Muhammad

August 15, 2018
A history of Muhammad's life and the beginnings of Islam through the lens of peace.Throughout, Cole (History/Univ. of Michigan; The New Arabs: How the Millennial Generation is Changing the Middle East, 2014, etc.) asserts that the fledgling religion was guided by a philosophy of peace, resorting to violence only for self-defense. The author begins by setting the tale of Islam in the midst of "an unprecedentedly savage world war" during the early seventh century, principally between the eastern Roman Empire and Sasanian Iran. This backdrop of conflict between empires and civilizations informs much of the story behind Islam's beginnings. Indeed, Cole sees Islam as having grown out of an international background, assuming--sometimes perhaps too much--a familiarity and interplay between far-flung cultures, religions, and philosophies. The author portrays Muhammad as a cosmopolitan who traveled widely and absorbed ideas from a range of cultures. As Cole traces Muhammad's story from Mecca to Medina and beyond, he paints the picture of a humble spiritual leader who was committed to ecumenical dialogue, the peaceful resolution of all conflicts, and the fair treatment of even his most bitter enemies. "Muhammad's religion," writes the author, "was triumphant but not vindictive." Cole views Muhammad's return to Mecca, often referred to by others as a conquest, as nonviolent in character. The author admits that a culture of violence arose after Muhammad's death, but he only touches on how the Quran, which he reads as a book of peace and tolerance, could have been so misinterpreted by later believers. The concept of "jihad," for instance, so charged in modernity, receives little more than one paragraph of treatment. The book is intelligently, if somewhat tediously, written and will require a strong knowledge of Islam and ancient Near Eastern history. The author helpfully includes an appendix, "Qur'an Verses on Peace Relevant to this Book."An intriguing yet incomplete portrait of Muhammad.

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October 1, 2018

Given that so many books have been written about the prophet Muhammad and early Islam, one might wonder if a new account could provide any fresh insights. Cole (history, Univ. of Michigan; Engaging the Muslim World) does just that by focusing on the key but underemphasized theme of peacemaking that runs throughout the Qur'an and in light of its historical context, providing a unique perspective on the prophet and the emergence of Islam during his lifetime. He views Muhammad as a prophet whose ideas were in conflict with those living around him, but who sought to share his message and gain followers in a peaceful manner. His approach was inclusive, seeking to establish relationships with others, particularly Christian and Jews. Only in the latter years as a prophet did he begin, out of self-defense, to engage in battle, and even then, it was from a "Just War" perspective. VERDICT Will be useful to readers interested in early Islam while offering a valuable contribution to scholarly literature.--John Jaeger, Johnson Univ., Knoxville, TN

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