What were they thinking when they said this?

Question

What are you thinking as you read it? I think it is worth taking a look at because it comes from unbiased sources.

"EDWARD GIBBON and SIMON OCKLEY speaking on the profession of Islam write:

"'I BELIEVE IN ONE GOD, AND MAHOMET, AN APOSTLE OF GOD' is the simple and invariable profession of Islam. The intellectual image of the Deity has never been degraded by any visible idol; the honor of the Prophet has never transgressed the measure of human virtues; and his living precepts have restrained the gratitude of his disciples within the bounds of reason and religion."
(HISTORY OF THE SARACEN EMPIRES, London, 1870, p. 54)"

His name isn't a spelling error. It's spelled various ways by various people. The most common being Muhammad (PBUH)

Answer 1

They are speaking of the Moslem religion yes. They also happened to be writing about it as history. Gibbon was famous for his view that the rise of religion contributed to the Fall of the Roman Empire.
He was one of the great historians.

Answer 2

I thought that the image of something supernatural not being damaged by false visual representations is an interesting method to achieve prayer, but anyone praying sufficiently can easily loose visual imagery and focus on the purity aspect alone. So overall it would be a negative influence as you loose the powerful tool of visualization, and as the process of creation (drawing, scuplting etc) is powerful in personal development in itself and moreso when involved with connecting with your God as it becomes a unique and intimate method of worship, that can also be shared and last beyond your own physical incarnation.

Answer 3

First, someone needs to learn to spell

Answer 4

i think I just wasted valuable seconds on religious superstition.

Answer 5

I am thinking it's a load of bull.