There are in the Koran already indications that Muhammad's message was in principle directed to all mankind. Within a century or two of Muhammad's death, the religion of Abraham was spread far beyond Arabia, large numbers of converts to Islam had appeared among the conquered peoples. At first conversions tended to hand in hand with Arabisation: the converts were assimilated into the society of their conquerors. But in both social and geographical terms, Islam soon spread well beyond the reach of such Arabisation. Today, the Arabian Prophet is recognized as the messenger of God amond a great variety of peoples, and the Arabs themselves account for less than a sixth of the world's Muslims. It is of course true that Islam, retains a strong Arab colouring: unlike Christianity, Muhammad's religion did not break the milieu in which it was born. Yet the Arab tradition and identity of Islam has faded with the centuries. Today Islam is really many things to many men.
Casalino Pierluigi, on May 7th, 2014
Casalino Pierluigi, on May 7th, 2014