The Quest for the Historical Muhammed »

Warraq, best known as the author of , assembles 15 studies applying western standards of history to the Prophet and the origins of Islam, ranging from the early 19th century to the end of the 20th. Among the questions they raise are whether the Koran was dictated by Muhammed at all or even compiled earlier than a hundred years after his death, whether much of Muslim sacred tradition must be dismissed as hearsay, and whether the Jihad was largely a religious or a mercenary undertaking. The anthology is not indexed. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR

Publishers Weekly

Warraq, author of Why I Am Not a Muslim, here offers a "quest for the historical Muhammad" using the same methodology established by scholars attempting to uncover the historical Jesus. Applying this approach to determine if early traditions about Muhammad and the birth of Islam are historically accurate, Warraq predictably finds that the faith tradition cannot support the historian's demanding gaze. For example, Warraq argues that the centrality of Muhammad himself (as the prophet of God, author of the Qu'ran and focal point of Islamic culture) did not emerge until at least two centuries after the death of the historical Muhammad. Warraq's subtext is significantly unlike the Jesus Seminar's similar work, in which historians who are also Christians struggle to sort out the ways that historical methodology may illuminate and enliven the faith tradition. As his earlier titles suggest, this is not the work of a Muslim in radical dialogue with his faith. Under the guise of scholarly objectivity, Warraq wages a vigorous attack on the traditions of Islam. Biases notwithstanding, there is also much useful scholarship here; not only has Warraq provided a highly readable critical survey of the literature of this quest, he has also collected the most important texts needed to begin a more objective evaluation of Islam's sacred tradition. The reader's task is to sort the polemic from the scholarship. (Mar.) Copyright 2000 Cahners Business Information.|