CHAPTl:.R 'f\'!;nBirth and E ducation
According to Islamic tradition, the H o use of God (al-Knba) had been built
by Abraham and his son Ishmael in the name of pure monotheism , of the
worship of the One God, the Creator of the heavens and the earth, the
God of humankind and of all the prophets and messengers.' Centuries
went by and i\kcea became a place of pilgrimage, but also mostly a mar-
ketplace and a trading center, giving rise to extensive culrural and religious
blending. After so me time, worship of the One gave way to the cult o f
tribal or local idols, to multiform polytheism. Islamic tradition reports
that when Revelation began, more than 360 idols, images, or statues were
housed and worshiped in the K aba. Only a small group of believers
remained attached to the worship of the One God and refused to join in
the general idol worship. They were called the hUlIafa and identified with the
Abrahamic monotheistic craclition.^2 The Quran itself qualifies Abraham
and/ o r the nature of his 'worship as pure (haniJ): "\'<'ho can profess a bet-
ter religion man one who submits his whole self to God, does good, and
follows the way of Abraham, pure monotheism [or the pure monotheist}?
For God chose Abraham as beloved friend."]
The most famous of th e huna/a at the time of :Muhammad was called
Waragab ibn Nawfal and had converted to Christianity. With the other
believers, the Jews and Christians living in the area, Waraqah ibn Nawfal
represented the expression of a now marginal monotheism, which was
sp urned and sometimes fought over in and around Mecca.