professor samatar is writting about documented history not on islamic theology. the two things are different one is based on history and rational thinking the other is based on personal belief and blind faith. so there is really no reason why you people should condemn professor samatar's scholarly work just because contradicts your beielf!
There is nothing rational about what he wrote in the part I quoted..because even if you try to disregards the diin(which lit. makes you a kaafir)..
you cant invent and say such and such disease afflicted that army..when eye historical facts are different.
And what makes you think that arabs of that era and muslims afterwards did not documet history?? mise you only believe on Cadaan's his-story?
so are you telling me the abrah's army was wiped out by an army of birds armed with hot clay stones.
which sounds more plausible smallpox or army of birds. im sorry mate you can belief what want but you can present your belief as an infallible truth.

I knew in adigaba lagugu jiro..you should have been clear from the beginning , instead beating around the bush and defending the guy indirectly.
One fact remians, there was no such thing as smallpox 1400 yrs ago, and if it was..no body knew it.
Another unrefutable and more imp. fact: Yes an army of birds is more plausible to me and to a billion and half muslims in this world..