ABSTRACT
Islam, coming from Arabia, is therefore primarily the religion of the desert, and, although it has undergone many changes in the course of the centuries, it still carries with it the flavour of the glorious deserts of that land. The first and most important battle in Islamic history was fought at Badr. The powerlessness of man and the importance of Kismet, or Fate, are the two basic thoughts deeply embedded in Islam, whose messenger was Muhammad, the son of the desert, the orphan boy of Makka [Mecca]. Using the Qur’an as a basis, Muhammad’s biography should really begin with his fortieth year, that is, the time when he received his first revelation. He had a message—a most important message—the message of the coming judgment of God. The moment Muhammad arrived at Madina, his position changed fundamentally. Muhammad’s insistence upon giving women their rightful dowry made polygamy an expensive luxury.
