Muhammad: Prophet for Our Time (Eminent Lives)
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Karen Armstrong
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Muhammad: A Prophet for Our Time Hardcover – 17 October 2006
by Karen Armstrong (Author)
4.6 out of 5 stars 722 ratings
Part of: Eminent Lives (13 books)
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A fresh, evenhanded biography of the founder of Islam by the author of "A History of God." "Portrays Muhammad as a passionate, complex, fallible human being."-- "Publishers Weekly"
Product description
4.0 out of 5 stars
A useful short history
ByEd Lewison November 13, 2006
Karen Armstrong's book provides a brief introduction to the life of Mohammed. At the end she offers her motivation: "If we are to avoid catastrophe, Muslim and Christian worlds must learn not merely to tolerate but to appreciate one another."
I picked up this book as a lifelong atheist who has never had much sympathy for any religion, although I respect the rights of others to their beliefs. I was looking for information because I am disturbed at the prevalence in the media and elsewhere of hate propaganda against Muslims. If I'm being told I should hate something, I want to know why.
Armstrong traces the rise of Islam to an economic revolution that occurred in Arabia in the seventh century, largely due to the growing importance of trade in a nomadic grazing economy.
She looks briefly at the rise of monotheism in the newly emerging cities, particularly Mecca, and the emergence of Islam from that as Mohammed's revelations provided a body of scripture for Arab monotheism.
Mohammed and others considered his revelations divine, the word of god. In that, he's not alone, as many religions consider the thoughts of brilliant people among their founders to have been divinely inspired. The poetic nature of Mohammed's revelations and their relevance to the social situation of their time led to their survival, and later followers of Islam used them to understand their own social situations, down to the present time. In this Islam is no different to any other religion.
Armstrong describes the decade-long struggle between Mecca and Medina, which was an economic and political struggle that took religious form, and the eventual triumph of the Muslims of Medina.
In doing so she disentangles, so far as possible, the secular from the religious aspects of this history and proves that war and conversion by the sword are not necessary parts of Islam, as the peddlars of hate and fear try to claim.
Thanks to Karen Armstrong for a brief, careful and clear-headed look at the life of Mohammed and the origins of Islam.
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1.0 out of 5 stars
Polemics not history
ByWilly Richardsonon October 29, 2015
Format: Paperback
Karen Armstrong has written books on every world religion and many spiritual leaders, I wonder if she is the author of perhaps too many topics, and spread herself thin?
In her introduction she compares Muhammad to Gandhi without offering an explanation... Gandhi? Ghandhi was in a political disadvantage and used non-violence to bring about radical change. Later in Armstrong's book she states,"No radical social and political change has ever been achieved without bloodshed, and, because Muhammad was living in a period of confusion and disintegration, peace could be achieved only by the sword." This is one example of her many contradictions.
She often made statements that assumed her readers were brought up as Christians, and seemed to side with God in her claim that the enemies of Muhammad had perverted the true order. She also made mistakes that led me to question her reliability as a historian. For example, she inferred that the Qu'ran is written in chronological order! (The Qu'ran is ordered from longest to shortest chapters). I would have preferred more source quotes, more historical facts and less conjecture.
Her book shows Muhammad in a positive light, which is refreshing, but she seems to be defending his every move, including the historical accounts that are less than holy - the attacks Muhammad made on the Quraysh, Jews, and non-believers was portrayed by Armstrong as pro-active defensive measures...
I enjoyed a few passages when Armstrong's personal interludes were kept down to a minimum and the history of a fascinating man and time and place unfolded. It's quite an accomplishment for someone to carve a nation from warring tribes in a harsh and unyielding environment. But for the most part I felt like I had to read between the lines.
Definitely not a historical book. Falls into the category of polemics.
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1.0 out of 5 stars
Does not address the relevance of The Prophet in modern times
ByKevin D'Eliaon November 19, 2015
Format: Kindle Edition
As the subtitle suggests, this book will give some insight into how Muhammad is a Prophet for Our Time. While Ms. Armstrong presents a somewhat sensationalized version of Muhammad's life (seemingly told, in some sections, from a 3rd person perspective, which is highly unlikely unless Ms. Armstrong somehow managed to live during his time), she fails to explain how exactly Muhammad and his teachings are relevant in today's society. What passes for such an explanation is given at the end of the book, and in fairly short shrift at that. This book is nothing more than a reasonably good scholarly treatment of the historical Muhammad, glossing over some of the ugly truths of that history, such as how the Jews of Khaybar were actually executed, the concept of dhimmitude, and the fact that Islam is really geared towards Muslims relating to Muslims and does not apply the same "peaceful" principles to followers of other faiths. It is an unbalanced treatment, in my opinion, but still worth reading to give some attempt at balancing other books which go the other extreme. Like most things in life, the truth lies somewhere in the middle. Getting there is half the problem.
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1.0 out of 5 stars
SACRIFICING THE TRUTH ON THE ALTAR OF POLITICAL CORRECTNESS
ByS. E. Mooreon October 2, 2015
I was glad I read Ibn Ishaq's biographical account of Muhammad (see my review) before reading this book. Ishaq's Sirat Rasul Allah, translated into English by Alfred Guillaume's The Life of Muhammad, is perhaps the oldest biography of the prophet which is available to the public. According to her notes, Karen Armstrong used this as one of her primary sources and lists it among the earliest sources which are indispensable to any biography of Muhammad. Based on Ishaq's account, I would have to characterize Armstrong's book as historical revisionism bordering on historical fiction.
In her attempt to give "Islamophobes" in the west a better understanding of Islam so that we can all live in peace and harmony, Armstrong sacrifices the truth on the altar of political correctness. This book is so ad-libbed and distorted by the author's own spin on history that it can't be taken seriously. Therefore, in terms of accomplishing anything of real value by changing the minds of skeptics, it is a complete failure. You can't change history by whitewashing it or writing your own version of it or by manipulating it to fit your own agenda.
