Muhammad, Prophet of God (The Bible in Its World) Paperback – February 26, 2007

Perhaps the best way of understanding the quality of this book is to compare it with the recently published "Zealot" by Resa Aslan (which I read more or less concurrently). Like so many historical biographies, Aslan comes at Jesus like a prosecuting attorney, creating interpretations of selective historical data to advance a narrative. Peterson, on the other hand, acts the scholar rather than the polemicist, but with a reverence for the mythology of Muhammad. By this I don't mean 'lies' as many moderns understand the term mythology, but rather the classical use of the term; the truth that transcends the facts. I would be surprised if a Muslim reader would find it in the least bit objectionable.The book is far from Islamic apologetic. It is an intensely scholarly work which is less interested in proving a point than illuminating the subject from as many angles as possible. Especially interesting to me, and largely absent from other works I've read on the subject, is Peterson's sensible description of the social and religious climate from which the Prophet and his message arose. Islamic apologetics tend to promote a narrative that has Muhammad spring green and fruitful from a irreligious waste land. The era before Muhammad is called Jahiliyyah, or the age of stupidity (foolishness), yet Peterson successfully synthesizes the evidence to arrive at a view that 'Ahmad' (from the same root as Muhammad) was both prophesied and expected by the Arabs and that rather than the ex nihilo creation of monotheism among pagans, Muhammad and the Qu'ran were a natural evolution of contemporary religious and social development.Great book, and an essential volume for anyone serious about understanding the development of Islam.

I found myself wishing I had known the Prophet; Professor Peterson presents a very human picture of Muhammad, his locale and times. His early history includes the known material, without additional speculation.Because Peterson has also produced scholarly translations of classic Arabic texts, I was prepared for a dry or difficult text, however the author's style is warm and comfortable.Clearly he enjoys his subject and people.The separation between well documented events and those possibly or probably added by adherents at a later time is usually clear.That Muhammad's teachings and more importantly his actions were magnanimous is repeatedly illustrated.The history and examples of his relationships, and wars, with Jews and Christians was very revealing. He clearly saw them as 'believers', cousins if you will, to the thoughts and patterns of his heart.What his followers did with those teachings after his death is only briefly recounted. This is not a study in Islamic thought and historical course, it is limited to Muhammad.The Qur'an is the main reference quoted in the text.I highly recommend this book, you will enjoy reading it and you will feel much better about Muhammad and Islam.

This compact but informative and even entertaining book makes three distinct contribution to understanding Muhammad's life and influence. First, Daniel Peterson's style is scholarly but very readable. He is well acquainted with his sources and evaluates their worth. He analyzes the founding story of Islam and its long-range impact in a way that illuminates Islamic thinking today. Second, he blends anecdotes with chronology, drawing penetrating pictures that clarify happenings and beliefs. Third, he aptly sets this narrative within the larger context of tribal lore and an Arabian poetic tradition that surrounded Muhammad as he received his revelations and developed a new society. He deals fairly with Muhammad and his contemporaries, respecting their distinctive beliefs while depicting the influence of Arabian culture on their actions and teachings. This is a volume aimed for general readers that draws us well into a complex and colorful world.

This is an excellent biography of the Prophet Muhammad for a general Western audience. It assumes you know nothing and takes you through the whole story in a clear and interesting way. It begins with an overview of the political situation between the Byzantine and Sassanid empires before Muhammad, and the political, cultural and religious situation in the Arab Peninsula into which Muhammad was born, and then goes through Muhammad's life. You get a good sense of who Muhammad was as a person. It finishes with his death and so does not touch on the succession issues (which are covered brilliantly in Wilferd Madelung "The succession to Muhammad"). This book is written by a competent academic, is not biased for or against, but is sympathetically written. It is written in an interesting style, with examples to keep the text grounded, and is not dry and intellectual. I highly recommend it to anyone who wants to know what Islam is all about, without being preached at by the converted or turned off by detractors.

Enjoyed it