イスラーム教の開祖、預言者ムハンマドは歴史上最も影響力のある人物のひとりに違いありません。しかし西洋の歴史家たちは、伝承によるこれまでのムハンマド像の信頼性に疑問を呈してきました。ムハンマドの生涯の真実はさておき、そのペルソナはさまざまな形とってイスラーム文明とムスリムの生活に重要な役割を果たしてきました。本書ではその生涯と重要性について歴史的観点からの描出を試みます。(cf. Islam, #007)
    

• Discusses the life of Muhammad from both a Muslim and Western historical perspective
• Explains the importance of Muhammad in medieval and modern Islam
• Includes a discussion of some of the controversial issues in historical and contemporary times, including the Satanic verses and the Danish cartoon crisis

 
As the founder of Islam Muhammad is one of the most influential figures in history. The furor surrounding the Satanic Verses and the Danish cartoon crisis reminded the world of the tremendous importance of the prophet of Islam, Muhammad. Learning about his life and understanding its importance, however, has always proven difficult. Our knowledge of Muhammad comes from the biography of him written by his followers, but Western historians have questioned the reliability of this story in their quest to uncover the 'historical Muhammad'. 

As modern controversies have shown, whatever the truth about Muhammad's life, his persona has taken on numerous shapes and played a crucial role in Muslim life and civilization. This Very Short Introduction provides an introduction to the major aspects of Muhammad's life and its importance, providing both the Muslim and Western historical perspectives. It also explains the prominent roles that Muhammad's persona has played in the Islamic world, from the medieval to the modern period.