Armstrong uses twisted logic to justify many of the atrocities committed by Muhammad and his earliest followers. According to Armstrong, it was okay to plunder and kill your enemies if that was the norm in the society you lived in. I would like to know where Armstrong got the idea that plundering and killing on the scale of what Muhammad and his followers did was a normal way of life in pre-Islamic Arabia. Accordig to this book, Muhammad didn't live like that in Mecca prior to his conversion.
Armstrong praises Muhammad for his tolerance of other religious beliefs. For example...(p.7) Muhammad was not trying to impose religious orthodoxy...(p.108) The idea of an exclusive religion was alien to Muhammad. According to Ishaq's account, just the opposite is true...(p.364) Muhammad is quoted as saying, "O you who believe, take not Jews and Christians as friends."...(p.523) Muhammad decreed that two religions should not be allowed to remain on the Arabian peninsula and advised Jews to emigrate.
Armstrong's attempts to justify Muhammad's plundering is completely absurd. (p.114) The Medinese "expected some material advantage (for giving refuge to the Muslims...and here too, Muhammad had to deliver...the emigrants would become burdens unless they found an independent source of income...their aim was not to shed blood, but to secure an income by capturing camels, merchandise, and prisoners (for ransom)...nobody would have been shocked by this development." (I'M SURE BLACKBEARD, JESSE JAMES, BONNIE AND CLYDE, AND JOHN DILLINGER COULD RELATE TO THAT!!!). (HOW DO WE KNOW NOBODY WAS SHOCKED BY WHAT MUHAMMAD DID?) Armstrong apparently thinks it's okay to make a living by taking away someone else's living and by impoverishing others.
Here's another example of Armstrong's twisted logic. According to Armstrong, adding captive women to one's harem was really an act of charity. (p.135) "Polygamy was an act of social legislation. It was designed not to gratify the male sexual appetite but to correct the injustices done to widows, orphans, and other female dependants who were especially vulnerable." (ARE WE TO BELIEVE THAT MUHAMMAD AND HIS MALE FOLLOWERS COULDN'T TAKE CARE OF THESE WOMEN WITHOUT TAKING THEM INTO THEIR TENTS?!!!)
Armstrong conveniently ignored the expedition against Khaybar as chronicled by Ishaq where Muhammad took one of the captive women, Safiya, as his own. This was after Muhammad conquered and plundered her people and then tortured and murdered her husband for not revealing the location of a treasure which Muhammad wanted to loot. After all of that, Muhammad took her into his tent and gave her some "charity".
Muhammad's compassion for widows and orphans (p.38-39) was something he didn't practice very well. According to Ishaq's account, Muhammad created widows and orphans by plundering their communities, forcing them to emigrate, and murdering their husbands and fathers as he did with the B. Qurayzah, the B. Mustaliq, and the B. Al-Nadir. Muhammad's idea of taking care of widows and orphans was to sell the children into slavery and make concubines of their mothers.
Another example of Armstrong's spinning, whitewashing, and ad-libbing her own version of history is how she explains away the conquest of the B. Qurayzah, a settlement of Jews in Medina who supposedly earned Muhammad's wrath by betraying him. Muhammad allowed one of his subordinates, Sa'd, to pass judgement on them which was approved and carried out on Muhammad's orders. Their property was confiscated, the women and children were sold into slavery,, and the men had their heads cut off. This is how Armstrong excuses this atrocity. (p.150) "Revolting as it seems to us today, almost everybody in Arabia would have expected Sa'd's judgement". (HOW WOULD YOU POSSIBLY KNOW THAT MS ARMSTRONG?!!!)..."According to the texts, not even the Qurayzah were surprised by the decision." (DID THE QURAYZAH WRITE THESE "TEXTS"?)..."Violence and killing on this scale were the norm". (HOW DO WE KNOW THAT IT WAS NORMAL TO SLAUGHTER ENTIRE ADULT MALE POPULATIONS IN PRE-ISLAMIC ARABIA?!!!)
Here is another Armstrong absurdity to justify Muhammad's use of warfare and violence...(p.116) "War was always a terrible evil, but it was sometimes necessary in order to preserve decent values such as freedom of worship". (ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!!!...I'M SURE HITLER, STALIN, POL POT, AND SADDAM HUSSEIN WOULD HAVE AGREED WITH ARMSTRONG ON THAT ONE!!!...CONQUER AND ANNIHILATE YOUR ENEMIES FOR THE SAKE OF PEACE.)
These are but a few examples of how Karen Armstrong distorts history for the sake of being politically correct. Armstrong chastises us for...(p.5) "having a long history of Islamophobia in Western culture that dates back to the time of the Crusades". In closing her book, Armstrong writes that "the Muslim and Western worlds must learn to tolerate and appreciate one another. A good place to start is with the figure of Muhammad who founded a religion that was not based on the sword but whose name-"Islam"-siginified peace and reconciliation".
Ibn Waraq, who was born and raised a Muslim but later became an agnostic wrote the book Why I Am Not A Muslim which contradicts this line of reasoning. Waraq wrote..."Western apologists seem to have no knowledge of the atrocities of Islam. They have adopted the myth of Muhammad as a wise and tolerant ruler and law giver"....."The liberal left in the West has done a great disservice in covering for Islam. Western intellectuals condemn imperialism and colonialism while turning a blind eye to Islamic atrocities".
Armstrong's book is an egregious insult to the victims of Islamic terrorism, especiallyto those who are being disposessed of their homes by the Islamic State (ISIS). This army of thugs are carrying out the same atrocities in Iraq and Syria that Muhammad and his followers carried out in seventh century Arabia.
Tragically, there is some truth to the title of Armstrong's book in regard to Islamic terrorists and the Islamic State. For them, Muhammad is a prophet for our time.
