Muhammad by Martin Lings
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Peace
I am interested in purchasing a book about the 'official history of "Islam"'. However, I would also like a book that details the sources. I am thinking of buying 'Muhammad by Martin Lings'. Has anyone read this book? Any opinions? Does he source his material in his book. And what about the early caliphs? Is there a similar book?
Roshan
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salam!
i have read his other book "a return to the spirit" - i really liked it - but it isnt really a historical account.with regards to muhammad biographies - i have heard alot about karen armstrongs book, and also tareq ramadan has recently published one i think.
if you do manage to find a good book on the official history of islam please let me know! ill keep a look out for you!
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Peace and greetings,
I have read the book muhammad by martin Lings as a course material for Islamic studies of 10th grade London examinations of Edexcel board and luckily I secured highest marks in the world.
This book relies on traditional sources of historical accounts of the prophet and gives a very comprehensive coverage but the book does not respectfully account the relationship of the prophet with his wives as it claims some of his wives were merely captives of war so he used them for sex in the sense of right hand possesion as has been misunderstood from Quran and has been clarified on free minds as bond under oath, a kind of legal marriage. The book gives excellent eye witness accounts of the wars between muslims and infidels. The minute details about the events are remarkable but there may be some inconsistancies due to reliance on traditional sunni sources.
I recommend you to read this book since it is one of the most comprehensive books with very detailed accounts of events of the life of the Prophet. Read the book with Quran as the your guide, you will enjoy it. -
Peace Roshan,
I have a copy and found it very boring. I guess I'm a sucker for eloquence and "flow" when it comes to reading, so books such as these that are filled to capacity with names and dates and places just don't do it for me. It may be good as a resource, but as far as reading enjoyment, it pretty much sucked.
If you want it, I can mail it to you. PM you address.
Peace,
Tay -
Karen Armstrongs and Tariq Ramadhan's biograpohys of the prohet are awesome
Peace
I think many of these books (and I ended up reading part of Matin Ling's book) have no basis in historical or God-given fact. Matin Ling's book (and I sure it is similar with Tariq Ramadan) was based heavily on the 'hand-me-down' gossip which came to form the basis of Sunni law. These contradict the Quran (e.g. where Muhammad lived) and are considered by some historians (Crone, Hoyland) to be examples of 'redaction'. Smarter people than me can also tell the sectarian wars in the early community just from looking at these stories - and this, IMO should be considered the most important legacy of these stories.
Roshan
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Peace
Tariq Ramadhan's book is very different then Lings. Lings has no regard for statements that might deter a non muslim from Islam. Ramadhans book is awesome. Tariqs bio of Muhammed focuses on certain aspects of Muhammed's life that can teach people of all faiths how to live more wholesome and spiritully satifsed lives. Also he shows how Muhammed was not a chavinist by giving examples of the radical reforms the prophet made in issue of women's rights. It shows how everything was decided by a democratic method. Muhammed he shows was a kind open minded a loving indivdual who helped turn the arabs from violent nomads into a civilition. It is packed with beutiful verses of the Quran. Compareing Lings bio with Ramadhan's is heresy. To Karen Armstrong's bio. The work is the best. I can not describe the works high qaulity. If I praise it to much you might think hyperbole. So just bye it.
Lareb