What could unite the Bedouins if not Islam?

If Islam had not appeared what might have united the Bedouin tribes? I see messages everywhere across this board in stories where Islam doesn't exist or likely won't of how Arabia would unite eventually anyways without Islam, for those who agree with that statement if not Islam what do you think would?
 

Kosta

Banned
If Islam had not appeared what might have united the Bedouin tribes? I see messages everywhere across this board in stories where Islam doesn't exist or likely won't of how Arabia would unite eventually anyways without Islam, for those who agree with that statement if not Islam what do you think would?

I do believe that before Islam the Berbers were Jewish. Why not [Zoidberg?] Judaism?
 

Kosta

Banned
Nabataean dinero :p.

You mean Bedouins?

I think Judaism is a bit too ethnocentric on the Hebrews for it to unite the Arabic nomads.

I actually was mistaken: it (was? were?) the Berber tribes that were Jewish. But I do believe there were a few Jewish tribes in Arabia, as were there Christian, Gnostic, and Pagan.
 
Mighty Al Uzza.

Damnit. Stop tempting with making a TL focused on a Warrior Goddess Religious POD that has the Lioness's faithful spreading their faith.
 
If Islam had not appeared what might have united the Bedouin tribes? I see messages everywhere across this board in stories where Islam doesn't exist or likely won't of how Arabia would unite eventually anyways without Islam, for those who agree with that statement if not Islam what do you think would?

Bedouin =/= Arab

The Bedouin are specifically nomadic/pastoralist Arab tribes IIRC. Islam first took root among the much more urbanised Arabs of the Hejaz.

There were a number of Christian and Jewish Arab tribes along with the Pagan Arab tribes at the time so perhaps some development from one of these religions could have done so. One of Harry Turtledove's AH series (Agent of Byzantium) has a POD partially linked to the advent of an Arab saint (implied to be Muhammad) who revitalises Orthodoxy and brings the Arabian tribes into the service of Constantinople.

*which was essentially what started Islam- Muhammad was familiar with Christianity and Judaism and initially seems to have presented Islam as something of a reformation, only becoming much more distinct once the Jewish tribes of Medina rejected him.
 
As there are some similarities to other nomadic warrior cultures, what about a Dschingis Khan like figure to unite the Bedouins (temporarily)?
 
I do believe that before Islam the Berbers were Jewish. Why not [Zoidberg?] Judaism?
Some Berbers were Jewish. Others Christian, others their own folk religion, and mixes of all three. From what I've been able to glean the main religion was still their traditional folk religion.
 
Note that the beduins are only the Arab nomands - most Arabs are not (and were not during the age of Mohammed) beduin.
 
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