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Muhammad: Biography of the Prophet: A Biography of the Prophet [Paperback]

Karen Armstrong (Author)
3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (36 customer reviews)
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Book Description

Publication Date: 3 Dec 2001

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

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Muhammad: Biography of the Prophet: A Biography of the Prophet + Islam: A Short History (UNIVERSAL HISTORY) + A History Of God
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Product details

  • Paperback: 288 pages
  • Publisher: Phoenix; New Ed edition (3 Dec 2001)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 1842126083
  • ISBN-13: 978-1842126080
  • Product Dimensions: 12.9 x 19.7 cm
  • Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (36 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 33,694 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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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" --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Book Description

A life of the prophet Muhammad by best-selling religious writer Karen Armstrong
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Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews
42 of 52 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars a highly readable and balanced biography. 18 Oct 2001
By A Customer
Format:Paperback
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.

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51 of 64 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars What's it all about? Find out here. 23 Jan 2004
By A. Parsons
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
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.
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4 of 5 people found the following review helpful
1.0 out of 5 stars Disappointing 15 Nov 2011
By Kay
Format:Paperback
I find this book to be irritatingly inconsistent. In many places Ms Armstrong contradicts herself and in her effort to play devils' advocate as well as unbiased historian, she fails on both counts. Any non Muslim looking to read a more measured account of the life of the prophet Mohammed should read Barnaby Rogerson's : A Biography of Mohammed.
If you are a Muslim you should read the biography by Martin Ling.
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36 of 47 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars A good read 17 Jun 2002
By A Customer
Format:Paperback
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.

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6 of 8 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars A beautiful introduction to real spirit of Islam 14 Aug 2010
By JAL
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
For most westerners the word "Moslim" usually goes with the word "fundamentalist" and their only other experiences of Moslems may well be limited to the endless hustlers in Mediterranean tourist resorts. This book redresses the balance by giving a very readable account of the gentle side of Islam that most Moslims really believe in.
The life of Muhammed is the best place to start if you want to understand the core beliefs of Islam and it is the way Muslim children are introduced to their faith. The exhortations of the Koran itself can lead to all sorts of confusion without the kind of context that Karen Armstrong provides.
In her very readable account she presents the prophet as being at least as much a social reformer as a religious leader. Contrary to widely held belief, for example, Muhammed was very concerned to protect the position of women, although the rules he taught to tribes of 6th century warrior nomads may not seem so appropriate today. Certainly stoning rape victims to death does not in any way reflect either the letter or the spirit of his teaching. Just as Christians had their religious wars, their inquisition and so on, so some Moslems still do terrible things in the name of their religion. Karen Armstrong shows us the very different faith held by most of the worlds Moslems.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
1.0 out of 5 stars Why
Avoiding a sound judgment could be either the result of lack of knowledge or deliberate. The problem with some Western writers in general is that they don't appreciate the... Read more
Published 4 months ago by Name
3.0 out of 5 stars Muhammad
An interesting book, however, I have not yet been able to compare it with other biographies which I feel is essential when reviewing this book properly.
Published 4 months ago by Mrs. Margaret EG Makortoff
5.0 out of 5 stars Well written!
Very easy to read! In depth knowledge on the topic, quite objective and to the point. I would read it again and have recommended the book to others.
Published 5 months ago by A. Dikko
2.0 out of 5 stars poor research
As a muslim I must be honest I am quite shocked at some parts of this biography. When she accueses Muhammad (pbuh) of making a mistake in referring to Mary the mother of Jesus as... Read more
Published 12 months ago by awz1
5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing! A MUST BUY!!!!!
This is a birllant book written beautifully and has really helped me to understand and appreciate the life of Muhammad as it was in his time. Read more
Published 12 months ago by Crazylife
3.0 out of 5 stars Hot and Cold
Having studied the life of Prophet Muhammad;Peace & Blessings of Allah be upon him (PBUH) I was overwhelmingly impressed with some chapters in this book which were quite simply... Read more
Published 19 months ago by I. Tufail
5.0 out of 5 stars BREAKING DOWN OUR PREJUDICES
My wife and I had booked a two-week holiday in Southern Turkey, and, knowing that Turkey is 99% muslim, although a secular country, I thought it would be good to read about the... Read more
Published 21 months ago by Theophilus
5.0 out of 5 stars A non Muslim's perspective of the book.
This book gives a real insight into the life of the Prophet Mohammed and the trials and tribulations he dealt with when trying to convey Allah's message to the people of Arabia. Read more
Published 22 months ago by J. Taha
5.0 out of 5 stars Muhammad
Excellent, a real eye opener, especially on Mohammed's efforts at concensus and conciliation in his later life. Unfortunately those most in need of it are unlikely to read it.
Published 22 months ago by Mr. M. Edwards
2.0 out of 5 stars A little disappointing
I have read Karen Armstrong's Buda and found it a good read and on the whole fairly unbias. But, Muhammad was not and seemed to have been written as an apology for the Satanic... Read more
Published 23 months ago by gussingh
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