zat Arowat, was revered by the Koreysh; the holy places, Muna, Szafa, Meroua, had their respective saints or demi-gods; and the historians give a long list of other deities. The number of idols increased so much, that one was to be found in every house and tent of this valley; and the Kaaba was adorned with three hundred and sixty of them, corresponding probably to the days of the year. [/snip]

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/chat/2770618/posts?page=3#3

Was the Kaaba Originally a Hindu Temple?
by P.N. Oak
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/chat/2770618/posts?page=8#8

Is Kaaba an ancient Hindu Shiva Temple confiscated by Muhammad during raids?
https://themuslimissue.wordpress.com/2013/01/04/is-the-kaaba-an-ancient-hindu-shiva-temple-confiscated-by-mohammed/comment-page-4/

Is Kaaba in Mecca actually a lord Shiva Lingam?
http://www.quora.com/Is-Kaaba-in-Mecca-actually-a-lord-Shiva-Lingam

Kaaba, a Hindu Temple, Stolen by Muslims
http://haribhakt.com/kaaba-a-hindu-temple-stolen-by-muslims/

Kaaba of Mecca and The Hindu connection?
http://hinduism.stackexchange.com/questions/7224/kaaba-of-mecca-and-the-hindu-connection

Mecca was a Hindu Temple?
https://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20100623071329AAZdev6

Shiva Linga In Mecca, OM Is 786?
https://ramanan50.wordpress.com/2013/12/02/shiva-linga-in-mecca-om-is-786/

You know that.. Kaaba was a Hindu Temple taken over by Muslims
http://www.danielpipes.org/comments/178056