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1.0 out of 5 stars
The most shameful piece of historical whitewashing written in modern times
ByAnduon December 27, 2015
I had heard about Karen Armstrong and her work by anti-religious thinkers like Christopher Hitchens and Sam Harris, as well religious apologists like Tariq Ramadan. I also saw some clips of her TED talks, which seemed fairly reasonable. All this got me interested in reading her "biography" of Muhammad, a prophet who - for good or bad - indeed is "for [and of] our time" and whose life is thus certainly worth knowing more about. After reading a classic, Islamic biography of the prophet (by Ibn Ishaq, in translation) and a contemporary biographical takedown (by Hamed Abdel-Samad), I wanted to read a more positive take on the prophet, by a Westerner, and a woman in particular.
That being said, and after reading this pamphlet, I cannot believe that anyone - and this includes Amazon - would think it wise to classify this polemic as a "biography" or even an historical book of any kind.
It is, to put it mildly, nothig short of a piece of political whitewashing - a rather shameful piece, in my view, because it's not even open about its intentions ; I am a fan of the biographical genre, and I can confidently say that I have not come across a bigger distortion of an important person's life, especially not one that has been published as an allegedly "scholarly" biography, and this in modern times. One has to go back to the early 20th century biographies of important figures in Western imperialism to find this level of whitewashing and politics disguised as scholarship.
My previous "critical" reviewers have already pointed out all the factual errors and omissions, the wishful thinking presented as facts, the non-chalant condoning of horrible crimes and the glossing over Muhammad's many great inconsistencies contained in this book, so I can't really add much there.
However, perhaps this fictitious comparison may help the open-minded, progressive, cosmopolitan reader (a tribe to which I generally count myself) see what kind of book this truly is:
Imagine that someone who is considered by most to be a scholar decided to write a book, today, in 2015, about the Spanish Conquistadores of what is today Latin America; in it, the civilizational change they brought about - which per se is just an irrefutable fact - is persistently portrayed as an "advancement" in comparison to the "barbaric" original culture; no evidence is presented for this, other than some Spanish sources of the time; only the most famous acts of violence of the Conquistadores, which can thus not entirely be brushed aside, are acknowledged; even then, these are "justified" and put into a very questionable historical context (see the mentioned lack of sources) before they are even properly "explained"; Finally, the book not only claims that the Conquistadores were great light bearers of civilization, but asserts that seeing them in this light is "necessary" for the progress of humanity. I ask you: would you accept such a narrative in this case? In any case that doesn't discuss a religious figure? In fact: in any case that doesn't discuss THIS PARTICULAR historical figure, Muhammad, the untouchable prophet of Islam? Nobody would, or should! So why should we operate like this in the case of Muhammad?
In short: beware of this book, and probably - I must say after reading this - of anything written by Karen Armstrong. This is not scholarship. This is politics, pure and simple. And if a policy requires so much deception to be palatable, I truly wonder if the policy itself is worth it too.
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5.0 out of 5 stars
A Much Needed Look at a Very Contemporary Man
ByWayne Beckhamon July 5, 2008
Karen Armstrong's Muhammad: A Prophet for Our Time directly addresses the central conflict of our times, "Some Muslim thinkers regard the jihad against Mecca as the climax of Muhammad's career and fail to note that he eventually abjured warfare and adopted a nonviolent policy. Western critics also persist in seeing the Prophet of Islam as a man of war, and fail to see that from the very first he was opposed to the jahili arrogance and egotism that not only fueled the aggression of his time but is much in evidence in some leaders, Western and Muslim alike, today."
Karen goes out of her way to present a balanced and fair perspective on the life of Muhammad. She does this by basing her biography on the Prophet's response to al-Jahiliyah: commonly translated as "an Islamic concept of 'ignorance of divine guidance.'" Karen examinees more than Jahiliyah's theological significance, going into its practical impact on the culture of the Arabian peninsula. The dominant jahili spirit of the time was arrogant, quick to take a offense, warlike and vengeful. Islam, as practiced and taught by the Prophet, Karen makes clear, was a rejection of all of these traits - usually to the great consternation of his followers:
"And the servants of Allah, Most Gracious are those who walk on the earth in humility, and when the ignorant (jahilun) address them, they say, `Peace!' " (Sura The Criterion 25:63 - translation from The Qur'an: Text, Translation & Commentary.)
The revelations that form the Qur'an came to Muhammad not always in dreams or trances, but were sometimes aggressive even terrifying experiences. Muhammad describes the nature of revelation as gently falling like rain" and, at other times, traumatically, where he feels his "soul ripped away."
After revelation, even the Prophet needed to take time to understand what had been revealed. Karen writes, "[Allah] instructed Muhammad to listen to intently to each revelation as it emerged; he must be careful not to impose a meaning on a verse prematurely, before it's full significance had become entirely clear."
"High above all is Allah, the King, the Truth! Be not in haste with the Qur'an before its revelation to thee is completed, but say, "O my Lord! advance me in knowledge." (Sura Ta-ha, 20:114)
Karen, like others, notes that the Qur'an itself has been structured as high-level Arabic poetry, a concept central to the impact of the Qur'an on its Arabic audiences. This is a point entirely missed by Western audiences. You can get some sense of it by listening to a good chanter reciting the verses, but it's a shallow appreciation at best. Karen describes how listening to "the rich, allusive language and rhythms of the Qur'an helped [the Muslims] to slow down their mental processes and enter a different mode of consciousness."
