possible origins of islam (higher criticism scholars/ history nuts welcome)

[Psychonaut]

Greetings,

I've been mulling over a theory lately, could it be that Islam has it's origins what would now be considered Syria/Lebanon? 
This piqued my interest when I had heard of historians discussing other possible areas for Mecca (which is refered to as both Makkah and Bakkah in the Quran), as the traditional site Isn't suitable for agriculture, but an area with the same name is (which is ultimately what got my brain ticking).  

Within the Beqaa valley in Lebanon, A place called Bakka seemed reasonable, this area was also mentioned in the bible (psalm 84:6) as הַ֭בָּכָא. A lot of early islamic history has it's place in Syria, with an unusually silent bunch of Christian and Jewish historians on the word "Islam", plenty of stuff about the Saracens, and the Hagarenes, and some references to Mamed (Mohammed) never too much on something specifically called Islam, not until later (around the period after Abd al Malik). 

I would expect someone like John of Damascus (who was a supposed chief administrator for a caliph) to mention something about the word Islam, but he doesn't (at least nothing that I'm aware of, please correct me if I'm wrong) . In conjunction, I've tried tying together the other areas to see if it would fit, and it seemed to. Iram of the pillars (Iram is mentioned as a son of Edom in the bible [A region that would refer to modern day Jordan] Possibly as Wadi Rum), and among other areas. 
I can't really find much on Yathrib (apparently called Iatribu in the Nabonidus chronicle, and Iathrippa by Ptolemy, but this may not be accurate)

So that's basically it, I consider the Mecca of the Quran, as traditionally located in Saudi Arabia untenable in light of geographic evidence, and suggest a fertile area of the same name in the Levant, among other bits of evidence. This post was more a jumbled mess of ideas, than a thesis of some kind, which I thought I'd put out there for an interesting discussion. 

I'd like your thoughts on this, as I'm an amateur, and would like to hear some feedback. 

Cheers

[ReptilianPeon]

I've been mulling over a theory lately, could it be that Islam has it's origins what would now be considered Syria/Lebanon?

Didn't Tom Holland write an entire book on this very subject? If I remember rightly, In The Shadow of the Sword is the book that discusses this. Also, you can watch a documentary featuring him, Islam - The Untold Story, by visiting the below link.

https://vimeo.com/79051482
(in the description of the video you can find links to a talk he did about the documentary)

[Minimalist]

I suggest you read Robert Spencer's "Did Mohammed Exist?"  The muslims go birdshit over it but they go birdshit over almost everything so that is no barrier.

[Metis]

I personally suspect Islam draws considerably from the Nestorianism that was known to Muhammad, as the contents of the Qu'ran bare a similar resemblance to some of the proto-gospels and epistles that were known in Arabia at the time.

If Muhammad wasn't inspired by them then whoever put pen to paper and jotted down the Qu'ran probably was. I see it as a heretical offshoot of Christianity, on the same level as the Mormons and the Moonies.

Joseph Smith is the prime example of how a village idiot come con man can twist the words in a book or even concoct his own to lead people in a religious frenzy. Sun Myung Moon did it a century later as well. I'm not sure why it should be any great surprise to discover that Beduin could manage it in the eighth century either.

[ReptilianPeon]

I suggest you read Robert Spencer's "Did Mohammed Exist?"  The muslims go birdshit over it but they go birdshit over almost everything so that is no barrier.

I've not read that book. Robert may make some good points but I've always been put off by his bigotry. Also, this a good website for those interested:
http://nabataea.net/joke.html

The changing direction of the Qibla is discussed there. The website provides markers to put on Google maps so you can see that Mosques have not always faced in the direction of Mecca. The book promoted by that website, Quranic Geography, might be another good read.

[Minimalist]

You are not going to find criticisms of islam at a site called isuckedallahscock.com

The trick is to evaluate the evidence provided and Spencer provides much.  He also cites his sources some of whom are islamic scholars who are forced to write under pseudonyms because the adherents of the religion of peace would kill them for their opinions.

I have an epub version of the book.  If you'd like it, PM an email address.

[ReptilianPeon]

You are not going to find criticisms of islam at a site called isuckedallahscock.com

The trick is to evaluate the evidence provided and Spencer provides much.  He also cites his sources some of whom are islamic scholars who are forced to write under pseudonyms because the adherents of the religion of peace would kill them for their opinions.

I have an epub version of the book.  If you'd like it, PM an email address.

Yes, I'd like that. I will send you a message shortly. If Robert Spencer is as detailed as you claim then it should be an interesting read for sure.

[Minimalist]

Evaluate Spencer by the level of outrage that he provokes in muslims.

[ReptilianPeon]

Evaluate Spencer by the level of outrage that he provokes in muslims.

Lots of people provoke outrage amoungst religious people but I don't think that we should use that as a, for lack of a better word, barometer, even if it is normally a good indicator of truth. We must remember that, George Bush and Tony Blair provoked much more outrage than Robert Spencer but I'm sure we can agree that they are surely full of excrement. I am sure his book, as you say, contains lots of interesting information so I will certainly give it a go.

[Darinda]

Evaluate Spencer by the level of outrage that he provokes in muslims.

It does not take much effort to provoke muslims just draw a cartoon and they all go ape shit.