From all available evidence, he must have been very remarkable at least by the standards of his own culture (although I must say that YmirGF has a very good point about the self-fulfilling prophecy of his stature).
Not sure why your statements put that in doubt, myself. I see no contradiction. Was his political activity relevant evidence that he was not a genius?
You seem to be talking about a genius of 'mystical' proportions.
would you consider Napoleon as such? or other figures of contermporary society?
at the end of the day most of these man are and were ordinary men who faced the ordinary social challenges of their times and life.
for some reason, when we discuss these men who are part of the history books which go beyond the last couple of centuries and into what you might consider the vague past, you give them an enigmatic aura.
I find it much more constructive to learn of the history of their regional locations, and of their culture, as these men were part of it. the fact that their personal campaign was successful is what gives you and other men the need to treat them as mystically gifted. while, if we look at their harsh reality on the ground, these men faced the dirt of social affairs, political affairs, ending blood feuds between tribes, and the exhausting task of forging treaties in order to stabilize the administration of two important cities, Mecca and Medina. it is not an enigmatic period wich is painted by mystical colors. it is the history of western Saudi Arabia during the 7th century.