Karen portrays, through the biography, the Qur'an's shared vision of the "people of the book" - the Islamic concept of a shared heritage of monotheism between Muslim, Christian and Jew:
"Say: `We believe in Allah, and in what has been revealed to us and what was revealed to Abraham, Isma'il, Isaac, Jacob, and the Tribes, and in (the Books) given to Moses, Jesus, and the prophets, from their Lord: We make no distinction between one and another among them, and to Allah do we bow our will [lahu muslimun].' " (Sura The Family Of 'Imran 3:84)
In addition to the creed that there's "no God but God" these three great religions believe in a similar destiny and consequently all deserve both tolerance and freedom to practice their faith:
"Those who believe (in the Qur'an), those who follow the Jewish (scriptures), and the Sabians and the Christians,- any who believe in Allah and the Last Day, and work righteousness,- on them shall be no fear, nor shall they grieve." (Sura The Table 5:69)
"To thee We sent the Scripture in truth, confirming the scripture that came before it, and guarding it in safety: so judge between them by what Allah hath revealed, and follow not their vain desires, diverging from the Truth that hath come to thee. To each among you have we prescribed a law and an open way. If Allah had so willed, He would have made you a single people, but (His plan is) to test you in what He hath given you: so strive as in a race in all virtues. The goal of you all is to Allah. It is He that will show you the truth of the matters in which ye dispute[.]" (Sura The Table, 5:48)
I have a couple of minor complaints. I wish that Karen had used the Qur'anic names for the characters that both the Holy Bible and the Holy Qur'an have in common. For example, Jibr'l for Gabriel; Ibrahim for Abraham; Isa for Jesus; Musa for Moses, and so on. After all, Karen is telling the story of Muhammad and quotes extensively from the Qur'an. It just would have seemed more natural and less distracting to me.
Another problem is that the book is edited sloppily in a couple of places: for example on page 43 (of my paper bound edition) a footnote starts out explaining that "Arabs customarily take an honorary title known as the kunya [...] Muhammad was known as"
And the footnote ends right there. Whatever Muhammad was known as, was lost somewhere between Karen's word-processor and the printing press.
Karen's biography of Muhammad reveals a very human prophet; a man who struggled with his faith, culture, peers and enemies. She strikes a balance between the "easy" teachings of Islam (tolerance, generosity, etc.) and the "hard" teachings, contrasting "jihad" to Augustine's "just war" is a comparison most Christian minds would prefer to avoid.
Karen ends the book with some good advice, "If we are to avoid catastrophe, the Muslim and Western worlds must learn not merely to tolerate but to appreciate one another. A good place to start is with the figure of Muhammad [...]"
All in all, this was an interesting read, only occasionally "preachy" and a good introduction for those who may want to pursue deeper studies in Islam or the Islamic culture that has so dramatically shaped the Middle East. I wish I'd read it before tackling In the Footsteps of the Prophet: Lessons from the Life of Muhammad. It would have made that book a lot clearer.
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4.0 out of 5 stars
Based on excellent research and boasting smooth expository prose
ByKindle Customeron March 13, 2015
This clear, short, and enlightening account of the life of the prophet Mohammad offers readers an approachable understanding of what lies behind Islam. It makes clear that Islam is NOT the source of the violence and extremism we see today, but rather originally tried to restrain and balance the violence already endemic to the Arab world. Based on excellent research and boasting smooth expository prose, the book is difficult only in the extensive foreign terms it uses. These are all explained in the text at first usage and Armstrong has included an excellent glossary of the terms at the end, but I read the e-book, and hence did not discover the glossary until the end. I recommend reading the physical book to make it easy to use the glossary. I highly recommend this book to anyone seeking to understand more about the origins of Islam, even Muslims, as I suspect even they are not familiar with all this book covers.
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5.0 out of 5 starsUnderstanding Islam from its origins
ByCecilia Cordeiro Engelson August 10, 2007
Format: Hardcover
This biography provides a fascinating account of Muhammad's life and the origins of Islam, the religion he founded. The author allows us to picture life and society in Arabia during the Prophet's lifetime, and the tremendous achievements that he was able to develop in a very short time. It is the story of a brilliant leader, both religious and political. Armstrong's most significant contribution through this biography in my opinion is to reveal Muhammad in a very human light, devoid of both mythological allure and untainted by historical prejudices. It is an extremely useful reading for our current times, since it provides the opportunity for a better understanding of Islam.
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4.0 out of 5 stars
Good Start
ByY2KBOYon January 31, 2016
It is a very good start. Armstrong paints a clear picture of Muhammad and the genesis of the faith that he inspired. You will want to read further, if you seek and understanding of how that faith has evolved.
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4.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent book to read about Islam and its prophet
Byali darweeshon October 9, 2014
Karen was skilled in delving into the life of the prophet Muhammed and describes the stages of the nation building and the triumph of the great values brought to the Arabia. Karen was also successful in explaining various concepts within Islam such as jihad that may seem controversial to the western audience. Karen explains the different roles the prophet Muhammad played during his life, from being the orphan, the trader, the mediator, the messenger, the leader, the teacher and the husband. In short Karen did a great job as a theologian. She could have done better when it comes to history. It appeared to me she limited her resources to the Sunni school and ignored that of the Shia. Had she reviewed the shia version of history of Islam, she would have described Muhammed, the seal of the messengers, in a better shape and Islam in a more pure form. Finally I recommend this book for anyone interested in understanding Islam and the life of the prophet Muhammad.
