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The religion of Islam began during the seventh century CE on the Arabian peninsular in the territory which is the modern day Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The Arabian peninsular is an extremely arid desert region with very little fertile soil. Other than in the immediate vicinity of scattered oases there is very little vegetation to speak of. Essentially it is a region dominated by sandy dunes.

The local tribes people led semi nomadic lives and were predominantly engaged as shepherds or in servicing the well established trade routes between the Indian sub-continent to the East and Northern powers of Syria and Egypt. The shepherd tribes were small and scattered, moving livestock between the desert oases where they could find feed for their animals. The Arabian cities were established along the trade routes and in addition to the service of the trade they were able to provide a livelihood for various trades and crafts associated with urban life.

The two major cities associated with the origins of Islam are the cities of Makkah (Mecca) and Madinah (Medina). Makkah is about 80 kilometres from the Red Sea and lies in between the Mediterranean city of Gaza to the north and the city of Aden on the Indian Ocean to the south. Madinah is more than 300 kilometres further to the north. Makkah was a city founded on the trade routes between the Indian Ocean coastal towns and the great cities of Syria and Egypt

The religious affiliation of the Arab people was quite mixed. Predominantly they adhered to the local nature religions as well as those introduced along the trade routes from the Southern town of Aden to the Northern centres of Syria and Egypt.

There were also devotees of the monotheistic religions of Judaism and Christianity in the region, however, these were minority groups in most areas though quite well established nonetheless.

The local religions were mostly polytheistic and often associated with an element of nature. Frequently they had a well developed cultic practice with temples, priests, sacrificial rituals etc. Associated with these established religious practices there was often a thriving industry in the manufacture and sale of idols and other images used in the ritual practices of the religion.

Makkah had significant status in religious terms due to the presence of the Ka'bah which had become a significant centre for religious devotion. Indeed, Makkah could be regarded as a sacred city. At the time of Muhammed there were believed to be over 350 altars or shrines to local deities. The cult of the god "Ilah" and his offspring the goddesses "Al-lat", "Al-Uzza", and "Manat" was the most prominent in Makkah.

In and around Makkah, the most powerful tribe were the merchants known as the "Quaraish". Due to their wealth and power in the region, the Quaraish were able to control much of the economy in Makkah. They were able to regulate the activities of traders who came to Makkah and had control of the Ka'bah which enabled them to make enormous profits from the religious pilgrims coming to the shrines. These profits were reaped from maintaining a monopoly on the provisions required by those who had come to worship at the Ka'bah.

Among other tribes in the region, the influence and control of the Quaraish was often unpopular and in particular their exploitation of religious pilgrims was the source of some resentment. Among the opponents of the Quaraish were groups of devout Arabs known as "hanifs". They sought to find purity of heart through long periods of reclusive reflection and meditation in the many desert caves surrounding Makkah.

The hanifs had an abiding belief that among the many gods there was one of supreme power and authority, a creator god which existed separately from the rest of creation and had been revealed in the past through messengers such as Musa and Isa. It was from among the hanifs that the Prophet Muhammad was born in 570 CE.