Trying to learn the history of the middle-east and Arabia and is at the moment diving into the religions. I've stated light on this subject and is now reading "Abrahams Children - Jew Christian Muslim commonality and conflict". In this book it is told that after the death of his wife Khadija and his uncle Abu Talib, the prophet Muhammed sought refuge by the tombs of Ishmael and Hagar.
It seems very unlikely to me that a tomb for Ishmael should exit before Islam was created, but before I write it off as just a story I thought I might ask you guys if you could explain it. Could the tombs be newly built by Muhammad's followers? Was there actually an Arabian non Jewish non Christian version of the myth that would make the existence of these tombs probable prior to the Islamic era?
Hope you can help. Cheers.
I'm not totally sure if I understand your question, but this is what I found:
A Brief History of Islam:
Islam arose in the early seventh century C.E. in the settled desert community of Mecca (in present-day Saudi Arabia). It developed from both the Judeo-Christian tradition and the cultural values of the nomadic Bedouin tribes of Arabia.
Islam expanded into areas controlled by the Byzantine Empire (largely Greek-speaking and Orthodox Christian, but with a diverse population) and the Sassanian Empire (officially Zoroastrian and Persian-speaking, but also diverse). By the mid-eighth century, Islam had spread west into North Africa and Europe, and east into Central Asia. Over the centuries, Islam continued to grow in sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia, and Southeast Asia.
As Islam expanded, the new Islamic societies adapted and synthesized many of the customs they encountered. As a result, Muslims in different areas of the world created for themselves a wide array of cultural traditions.
Islam's views of Judaism and Christianity:
Islam sees Judaism and Christianity as earlier versions of Islam, revelations given within the same tradition by Allah but misunderstood over time by their followers. Muslims see Islam as the final, complete, and correct revelation in the monotheistic tradition of the three faiths.
The Islamic tradition recognizes many of the Jewish and Christian prophets, including Abraham, Moses, and Jesus (although he is not considered to be the son of God). Many non-Muslims mistakenly believe that Muhammad is the equivalent of Jesus in the Islamic tradition; in fact, it is the Quran that stands in the same central position in Islam as Jesus does in Christianity. Muhammad himself is not divine, but a prophet chosen by God to deliver his message and an example of piety to emulate.
Jews and Christians are specifically protected in the Quran as Peoples of the Book, reinforcing their spiritual connection to Islam by virtue of having been given revelations from God. The Islamic legal tradition has upheld the rights of Jews and Christians to maintain their beliefs and practices within their communities in Islamic lands, and this policy of tolerance has generally been upheld.
(Source: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/globalconnections/mideast/themes/religion/)
So, the long story short is, even before Mohammed, Abraham was seen as a prophet. The people who lived in the area at the time observed Judeo-Christian traditions blended with local traditions and values.