The Incense/Spice Route, Mecca, and Islam

[Peter]

The Saudi Arabian city of Mecca is located deep into Arabia, about 767 miles or 1235 kilometers from Jerusalem in the Holy Land, the home of the prophets, patriarchs and God's chosen people. Indeed Jews, Christians and Muslims believe that Abraham himself, was buried near Hebron, about 20 miles south of Jerusalem.
"For Muslims, Hebron is holy because the Magarat ("Cave") is located there, where Muslims believe that Abraham, the father of all the prophets, was buried."
More on Abraham's burial place.

Here's a link to a Google map of Saudi Arabia for verification of the graphic map below.



Spices from Yemen bound for the "fertile crescent" - over 2,000 kilometers up the Red Sea - were transported by ship along what is known as the "Incense Route". Here's a Wikipedia article that details that route. "The incense trade flourished from South Arabia to the Mediterranean between roughly the 3rd century BCE to the 2nd century CE."
No overland caravan route connecting northern Arabia to southeastern Arabia along the Red Sea was established until around the 6th century BC. Prior to that time overland travel along the Red Sea was not possible, because water wells had not been developed, or attendant settlements established. Please study that Wikipedia link for much more.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Incense_route

The Quraish

Islam teaches that Mohammed was a member of the Yemeni tribe called the Quraish, and that the Quraish migrated from Yemen to Mecca, some time around the 4th or 5th century AD.

Islam further teaches that the Quraish were idol worshipers and the Hadith details that the Kaaba in Mecca at which they worshiped, was maintained by Mohammed's uncle, and was home to some 360 pagan idols.

Islam teaches that at one point Mohammed was exiled to Medina, and upon his return to Mecca, had all of the idols removed from the Kaaba - with one exception.

It cannot be denied that the black stone embedded in the corner of the Kaaba, is the very same black stone idol that the Quraish venerated, as representing one of their pagan deities.
http://islamchristianforum.com/index.php?topic=1906.0
http://islamchristianforum.com/index.php?topic=1050.0

It cannot be denied that the Quraish called what they considered the most powerful of their pagan deities "Allah".
http://islamchristianforum.com/index.php?topic=1240.0
http://islamchristianforum.com/index.php?topic=1728.0

It cannot be denied that Islam instructs, that Mohammed's followers are to prostrate themselves toward that very same Quraish black stone idol, 5 times every day.

It cannot be denied that the 5th pillar of Islam consists of traveling to Mecca, and circumambulating the Kaaba and the Quraish black stone idol 7 times, just as the Arabian pagan moon, sun, and star worshipers did before Mohammed.
http://islamchristianforum.com/index.php?topic=1320.0

It cannot be denied that they are instructed to run back and forth between Al-Safa and Al-Marwah 7 times, as the pagans did, before Mohammed.
http://islamchristianforum.com/index.php?topic=1282.0

It cannot be denied that casting stones at the devil, drinking from the well of Zamzam, cuting their hair, sacrificing animals on Mina, and shouting from the hill of Arafa, were all rituals of the pagans before Mohammed.
http://islamchristianforum.com/index.php?topic=1321.0

So why do Muslims engage in these rituals, that were practiced by pagan moon, sun, star and jinn-demon worshipers before Mohammed?
http://www.petewaldo.com/hajj_umrah.htm

Why do they engage in these rituals 1235 kilometers from the Holy Land - the land of the prophets and patriarchs - where YHWH had His people build His tabernacle?
http://www.blueletterbible.org/search/translationResults.cfm?Criteria=tabernacle&t=KJV

Why do Mohammedans follow religious laws created by Mohammed - who even changed the Sabbath from Saturday to Friday?
http://islamchristianforum.com/index.php?topic=1932.msg8225#msg8225
http://islamchristianforum.com/index.php?topic=1955.0

Why do Mohammed's followers believe Islamic so-called "tradition", that was penned in the 7th and 8th centuries by Mohammed's followers, who embellished Mohammed's record with created historical fiction, without reference to any actual historical record that preceded Mohammed?

The sad truth is that Mohammed's followers follow Mohammed solely because in the 7th century the self-proclaimed "prophet" Mohammed instructed his followers to follow him. They believe Mohammed's words solely because he said them.
http://islamchristianforum.com/index.php?topic=1253.0
http://islamchristianforum.com/index.php?topic=264.0

Please correct me if you believe something above to be incorrect. Particularly let me know if you have a reason to deny something that I suggested is undeniable.

To our Muslim friends, can you share with us an additional reason that you follow Mohammed, besides Mohammed having instructed you to do so?
Could you please respond to this question and the above, before replying to any other posts on the thread?

Before answering please bear in mind, that choosing to reject the 1600 year record of YHWH to mankind, does not constitute a reason to follow Mohammed.

More importantly Mohammed's followers reject the Gospel of Jesus Christ, because Mohammed filled his followers with complete resolve, as to what to DISbelieve. (please reply at link)
http://islamchristianforum.com/index.php?topic=1175.0

Rejecting and blaspheming the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and the sacrifice of the Messiah and His shed blood, which is the main subject of the Gospel and the new covenant.
Rejecting the "Good News" of atonement of sin through Jesus Christ, believing instead that sin can be remitted by engaging in the pagan Arabian rituals described above. (please reply at link)
http://islamchristianforum.com/index.php?topic=1282.0

Mohammed adopting and then adapting pagan rituals, and his self-serving blasphemous 23 year record of so-called "revelation" that Mohammedans follow, that presumes to annul and displace the 1600 year record of YHWH to mankind, as delivered and recorded through ALL of His prophets and witnesses, that God's people have followed through two covenants, for 3500 years. (please reply at links)
http://islamchristianforum.com/index.php?topic=519.0
http://islamchristianforum.com/index.php?topic=537.0
http://islamchristianforum.com/index.php?topic=935.0

Indeed teaching the EXACT OPPOSITE of the Gospel. (please reply at links)
http://islamchristianforum.com/index.php?topic=1175.0
http://islamchristianforum.com/index.php?topic=148.0

[resistingrexmundi]

One further question I would like answered is since no one witnessed nor heard "Allah" giving Muhammad revelations how is it that in a book that talks of clear signs, even though Muhammad never performed a miracle, and accuses others of lies and conjecture that one can logically defend taking Muhammad's word that Muhammad's word on these matters is true?

[Peter]

One further question I would like answered is since no one witnessed nor heard "Allah" giving Muhammad revelations how is it that in a book that talks of clear signs, even though Muhammad never performed a miracle, and accuses others of lies and conjecture that one can logically defend taking Muhammad's word that Muhammad's word on these matters is true?

Indeed perhaps the only "miracle" was getting anybody to join Islam, after the threat of the conquering sword, and the perks of stolen property, wives and children being distributed among his followers was over, and only the punishment for apostasy remained as the stick for anyone rejecting Mohammedan Islam. But then that's the combined power of indoctrination and the spirit of antichrist at work.

Imagine even in this 21st century information age, following this so-called and self-proclaimed "prophet" that has no fulfilled prophecy to his credit.
http://islamchristianforum.com/index.php?topic=564.0

[Peter]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Incense_route

From the Wikipedia article we can see how much interest even the Sassanian Empire (602 to 629 - immediately before Islamic empire) had in the, dusty, dry, pastureless area, where Mecca had finally been settled, a couple hundred years before.