Muhammed and the Early Days of Islam

[bibliogramma]

Muhammed: A Biography of the Prophet, Karen Armstrong

Despite its title, in Muhammed: A Biography of the Prophet, Armstrong does much more than give us a biography of the founder of Islam. She carefully sets the time and place in which such a man could have such a series of revelations/inspirations, discusses how the social, political, economic and religious milieu of Mecca in the early 7th century CE and the events of Muhammed's life shaped the evolution of Islam and provides insight into the structure, nature and interpretation of the Qu'ran.

As with all of Armstrong's writing on world religions, I found this book informative, insightful, reasoned and respectful. I was particularly interested in the passages Armstrong devotes to discussions of Muhammed's attitudes toward women and the historical picture of what Islam meant in the 7th century to the position of women - many people forget that Muhammed's wife Khadija was a businesswoman in her own right, and that he trusted her judgement and that of his other wives. We also tend to forget that the institution of polygyny, which to modern eyes seems very anti-woman, was at the time the best way to ensure that widows and young orphans - of which there are many in a society where tribal warfare is common - will not be left without a family to support them. Armstrong notes that many of the verses regarding the rights and status of women in the Qu'ran in fact represent a step forward from the customs of the time.

Another excellent work from Armstrong.