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Karen Armstrong
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Muhammad: A Prophet for Our Time Hardcover – 17 October 2006
by Karen Armstrong (Author)
4.6 out of 5 stars 722 ratings
Part of: Eminent Lives (13 books)
Kindle
$11.99Read with Our Free App
Hardcover
$70.04
2 Used from $86.413 New from $70.04
A fresh, evenhanded biography of the founder of Islam by the author of "A History of God." "Portrays Muhammad as a passionate, complex, fallible human being."-- "Publishers Weekly"
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Review
"A meticulous quest for the historical Muhammad...This sympathetic, engrossing biography portrays Muhammad as a passionate, complex, fallible human being--a charismatic leader possessed of political as well as spiritual gifts, and a prophet whose monotheistic vision intuitively answered the deepest longings of his people." -- "Publishers Weekly""Respectful without being reverential, knowledgeable without being pedantic, and, above all, readable. It succeeds because [Armstrong] brings Muhammad to life as a fully rounded human being." -- "The Economist""This portrayal of the prophet of Islam and the setting from which he emerged will captivate and enlighten general readers with a newfound understanding of modern events in the Middle East." -- "Library Journal""A fresh, well-written, and often insightful account whose ten chapters give special attention to the religions roots, experiences, and motivations of Muhammad." -- "Choice"
Respectful, knowledgeable, and, above all, readable. It succeeds because [Armstrong] brings Muhammad to life as a fully rounded human being.--The Economist
Karen Armstrong's sympathetic profile paints a portrait of a very human prophet--Wall Street Journal
Karen Armstrong s sympathetic profile paints a portrait of a very human prophet--Wall Street Journal"
A good glimpse of how the vast majority of the world's Muslims understand their prophet.--New York Times
From the Back Cover
Now in paperback, from the acclaimed author of "Holy War" and "A History of God," a fresh, evenhanded biography of the founder of Islam, the religion that continues to have a dramatic effect on the world today.
About the Author
Karen Armstrong, author, scholar, and journalist, is among the world's foremost commentators on religious history and culture. Her books include the bestselling A History of God and The Battle for God, as well as Buddha and Islam: A Short History.
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Publisher : HarperCollins Publishers (17 October 2006)
4.0 out of 5 stars
A useful short history
ByEd Lewison November 13, 2006
Karen Armstrong's book provides a brief introduction to the life of Mohammed. At the end she offers her motivation: "If we are to avoid catastrophe, Muslim and Christian worlds must learn not merely to tolerate but to appreciate one another."
I picked up this book as a lifelong atheist who has never had much sympathy for any religion, although I respect the rights of others to their beliefs. I was looking for information because I am disturbed at the prevalence in the media and elsewhere of hate propaganda against Muslims. If I'm being told I should hate something, I want to know why.
Armstrong traces the rise of Islam to an economic revolution that occurred in Arabia in the seventh century, largely due to the growing importance of trade in a nomadic grazing economy.
She looks briefly at the rise of monotheism in the newly emerging cities, particularly Mecca, and the emergence of Islam from that as Mohammed's revelations provided a body of scripture for Arab monotheism.
Mohammed and others considered his revelations divine, the word of god. In that, he's not alone, as many religions consider the thoughts of brilliant people among their founders to have been divinely inspired. The poetic nature of Mohammed's revelations and their relevance to the social situation of their time led to their survival, and later followers of Islam used them to understand their own social situations, down to the present time. In this Islam is no different to any other religion.
Armstrong describes the decade-long struggle between Mecca and Medina, which was an economic and political struggle that took religious form, and the eventual triumph of the Muslims of Medina.
In doing so she disentangles, so far as possible, the secular from the religious aspects of this history and proves that war and conversion by the sword are not necessary parts of Islam, as the peddlars of hate and fear try to claim.
Thanks to Karen Armstrong for a brief, careful and clear-headed look at the life of Mohammed and the origins of Islam.
---
1.0 out of 5 stars
Polemics not history
ByWilly Richardsonon October 29, 2015
Format: Paperback
Karen Armstrong has written books on every world religion and many spiritual leaders, I wonder if she is the author of perhaps too many topics, and spread herself thin?
In her introduction she compares Muhammad to Gandhi without offering an explanation... Gandhi? Ghandhi was in a political disadvantage and used non-violence to bring about radical change. Later in Armstrong's book she states,"No radical social and political change has ever been achieved without bloodshed, and, because Muhammad was living in a period of confusion and disintegration, peace could be achieved only by the sword." This is one example of her many contradictions.
She often made statements that assumed her readers were brought up as Christians, and seemed to side with God in her claim that the enemies of Muhammad had perverted the true order. She also made mistakes that led me to question her reliability as a historian. For example, she inferred that the Qu'ran is written in chronological order! (The Qu'ran is ordered from longest to shortest chapters). I would have preferred more source quotes, more historical facts and less conjecture.
Her book shows Muhammad in a positive light, which is refreshing, but she seems to be defending his every move, including the historical accounts that are less than holy - the attacks Muhammad made on the Quraysh, Jews, and non-believers was portrayed by Armstrong as pro-active defensive measures...
I enjoyed a few passages when Armstrong's personal interludes were kept down to a minimum and the history of a fascinating man and time and place unfolded. It's quite an accomplishment for someone to carve a nation from warring tribes in a harsh and unyielding environment. But for the most part I felt like I had to read between the lines.
Definitely not a historical book. Falls into the category of polemics.
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1.0 out of 5 stars
Does not address the relevance of The Prophet in modern times
ByKevin D'Eliaon November 19, 2015
Format: Kindle Edition
As the subtitle suggests, this book will give some insight into how Muhammad is a Prophet for Our Time. While Ms. Armstrong presents a somewhat sensationalized version of Muhammad's life (seemingly told, in some sections, from a 3rd person perspective, which is highly unlikely unless Ms. Armstrong somehow managed to live during his time), she fails to explain how exactly Muhammad and his teachings are relevant in today's society. What passes for such an explanation is given at the end of the book, and in fairly short shrift at that. This book is nothing more than a reasonably good scholarly treatment of the historical Muhammad, glossing over some of the ugly truths of that history, such as how the Jews of Khaybar were actually executed, the concept of dhimmitude, and the fact that Islam is really geared towards Muslims relating to Muslims and does not apply the same "peaceful" principles to followers of other faiths. It is an unbalanced treatment, in my opinion, but still worth reading to give some attempt at balancing other books which go the other extreme. Like most things in life, the truth lies somewhere in the middle. Getting there is half the problem.
