ABSTRACT
This chapter examines the subject of Arab conversions to monotheism critically from a transcultural perspective and to compare the process of conversion to Christianity with that to Islam. It presents evidence from northern and central Arabia, that is a region stretching from Syria-Palestine southwards to the cities of Mecca, Medina, Ta'if, and Najran. Ammianus Marcellinus was the first to point to a change in terminology regarding Arab tribes. Jerome writes that the Arabs of the area around Elusa came together to celebrate an annual festival of Venus who was venerated on account of Lucifer. The goddess venerated in Elusa is named 'Venus' by Jerome. This is a typical example of an interpretatio Romana of the Arab goddess al-'Uzza. Hilarion's conversion of the Arabs in Elusa is clearly a mass conversion provoked by the charisma of the holy man. Comparative studies on conversion in modern times have shown that most religious doctrines are rarely the incentive for a religious re-affiliation.
