Product Description

Most people in the West know very little about the prophet Muhammad. The acclaimed religious writer Karen Armstrong has written a biography which will give us a more accurate and profound understanding of Islam and the people who adhere to it so strongly. Muhammad also offers challenging comparisons with the two religions most closely related to it - Judaism and Christianity. 'Armstrong has a dazzling ability: she can take a long and complex subject and reduce it to its fundamentals, without over-simplifying' Sister Wendy Beckett, Sunday Times

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #16981 in Books
• Published on: 2001-12-03
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 288 pages

About the Author
Karen Armstrong spent seven years as a Roman Catholic nun, an experience she recollected in her best-selling autobiography, Through the Narrow Gate. She is the author of the world-wide bestseller, A History of God (which has now appeared in more than thirty languages), the acclaimed History of Jerusalem and, most recently, Buddha in the Weidenfeld & Nicolson Lives series. She is a teacher at the Leo Baeck College for the Study of Judaism and, in 1999, she received the Muslim Public Affairs Council Media Award.

Customer Reviews

a highly readable and balanced biography.
I would highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to read a balanced, informative and readable account of the Prophet of Islam. It is especially ideal for a western reader as it puts the events surrounding the coming of Islam not only into historical context but also within the context of Islam in the world today. Armstrong also dispels the popular conception of Islam as a harsh, fanatical religion that was spread 'by the sword' and of its prophet as an opportunistic womanising crusader. Indeed, she probes at the man behind the prophet and what emerges is a sensitive account of a man who was courageous yet fallible, strong yet gentle- a wise visionary who created a civilised society from what used to be the 'bloodbath' of pre-Islamic Arabia. She also emphasises the many similarities that Islam has in common with Judaism and Christianity and brings out the fact that Islam was really a continuation of those two great religions.

By setting the scene of pre-Islamic Arabia- a savage and tribal society, the reader not only appreciates that Islam was in fact a liberating force but also gains a sympathetic understanding of Muhammad's role and actions. Many aspects of his life and his actions that a westerner gazing at him through a twenty-first century lens finds hard to understand or reconcile with the actions of a prophet, are explained and put into context, such as his marrying twelve times.

Essentially, this is an excellent historical account and I would recommend it to anyone due to its readable and easy style and its well-balanced treatment of its subject.

What's it all about? Find out here.
As an atheist bought up as an anglican I was very much in the dark about Islam generally, though I do have some muslim friends. I found this book generally informative about Islam and the prophet. The book takes a while to get into Muhammad's life, the second chapter starts with the prophet's first vision, but then doesn't mention anything about the prophet's life after that, this occurs several times in the first few chapters. So prepare yourself for a lot of background and a lot of Islamic theology/philosophy at the start. Having said that the beginning of the book lays some very important groundwork for understanding what Muhammad was trying (and succeeding) to acheive, which is essential for the newcommer to the subject. I read this book as I wanted to find out about the Caliphate and thought it would be good background reading, which it was, but now I'll probably read more of Karen Armstrong's other books as well. She's such an informative writer, knows her subject inside out and is totally non-judgemental, leaving the reader to draw his or her own conclusions. If you buy this book you won't be disappointed.

A good read
The books of Karen Armstrong are religious texts that, unlike those of many other religious scholars, are very accessible.

Having enjoyed 'A Short History Of Islam', I picked up the biography of the prophet "Muhammad" (peace be upon him [pboh])with enthusiasm. It did not disappoint.

The beauty of her writing is not just in the clear presentation of the historical facts of Muhammad (pboh)& his life, but her very accurate and compassionate explanation of these facts in a historical context. As we all know, if presented with information without context, mis-representation and misinterpretation follow and this breeds scepticsm and contempt.

I cannot recommend this book highly enough. Karen Armstrong writes in a clear and gripping manner and, as a rather poorly informed Muslim, helped me understand the background of my religion, rather than just the daily practises.

My favourite part of the book was the magical description of the "Isra" and "Miraj" - the Night Journey and the Ascent To The Seven Heavens. Nobody had ever told me about this fascinating event in the Prophet's life. Fascinating.