I came across this criticism of Islam - I wanted your input since I dont know much history to verify what of this is true or not, or how a knowledgeable muslim would dismiss these claims.
**There were 360 idols around the Kaba. The pilgrimages to the Kaba were all pagan pilgrimages, the ritual processions around the Kaba were part of pagan beliefs and custom, the white robes worn by the pilgrims were from pagan faiths, the veneration of the Kaba and black stone are derived from pagan rituals and beliefs. Pagans called out the names of their pagan gods as they circled the Kaba, today, Muslims call out Allah’s name. Pagans ran between the nearby hills, Muhammad authorized Muslims to do that in the Quran, and probably ran between the hills himself.
The chief pagan god worshipped there was Hubal, who could be called the god of Mecca and of the Kaba. Hubal is not mentioned in the Quran. The goddesses al-Lat, al-Uzza, and Manat were also worshipped there and are mentioned in the Quran.**
After Muhammad took Mecca, he cleansed the Kaba. Inside the Kaba were many representations of the prophets. When his men began to cleanse the Kaba, and wash out the representations, Muhammad placed his hands on the pictures of Jesus and Mary, and said “Wash out all except what is below my hands”. Again, Muhammad went against his own principles, and sanctioned his definition of idolatry.
**Muhammad then sanctioned the pagan rituals concerning the Kaba, i.e. kissing the black stone, touching the Kaba, circling the structure, running between the two hills, etc. Later, Umar said to the black stone “I know that you are a stone, that neither helps nor hurts, and if the messenger of god had not kissed you, I would not kiss you”. (Sahih al-Bukhari, volume 2, #667). But then he kissed the stone. Like Umar, many other Muslims follow the prophet in their practice of veneration of a pagan idol.
Before Muhammad, there was a group of people in Arabia who also abhorred idolatry. They were known as the Hanifites. Even the Hanifites saw that kissing the black stone was pagan idolatry. During one of the pre-Islamic Eids, the Qurayshi were worshipping their idols, slaying sacrifices, praying, and making circuits around the Kaba. Just as they did each year for this festival. Some Hanifites saw them, and stood apart from them, and said:
"By the Lord!, our people have nothing left of the faith of Abraham. What is this stone that we should encircle it? It can neither hear nor speak, neither hurt nor help. O our people, look out for your souls, for by the Lord are you altogether wanting."
One of the Hanifites was Obeidallah... later he embraced Islam. He immigrated to Abyssinia with other Muslims. Later he became a Christian. After his conversion, he said to his Muslim friends 'We (Christians) see, but you are only blinking' - that is, cannot see plainly.**