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1.0 out of 5 stars
SACRIFICING THE TRUTH ON THE ALTAR OF POLITICAL CORRECTNESS
ByS. E. Mooreon October 2, 2015
I was glad I read Ibn Ishaq's biographical account of Muhammad (see my review) before reading this book. Ishaq's Sirat Rasul Allah, translated into English by Alfred Guillaume's The Life of Muhammad, is perhaps the oldest biography of the prophet which is available to the public. According to her notes, Karen Armstrong used this as one of her primary sources and lists it among the earliest sources which are indispensable to any biography of Muhammad. Based on Ishaq's account, I would have to characterize Armstrong's book as historical revisionism bordering on historical fiction.
In her attempt to give "Islamophobes" in the west a better understanding of Islam so that we can all live in peace and harmony, Armstrong sacrifices the truth on the altar of political correctness. This book is so ad-libbed and distorted by the author's own spin on history that it can't be taken seriously. Therefore, in terms of accomplishing anything of real value by changing the minds of skeptics, it is a complete failure. You can't change history by whitewashing it or writing your own version of it or by manipulating it to fit your own agenda.
Armstrong uses twisted logic to justify many of the atrocities committed by Muhammad and his earliest followers. According to Armstrong, it was okay to plunder and kill your enemies if that was the norm in the society you lived in. I would like to know where Armstrong got the idea that plundering and killing on the scale of what Muhammad and his followers did was a normal way of life in pre-Islamic Arabia. Accordig to this book, Muhammad didn't live like that in Mecca prior to his conversion.
Armstrong praises Muhammad for his tolerance of other religious beliefs. For example...(p.7) Muhammad was not trying to impose religious orthodoxy...(p.108) The idea of an exclusive religion was alien to Muhammad. According to Ishaq's account, just the opposite is true...(p.364) Muhammad is quoted as saying, "O you who believe, take not Jews and Christians as friends."...(p.523) Muhammad decreed that two religions should not be allowed to remain on the Arabian peninsula and advised Jews to emigrate.
Armstrong's attempts to justify Muhammad's plundering is completely absurd. (p.114) The Medinese "expected some material advantage (for giving refuge to the Muslims...and here too, Muhammad had to deliver...the emigrants would become burdens unless they found an independent source of income...their aim was not to shed blood, but to secure an income by capturing camels, merchandise, and prisoners (for ransom)...nobody would have been shocked by this development." (I'M SURE BLACKBEARD, JESSE JAMES, BONNIE AND CLYDE, AND JOHN DILLINGER COULD RELATE TO THAT!!!). (HOW DO WE KNOW NOBODY WAS SHOCKED BY WHAT MUHAMMAD DID?) Armstrong apparently thinks it's okay to make a living by taking away someone else's living and by impoverishing others.
Here's another example of Armstrong's twisted logic. According to Armstrong, adding captive women to one's harem was really an act of charity. (p.135) "Polygamy was an act of social legislation. It was designed not to gratify the male sexual appetite but to correct the injustices done to widows, orphans, and other female dependants who were especially vulnerable." (ARE WE TO BELIEVE THAT MUHAMMAD AND HIS MALE FOLLOWERS COULDN'T TAKE CARE OF THESE WOMEN WITHOUT TAKING THEM INTO THEIR TENTS?!!!)
Armstrong conveniently ignored the expedition against Khaybar as chronicled by Ishaq where Muhammad took one of the captive women, Safiya, as his own. This was after Muhammad conquered and plundered her people and then tortured and murdered her husband for not revealing the location of a treasure which Muhammad wanted to loot. After all of that, Muhammad took her into his tent and gave her some "charity".
Muhammad's compassion for widows and orphans (p.38-39) was something he didn't practice very well. According to Ishaq's account, Muhammad created widows and orphans by plundering their communities, forcing them to emigrate, and murdering their husbands and fathers as he did with the B. Qurayzah, the B. Mustaliq, and the B. Al-Nadir. Muhammad's idea of taking care of widows and orphans was to sell the children into slavery and make concubines of their mothers.
Another example of Armstrong's spinning, whitewashing, and ad-libbing her own version of history is how she explains away the conquest of the B. Qurayzah, a settlement of Jews in Medina who supposedly earned Muhammad's wrath by betraying him. Muhammad allowed one of his subordinates, Sa'd, to pass judgement on them which was approved and carried out on Muhammad's orders. Their property was confiscated, the women and children were sold into slavery,, and the men had their heads cut off. This is how Armstrong excuses this atrocity. (p.150) "Revolting as it seems to us today, almost everybody in Arabia would have expected Sa'd's judgement". (HOW WOULD YOU POSSIBLY KNOW THAT MS ARMSTRONG?!!!)..."According to the texts, not even the Qurayzah were surprised by the decision." (DID THE QURAYZAH WRITE THESE "TEXTS"?)..."Violence and killing on this scale were the norm". (HOW DO WE KNOW THAT IT WAS NORMAL TO SLAUGHTER ENTIRE ADULT MALE POPULATIONS IN PRE-ISLAMIC ARABIA?!!!)
Here is another Armstrong absurdity to justify Muhammad's use of warfare and violence...(p.116) "War was always a terrible evil, but it was sometimes necessary in order to preserve decent values such as freedom of worship". (ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!!!...I'M SURE HITLER, STALIN, POL POT, AND SADDAM HUSSEIN WOULD HAVE AGREED WITH ARMSTRONG ON THAT ONE!!!...CONQUER AND ANNIHILATE YOUR ENEMIES FOR THE SAKE OF PEACE.)
These are but a few examples of how Karen Armstrong distorts history for the sake of being politically correct. Armstrong chastises us for...(p.5) "having a long history of Islamophobia in Western culture that dates back to the time of the Crusades". In closing her book, Armstrong writes that "the Muslim and Western worlds must learn to tolerate and appreciate one another. A good place to start is with the figure of Muhammad who founded a religion that was not based on the sword but whose name-"Islam"-siginified peace and reconciliation".
