37:125 "Will you call upon Ba'l (a well- known idol of his nation whom they used to worship) and forsake the Best of creators,

This is the only reference to Baal or Bel in Mein Koran. It is well documented and widely known – even amongst the usual cadre of illiterate Moslem apologists – that Hub'Al [Baal] was most likely the Al-Lah or Al-ilah, the Lord of the Kabaa shrine. Baal alias Hub'Al was the pagan Arab equivalent of the Biblical Baal or Bel, worshipped by a variety of tribes in different ways, but commonly described as a 'sky' or 'celestial' god. For some Baal might be a god of thunder and storms. For others of rain. For a few the Bel idol was akin to Zeus – the first Lord of all the gods and usually associated with the sky. There is little doubt that Baal or Hub'Al was the Al-Lah of Mecca or the Lord of the House of Baal [the Kabaa].

Of historical importance, but little commented upon, is the linkages which existed between the urban empires of Mesopotamia, and the backwater paganistic backwards 'societies' of Arabia. From the time of Sargon the Great circa 2500 BC until the fall of the neo-Babylonian empire circa 540 BC to the Persians; Mesopotamia in various guises was the superpower of Near Asia.

It only stands to reason that in all matters ranging from war to theology, the influence of the civilizations which arose, poured forth, and conquered vast swathes of territory over 2000 years would leave an indelible cultural impression on ignorant pagan Arabs with their rather miserable un-civilized standard of living. For instance by 590 BC the Babylonians controlled directly and indirectly most of Arabia. Surely their 'gods' would find their way into Arab worship.

The Baal or Bel of Mesopotamia finds it echo in Allah in Arabia. Bel of Mesopotamia was the celestial king of Gods and guess who was his wife or consort ? Allat or the Sun goddess, the very same Allat of the Arab pantheon, sometimes named as a daughter of Allah, oftentimes cited as his consort or wife. Over time the Bel of Mesopotamia became Marduk, usually associated with the moon, who became almost a monotheistic god, and one of great power who eclipsed all others. He still retained Allat as his concubine.

This Baal has his antecedents in the deep past of Sumerian development. In Sumerian lore the 'weather god' was named Enlil. Over time during the late Bronze Age period, Enlil migrates to become Sin, the moon god, who is now the highest god of power. So Baal or Bel, becomes synonymous with Sin who oftentimes is equated with Marduk the 'personal Lord' of the Babylonians. Baal, Marduk and Sin – names for the moon detiy represented by the bull, a creature of power and virility. Hence, when the Israelites in the story of Exodus circa 1650 BC, made a graven image of a gold calf, they were worshipping Baal, Bel or Sin, the moon deity.

Through various irruptions by the Sumerians, Akkadians, Assyrians, Babylonians, Chaldeans and the Persians [who allowed conquered states to keep their worship]; the Mesopotamian influence on the hinterlands of civilization would have been quite deep indeed. It is proven that Bel worship spread all over the Near East and likely entered Arabia from Palmyra where the great north-south caravans would meet. Exchange of ideas is always a corollary of exchange of goods. No doubt the Arabs would have met Bel and with Babylonian suzerainty they most likely would have viewed this particular god as powerful, worthy and omnipotent. How else to explain the extraordinary success of the Mesopotamian empires ?

In northern Arabia at Sumatar Harabesi and elsewhere there are various inscriptions dedicated to 'Mar Allah' or Marduk-Allah dating from the 2^nd century AD. The crescent moon is also used in these offerings, along with dedications to Sin. Mar-Allah is usually transcribed as 'Lord of the Gods', thus keeping its Mesopotamian meaning or Baal/Bel. This 'Lord' is the 'keeper' of the heavens, or the most important celestial god, akin to Sin in Mesopotamia, the Lord of the Gods who is the protector of the world, and thus of magnified political importance. Every tribe wants such a deity on their side.

Even more compelling, the further one investigates the Baal-Sin cult in Arabia, and the further one goes down the peninsula the more Mar-Allah becomes 'Hubal' or 'the Lord' in old Arabic. Historians are in agreement that Hubal is really a title (considered by many to be of Aramaic origin and imported into the early Arabic dialects) that is no different from the usage of the Baal/Ba'l terminology found all over Syria, Palestine, and northern Arabia. Hubal is thus the Biblical Baal.

We must remember that the mad adventurer, politician, war-leader, brigand, sex-slaver, murderer Muhammad, never said that 'Allah was great', but that Allah was the greatest among the other Gods, acknowledging the pre-Islamic origin of Allah, and his religion. Allahu Akhbar simply means 'Allah is greatest'. Surely this Moslem scream redounds in modernity based upon the echoes of the Bronze age ?