An excellent book, best of its kind in English
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Well written book based on historical sources this is probably the best biography of the Prophet Muhammad that you can buy. Mr Lings has been criticized by some Muslims of the Salafi/Wahabbi school of thought (Bilal Philips to name one) who were critical of a number of points in the book. Mostly on the passage where he says on the conquest on Mecca when all images inside the Kaaba were erased Muhammad placed a protective hand over that of Abraham. He does point out in the footnotes that according to other sources all images were removed so I do not understand why Mr Philips was so critical of him.
The book is extremely well written and covers all of the historical details of Muhammad's life including events leading up to his birth and a brief history of Mecca.
Highly recommended for anyone who seriously wants to know about the Muslim religion.
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Love it!
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I wanted a book about the Prophet so I bought this book. Apparently it already has a high rating but since I have never heard of Martin Lings, I bought the older version of it. It turns out that the storyline is really good, feels like I am reading a story book but the best part is it is a true story. I feel like I get to know my Prophet better and love him even more. For those of you who are thinking about getting this book, I would recommend the latest version as it is worth buying. It is just that I hope I am knowledgable enough to check its references and confirm that it is indeed from authentic sources.
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An Introduction to Islam
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I was a practising Christian when I was loaned this text to read. It proved to be a catalyst in inspiring me to read and seek greater knowledge of Islam. I subsequently embraced Islam. I would unreservedly recommend this book to anyone seeking an introduction to our prophet Mohammad (p.b.u.h.)and would pray that you receive the same blessing of Islam that Allah has bestowed upon me al'hamdulilah.
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Muhammad: His Life Based on the Earliest Sources - by Martin Lings
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Good Points: A good read for Muslims interested in every little detail.
Bad Points: It professes to be an authentic book, but it cannot recollect everything word by word to be true.
General comments: Martin Ling's 'Muhammad: His Life Based on the Earliest Sources' is definitely a bad start for non Muslims who are interested in prophet Mohammad as it doesn't say much about his teaching, his everyday sacrificial lifestyle and his attitude towards every living being. I think that it's better to start by knowing his teachings first as well as how he set example for others by doing it first thus letting events described here unveil their significance in that light. It should be read along side the teachings of prophet Muhammad and his basic lifestyle and nature study in order to get the whole picture of what is called Islam that he has brought.
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Consider the alternatives
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I suspect that the reaction of many readers of this text will be determined by their relationship with and to Islam as a religion and culture, and by their experience (or lack thereof) of interacting with texts and material which are critical or inquiring of accepted Islamic historiography.
This is not a book that seeks to assess or examine the authenticity of the traditions and stories which exist to explain and contextualise the emergence, subsequent role and impact of Muhammad. Nor does the text seek to explore questions regarding the validity of Muhammad as an historical figure, or the naturally related questions which arise concerning the material authenticity of the Qur'an. Instead Lings draws largely from material which is generally accepted within the Islamic tradition, and places it within an acceptable narrative framework, doing so uncritically and with no attempt made to explain the source,tradition (and perhaps most importantly) period from which the story or tradition is drawn.
This surprisingly uncritical methodology results in a superficially coherent narrative which is likely to draw acceptance and approval from individuals wishing to be presented with a validation of their faith or understanding of Islam. The narrative technique employed by Lings is effective, his ability to draw material together and synthesise it to his apparently intended purpose is impressive, but this does not negate the sense of this text having been written for a largely accepting and unquestioning audience. This should not be interpreted as a criticism of technique purely because of its purpose - readers would find a quick comparison with the 'Life of Muhammad' by Ibn Ishaq instructive on this account (a text which Lings himself draws upon).
For readers wishing to learn more about Muhammad, the choices available may well be determined by the approach acceptable to the reader. There are other texts available which are from within the Islamic historiography (such as that of Ibn Ishaq - widely accepted as the earliest and fullest extant 'Life' of Muhammad - although available to us in a a version determined by a a later Islamic historiographer), and more recents texts such as that produced by Muhammad H Haykal. From outside the Islamic tradition there are works which are often described as being representative of an 'Orientalist' or 'Western' approach (the terms are of course inherently biased ideologically), and which are possibly viewed in some quarters as being hostile or overly critical of Islamic tradition (a fine example of this approach would be that found in Maxime Rodinson's 'Muhammad'). There are also works which have appeared relatively recently which might best be described as being sympathetic to the predominant Islamic historical narrative (for example that produced by Karen Armstrong).
In conclusion there is no denying that the marshalling and presentation of the material available to Lings is impressive, but the historical methodology employed is uncritical and too accepting to be worthy of serious consideration and acceptance. This is particularly difficult to accept given the fact that the title uses the line 'From the Earliest sources' - an attempt, perhaps, to place the book within an academic framework. Such an attempt, on the evidence of the text itself, must seriously be questioned.
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