Ibn Waraq, who was born and raised a Muslim but later became an agnostic wrote the book Why I Am Not A Muslim which contradicts this line of reasoning. Waraq wrote..."Western apologists seem to have no knowledge of the atrocities of Islam. They have adopted the myth of Muhammad as a wise and tolerant ruler and law giver"....."The liberal left in the West has done a great disservice in covering for Islam. Western intellectuals condemn imperialism and colonialism while turning a blind eye to Islamic atrocities".
Armstrong's book is an egregious insult to the victims of Islamic terrorism, especiallyto those who are being disposessed of their homes by the Islamic State (ISIS). This army of thugs are carrying out the same atrocities in Iraq and Syria that Muhammad and his followers carried out in seventh century Arabia.
Tragically, there is some truth to the title of Armstrong's book in regard to Islamic terrorists and the Islamic State. For them, Muhammad is a prophet for our time.
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1.0 out of 5 stars
The most shameful piece of historical whitewashing written in modern times
ByAnduon December 27, 2015
I had heard about Karen Armstrong and her work by anti-religious thinkers like Christopher Hitchens and Sam Harris, as well religious apologists like Tariq Ramadan. I also saw some clips of her TED talks, which seemed fairly reasonable. All this got me interested in reading her "biography" of Muhammad, a prophet who - for good or bad - indeed is "for [and of] our time" and whose life is thus certainly worth knowing more about. After reading a classic, Islamic biography of the prophet (by Ibn Ishaq, in translation) and a contemporary biographical takedown (by Hamed Abdel-Samad), I wanted to read a more positive take on the prophet, by a Westerner, and a woman in particular.
That being said, and after reading this pamphlet, I cannot believe that anyone - and this includes Amazon - would think it wise to classify this polemic as a "biography" or even an historical book of any kind.
It is, to put it mildly, nothig short of a piece of political whitewashing - a rather shameful piece, in my view, because it's not even open about its intentions ; I am a fan of the biographical genre, and I can confidently say that I have not come across a bigger distortion of an important person's life, especially not one that has been published as an allegedly "scholarly" biography, and this in modern times. One has to go back to the early 20th century biographies of important figures in Western imperialism to find this level of whitewashing and politics disguised as scholarship.
My previous "critical" reviewers have already pointed out all the factual errors and omissions, the wishful thinking presented as facts, the non-chalant condoning of horrible crimes and the glossing over Muhammad's many great inconsistencies contained in this book, so I can't really add much there.
However, perhaps this fictitious comparison may help the open-minded, progressive, cosmopolitan reader (a tribe to which I generally count myself) see what kind of book this truly is:
Imagine that someone who is considered by most to be a scholar decided to write a book, today, in 2015, about the Spanish Conquistadores of what is today Latin America; in it, the civilizational change they brought about - which per se is just an irrefutable fact - is persistently portrayed as an "advancement" in comparison to the "barbaric" original culture; no evidence is presented for this, other than some Spanish sources of the time; only the most famous acts of violence of the Conquistadores, which can thus not entirely be brushed aside, are acknowledged; even then, these are "justified" and put into a very questionable historical context (see the mentioned lack of sources) before they are even properly "explained"; Finally, the book not only claims that the Conquistadores were great light bearers of civilization, but asserts that seeing them in this light is "necessary" for the progress of humanity. I ask you: would you accept such a narrative in this case? In any case that doesn't discuss a religious figure? In fact: in any case that doesn't discuss THIS PARTICULAR historical figure, Muhammad, the untouchable prophet of Islam? Nobody would, or should! So why should we operate like this in the case of Muhammad?
In short: beware of this book, and probably - I must say after reading this - of anything written by Karen Armstrong. This is not scholarship. This is politics, pure and simple. And if a policy requires so much deception to be palatable, I truly wonder if the policy itself is worth it too.
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5.0 out of 5 stars
A Much Needed Look at a Very Contemporary Man
ByWayne Beckhamon July 5, 2008
Karen Armstrong's Muhammad: A Prophet for Our Time directly addresses the central conflict of our times, "Some Muslim thinkers regard the jihad against Mecca as the climax of Muhammad's career and fail to note that he eventually abjured warfare and adopted a nonviolent policy. Western critics also persist in seeing the Prophet of Islam as a man of war, and fail to see that from the very first he was opposed to the jahili arrogance and egotism that not only fueled the aggression of his time but is much in evidence in some leaders, Western and Muslim alike, today."
Karen goes out of her way to present a balanced and fair perspective on the life of Muhammad. She does this by basing her biography on the Prophet's response to al-Jahiliyah: commonly translated as "an Islamic concept of 'ignorance of divine guidance.'" Karen examinees more than Jahiliyah's theological significance, going into its practical impact on the culture of the Arabian peninsula. The dominant jahili spirit of the time was arrogant, quick to take a offense, warlike and vengeful. Islam, as practiced and taught by the Prophet, Karen makes clear, was a rejection of all of these traits - usually to the great consternation of his followers:
"And the servants of Allah, Most Gracious are those who walk on the earth in humility, and when the ignorant (jahilun) address them, they say, `Peace!' " (Sura The Criterion 25:63 - translation from The Qur'an: Text, Translation & Commentary.)
The revelations that form the Qur'an came to Muhammad not always in dreams or trances, but were sometimes aggressive even terrifying experiences. Muhammad describes the nature of revelation as gently falling like rain" and, at other times, traumatically, where he feels his "soul ripped away."
After revelation, even the Prophet needed to take time to understand what had been revealed. Karen writes, "[Allah] instructed Muhammad to listen to intently to each revelation as it emerged; he must be careful not to impose a meaning on a verse prematurely, before it's full significance had become entirely clear."
