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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A masterpiece
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Martin Lings gives a very detailed history of the Prophet's life and work. The book is so well written that once you start reading it, you do not want to stop; not normally the case with biographies of religious figures. At one point, the book had me in tears, describing how his foster mother / wetnurse (Halima) from a desert tribe came to choose him to foster, despite his family being too poor to offer her any gifts. For that act of kindness, her name lives forever.
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troubling.
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This is a very elegantly written book which is easy to read. It adopts a classical and formal tone in keeping with the deep reverence it extends to the Prophet. It is very much a hagiographic work, almost to the point of being an aid to the devotional traditions of Ma'wlid (praise).
In light of this, Ling's book is very much for the believer who wants a firm and eloquent affirmation of the divinely endowed piety, greatness and spiritual genius of Muhammad.
No attempt is made is this book to justify, explain or contextualise many instances in Muhammad's life that strike the neutral observer as being quite controversial. The book is written on the assumption that the reader will either turn a blind eye or restrain certain critical faculties of their mind that would ask awkward questions if many of the actions of Muhammad were attributed to somebody else.
For example, Lings, in a very casual and 'matter-of-fact' kind of way makes mention of the fact that Aisha was only 6 years old at the time of her marrige to the 53 year old Prophet. To the reader literate in the sexual customs of ancient civilizations - this may not raise an eyebrow or prompt a second thought, but for many others, this fact does merit something in the way of elaboration. The matter is all the more important when Lings implicitly creates an impression of the copious sensuality of the Prophet's domestic life - consisting of a multitude of wives and even a sexually attendant concubine. Again, a firm believer in the piety of Muhammad would give him the benefit of the doubt and not ask questions.
To the non-believer, a sense of awkwardness lingers and only grows at Ling's refusal to offer any contextual background to Muhammad's seemingly ravenous appetites. If the controversy were confined to sexual matters, then perhaps even a non-believer could also turn a blind eye and begin to salvage the esteem in which he holds the Prophet (which is in freefall half-way through the book).
but it gets worse...
Reference is made to the many battles and instances of violence that litter the sirat (the life of the Prophet). This makes for uneasy reading as the reasons cited in explaining the extent of the cruelties inflicted of Muhammad's enemies are utterly unsatisfactory. The sense of moral doubt in the early part of the book just expands into open outrage at a man doing things that are very unbecoming of a Prophet, to put it mildly.
In the end, far from coming to revere the Prophet, i came to a rather confused and disturbed conception of a complex man more akin to a Dotoevsky protagonist rather than to a Prophet.
I did end up appreciating the book (but not the way i thought i would)
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An excellent history book
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This book is not only the best book I have come across regarding the life of the Prophet Muhammad H.Z. but also one of the best history books I have ever read (and I have read a lot on a wide range of subjects!). The book is divided into numerous and succinct chapters; each dealing with a specific episode of the Prophet's life as well as a few introductory chapters that set the scene perfectly. The language and the style of writing is beautiful - thereby providing just the right tone that the subject matter deserves. This book is not only a joy to read but also an expert source for one wishing to learn more about the life of the Prophet Muhammad H.Z.
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