Synopses & Reviews
Who was the historical Muhammad, and how do Muslims remember him--as a holy prophet, a cultural revolutionary, a military leader, or a spiritual mystic? Unending media coverage of extremist fanatics, the controversy over offensive cartoon depictions of Muhammad, and fatwas against journalists and authors are all hard to ignore and have prejudiced our Western perceptions of Muslims and their founder. This definitive biography of the founder of Islam by a leading Muslim-American scholar will reveal invaluable new insights, finally providing a fully three-dimensional portrait of Muhammad and the one billion people who follow him today.
Memories of Muhammad presents Muhammad as a lens through which to view both the genesis of Islamic religion and the grand sweep of Islamic history--right up to the hot button issues of the day, such as the spread of Islam, holy wars, the status of women, the significance of Jerusalem, and current tensions with Jews, Hindus, and Christians. It also provides a rare glimpse into how Muslims spiritually connect to God through their Prophet, in the mosque, in the home, and even in cyberspace.
This groundbreaking book offers the opportunity to move from telling Muhammad's story to talking about how different Muslims throughout Islamic history have both honored and contested Muhammad's legacy.
Review
“...Safi maintains that it is necessary to learn about the Prophet Muhammad in order to understand Islam and to engage in open and constructive dialogue.” Wisconsin Public Radio
Review
“Safi traces the three important stages of Muhammads life: his climb up the mountain to receive Gods revelation (through the prophet Gabriel); his flight from Mecca and Jerusalem to heaven where he has a direct encounter with God; and his migration from Mecca to Medina and back.” Raleigh News and Observer
Review
“Safi makes his argument by simply and beautifully narrating the life of Muhammad. Beyond offering a biography of the spiritual leader, Safi explicates his spiritual teachings and describes how he has been remembered by Muslims over 1,400 years.” Boston Globe
Review
“A fresh investigation of Islams Prophet that uncovers a complex personality. . . . [Safis] depiction of a profoundly humane and compassionate visionary offers a much needed corrective to the darker perspective promulgated by some Islamic extremists.” Booklist (starred review)
Review
“[Memories of Muhammad] attempts to discover the true Muhammad obscured by both hagiography and militant extremism...Safi is on the front edge of a generation of scholars who, with one foot in both worlds, are trying to explain Islam and the West to each other.” Religion News Service
Review
“This book ranks as a milestone for non-Muslim readers. When most of the other books in this era are forgotten, people will continue to read Memories of Muhammad.” Read the Spirit
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“Safi responds to all these Muhammad problems by giving us a highly readable and interesting retelling of the story of this man... [and] provides important background for anyone who wants to understand our friends and enemies among the more than one billion people who embrace Islam.” The Pilot
Review
“...A rounded and revealing portrait of the life, work, and legacies of Muhammad.” Spirituality and Practice
Review
“Safi… brings the prophet into clearer focus with his book Memories of Muhammad. Safi provides a sweeping look at Muhammads life and explores many of the controversial issues that color modern perceptions.” Washington Post Book World Blog
Synopsis
It is difficult to develop a realistic view of Islam today. With extremists dominating the headlines, the doctrine followed by the majority of Muslims is often ignored. One aspect in particular that few non-Muslims seem to understand is the role of the Prophet Muhammad.
In Memories of Muhammad, noted scholar Omid Safi emphasizes the central role played by the Prophet in Islam. He revisits prominent Muslims throughout history, examining how they have remembered and, at times, contested Muhammad's legacy. Students will come away with a more balanced and realistic picture of Islam as it is really lived.
Omid Safi is Associate Professor of Islamic Studies at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, where he specializes in Islamic mysticism (Sufism), contemporary Islamic thought, and medieval Islamic history. He received his Ph.D. from Duke University. Safi is the Chair for the Study of Islam at the American Academy of Religion. He is also a member of the advisory board of the Pluralism Project at Harvard University. He is also author of The Politics of Knowledge in Premodern Islam.
"For Muslims, the book is a refreshing call to return to our spiritual roots, an element of faith that these days seems to be lost in the constant social commentary we are forced to engage in about Islam. For non-Muslims, Safi's explanation of Muhammad as the bridge between humanity and the Divine, insofar as emulating him brings one closer to Him, helps explain the connection Muslims have to their Prophet. In a time when the Prophet is so deeply misunderstood, such an emotional bond can go a long way in healing interreligious wounds." -- The Washington Post's "On Faith"
--The Pilot
Synopsis
Who
was Muhammad? What do we know historically, and does that differ from how he is seen by his followers and venerated today?
Memories of Muhammad presents Muhammad as a lens through which to view both the genesis of Islamic religion and the grand sweep of Islamic history—right up to the hot button issues of the day, such as the spread of Islam, holy wars, the status of women, the significance of Jerusalem, and current tensions with Jews, Hindus and Christians. It also provides a rare glimpse into how Muslims spiritually connect to God through their Prophet, in the mosque, in the home, and even in cyberspace.
This definitive biography of the founder of Islam by a leading Muslim-American scholar, Omid Safi, will reveal invaluable new insights, finally providing a fully three-dimensional portrait of Muhammad and the one billion people who follow him today.
About the Author
Omid Safi, Ph.D., is professor of Islamic studies at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, where he specializes in Islamic mysticism (Sufism), contemporary Islamic thought, and medieval Islamic history. He is the chair for the Study of Islam at the American Academy of Religion and a member of the advisory board of the Pluralism Project at Harvard University. He is also the author of The Politics of Knowledge in Premodern Islamand the editor of Progressive Muslims, which contains a diverse collection of essays by and about Muslims who are seeking reform within their tradition. Safi is at the forefront of the debate to engage the spiritual legacy of Islam with a progressive commitment to social justice and pluralism.