Muslim monster imagery derived from fantasies about Muhammad, not real Muslims

Evidence

The frightening imagery depicted in the above poem was likely inspired by early treatments of Islam. The foundations of Muslim monsters are situated in these fantasies of early Muslims, specifically in the mythologies surrounding an Arab merchant named Muhammad. — Sophia Rose Arjana, Muslims in the Western Imagination, 123

Categorization

• XREF: Directly supports the reader’s core question about image preceding real contact — the fantasy roots in mythologies around a merchant.