Islam and the Freedom of Conscience — Page 125
~ 125 ~ Karen Armstrong Karen Armstrong wrote in Muhammed: A Biography of the Prophet : ''Muhammad had to start virtually from scratch and work his way towards the radical monotheistic spirituality of his own. When he began his mission, a dispassionate observer would not have given him a chance. The Arabs, he might have objected, were just not ready for monotheism: they were not sufficiently developed for this sophisticated vision [that is Tau hi d , belief in the Unity of God]. In fact, to attempt to introduce it on a large scale in this violent, terrifying society, could be extremely dangerous and Muhammad would be lucky to escape with his life. Indeed, Muhammad was frequently in deadly peril and his survival was a near-miracle. But he did succeed. By the end of his life he had laid an axe to the root of the chronic cycle tribal violence that afflicted the region and paganism was no longer a going concern. The Arabs were ready to embark on a new phase of their history. '' 71 Referring to Christianity and the West, Armstrong wrote: 71 Karen Armstrong. Muhammad ‐ A Biography of the Prophet. Harper Collins Publishers. , NY. p. 53‐54 (1993)