"High above all is Allah, the King, the Truth! Be not in haste with the Qur'an before its revelation to thee is completed, but say, "O my Lord! advance me in knowledge." (Sura Ta-ha, 20:114)
Karen, like others, notes that the Qur'an itself has been structured as high-level Arabic poetry, a concept central to the impact of the Qur'an on its Arabic audiences. This is a point entirely missed by Western audiences. You can get some sense of it by listening to a good chanter reciting the verses, but it's a shallow appreciation at best. Karen describes how listening to "the rich, allusive language and rhythms of the Qur'an helped [the Muslims] to slow down their mental processes and enter a different mode of consciousness."
Karen portrays, through the biography, the Qur'an's shared vision of the "people of the book" - the Islamic concept of a shared heritage of monotheism between Muslim, Christian and Jew:
"Say: `We believe in Allah, and in what has been revealed to us and what was revealed to Abraham, Isma'il, Isaac, Jacob, and the Tribes, and in (the Books) given to Moses, Jesus, and the prophets, from their Lord: We make no distinction between one and another among them, and to Allah do we bow our will [lahu muslimun].' " (Sura The Family Of 'Imran 3:84)
In addition to the creed that there's "no God but God" these three great religions believe in a similar destiny and consequently all deserve both tolerance and freedom to practice their faith:
"Those who believe (in the Qur'an), those who follow the Jewish (scriptures), and the Sabians and the Christians,- any who believe in Allah and the Last Day, and work righteousness,- on them shall be no fear, nor shall they grieve." (Sura The Table 5:69)
"To thee We sent the Scripture in truth, confirming the scripture that came before it, and guarding it in safety: so judge between them by what Allah hath revealed, and follow not their vain desires, diverging from the Truth that hath come to thee. To each among you have we prescribed a law and an open way. If Allah had so willed, He would have made you a single people, but (His plan is) to test you in what He hath given you: so strive as in a race in all virtues. The goal of you all is to Allah. It is He that will show you the truth of the matters in which ye dispute[.]" (Sura The Table, 5:48)
I have a couple of minor complaints. I wish that Karen had used the Qur'anic names for the characters that both the Holy Bible and the Holy Qur'an have in common. For example, Jibr'l for Gabriel; Ibrahim for Abraham; Isa for Jesus; Musa for Moses, and so on. After all, Karen is telling the story of Muhammad and quotes extensively from the Qur'an. It just would have seemed more natural and less distracting to me.
Another problem is that the book is edited sloppily in a couple of places: for example on page 43 (of my paper bound edition) a footnote starts out explaining that "Arabs customarily take an honorary title known as the kunya [...] Muhammad was known as"
And the footnote ends right there. Whatever Muhammad was known as, was lost somewhere between Karen's word-processor and the printing press.
Karen's biography of Muhammad reveals a very human prophet; a man who struggled with his faith, culture, peers and enemies. She strikes a balance between the "easy" teachings of Islam (tolerance, generosity, etc.) and the "hard" teachings, contrasting "jihad" to Augustine's "just war" is a comparison most Christian minds would prefer to avoid.
Karen ends the book with some good advice, "If we are to avoid catastrophe, the Muslim and Western worlds must learn not merely to tolerate but to appreciate one another. A good place to start is with the figure of Muhammad [...]"
All in all, this was an interesting read, only occasionally "preachy" and a good introduction for those who may want to pursue deeper studies in Islam or the Islamic culture that has so dramatically shaped the Middle East. I wish I'd read it before tackling In the Footsteps of the Prophet: Lessons from the Life of Muhammad. It would have made that book a lot clearer.
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4.0 out of 5 stars
Based on excellent research and boasting smooth expository prose
ByKindle Customeron March 13, 2015
This clear, short, and enlightening account of the life of the prophet Mohammad offers readers an approachable understanding of what lies behind Islam. It makes clear that Islam is NOT the source of the violence and extremism we see today, but rather originally tried to restrain and balance the violence already endemic to the Arab world. Based on excellent research and boasting smooth expository prose, the book is difficult only in the extensive foreign terms it uses. These are all explained in the text at first usage and Armstrong has included an excellent glossary of the terms at the end, but I read the e-book, and hence did not discover the glossary until the end. I recommend reading the physical book to make it easy to use the glossary. I highly recommend this book to anyone seeking to understand more about the origins of Islam, even Muslims, as I suspect even they are not familiar with all this book covers.
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5.0 out of 5 starsUnderstanding Islam from its origins
ByCecilia Cordeiro Engelson August 10, 2007
Format: Hardcover
This biography provides a fascinating account of Muhammad's life and the origins of Islam, the religion he founded. The author allows us to picture life and society in Arabia during the Prophet's lifetime, and the tremendous achievements that he was able to develop in a very short time. It is the story of a brilliant leader, both religious and political. Armstrong's most significant contribution through this biography in my opinion is to reveal Muhammad in a very human light, devoid of both mythological allure and untainted by historical prejudices. It is an extremely useful reading for our current times, since it provides the opportunity for a better understanding of Islam.
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4.0 out of 5 stars
Good Start
ByY2KBOYon January 31, 2016
It is a very good start. Armstrong paints a clear picture of Muhammad and the genesis of the faith that he inspired. You will want to read further, if you seek and understanding of how that faith has evolved.
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4.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent book to read about Islam and its prophet
Byali darweeshon October 9, 2014
Karen was skilled in delving into the life of the prophet Muhammed and describes the stages of the nation building and the triumph of the great values brought to the Arabia. Karen was also successful in explaining various concepts within Islam such as jihad that may seem controversial to the western audience. Karen explains the different roles the prophet Muhammad played during his life, from being the orphan, the trader, the mediator, the messenger, the leader, the teacher and the husband. In short Karen did a great job as a theologian. She could have done better when it comes to history. It appeared to me she limited her resources to the Sunni school and ignored that of the Shia. Had she reviewed the shia version of history of Islam, she would have described Muhammed, the seal of the messengers, in a better shape and Islam in a more pure form. Finally I recommend this book for anyone interested in understanding Islam and the life of the prophet Muhammad.
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