As Muhammad developed Islam he borrowed from the other regional religions present in the Mideast. These religions include Judaism, Christianity, Sabeanism, Zoroastrianism, and forms of paganism. Judaism is the largest contributor to Islam, followed by Christianity, then followed by the various pagan religions, and Muhammad’s mind. These pagan borrowings constitute significant facets of Islam and this article details some of these pagan contributions.
Pagan Rituals
Islam counterargument: "Easter and other celebrations are based on paganism why blame us for the same"
The Muslim by using this argument is actually admitting that the Qur'an was not "sent down" but fabricated from pagan sources. This means he has become an unbeliever (Surah 25:4-6). And it is a false analogy to parallel the pagan origins of the rites commanded in the Qur'an with the present day holidays nowhere commanded in the Bible. What some modern day Christians do on Dec. 25th has no logical bearing on what the Qur'an commands Muslims to do (eg. the Pilgrimage, the Fast, etc.) It is irrelevant that some Christians choose to celebrate the birth of Christ. Since the Bible nowhere commands it, it is a matter of personal freedom. But Muslims are commanded in the Qur'an to believe and practice many things which came from the paganism of that day.
Allah
- Islam's origins have been traced back by scholars to the ancient fertility religion of the worship of the moon god one of the 360 dieties worshipped) which was always the dominant religion of Arabia. The moon god was worshipped by praying toward Mecca several times a day, making an annual pilgrimage to the Kabah which was a temple of the moon god, running around the Kabah seven times, caressing an idol of a black stone set in the wall of the Kabah, running between two hills, making animal sacrifices, gathering on Fridays for prayers, giving alms to the poor, etc.. These were pagan rites practiced by the Arabs long before Muhammad was born.
- The word allah was not used as the name for the abrahamic god until after Muhammed
- Every Islamic scholar acknowledges that Muhammed at first permitted the worship of the 3 daughters of allah (the Satanic Verses)... and later removed the verses.. it is an undeniable fact in the history of Islam.. it is mentioned in Hadith
Stone deity in the hadith:
- A stone ran away with Moses his cloths whilst bathing [Bukhari, Volume 1, Book 5, Number 277]
- Use a odd number of stones to clean private parts [Bukhari, Volume 1, Book 4, Number 162]
- A stone paid Muhammed salutations [Muslim, Book 030, Number 5654]
- A stone is squeeling on hiding Jews [Muslim, Book 041, Number 6981]
(these are only a few of many)
The Kaba
- Pre-Islamic history tells us that many Arabian tribes were stone worshippers. The Old Testament even talks about Mideast pagan groups that worshipped stones. Muhammad incorporated the Kaba's paganistic roots into Islam to give the Muslims a sense of identity, legitimacy, and uniqueness. He also wanted to ease the Arab's strain of moving from paganism to Islam, by continuing the practices of their fathers.
- It is thought that the Kaba was originally set up for astral worship. Golden suns and moons are repeatedly mentioned as the votive gifts. Some pagans regarded the Kaba as a temple devoted to the sun, moon, and 5 planets.
- The black stone played a prominent role in pagan worship. The pagans offered animal sacrifices there. But the idol of the black stone replaced the alter; on the black stone they smeared the blood of the sacrificed animals.
- Only Muhammad claimed that it was a place built by Abraham. In looking in the O.T., we find no mention of Abraham traveling to Mecca to build a house of worship.
Kaba talked about in the bible?
- Muslims hope that Gen 35:4, 14, 15 refer to the Kaba. Since "Beth-El" = House of God, and that the Jewish temple wasn't built until much later. But as the Bible shows, Bethel is a town, in Palestine - Genesis chapter 12. Also, Jacob built an altar, not a temple to God. Abraham also built an altar to the Lord in Gen 12:7.
- Muslims claim that David mentions the Kaba in Psalm 84:6. If 'Baca' was a location, it was not known where it existed in the Bible. But a more correct interpretation, taken in context of the whole Psalm, is that since 'baca' means weeping, it means 'valley of tears'. David could be saying that he longs for the presence of God, and that even through difficult times (baca) God will be with him, and will turn his tears to joy.
- Muslims also think that Isaiah 60:7 "All the flocks of Kedar" refers to Arabian people worshipping at the Kaba. Reading thru Isa 60:7, it shows that Kedar's flocks are going to be sacrificed on the alter. Are Muslims saying that Arabs were going to be human sacrifices?
- Some Muslims think that since the New Jerusalem in the book of Revelation is cubic, it also resembles the Kaba and thus is a prophecy of the Kaba! But the Kaba is not a perfect cube, not even close. The structure is 50 ft high, with a sloping roof, the shorter walls are 35 feet long, and the facade is 40 ft. long.
What monoteistic religion is a newer version of it's old pagan one? Islam!
"And beware, lest you lift up your eyes to heaven and see the sun and the moon and the stars, all the host of heaven, and be drawn away and worship them and serve them, those which the Lord your God has allotted to all the peoples under the whole heaven." Deut 4:19