21ST CENTURY: Western works of Islamic History
The Western scholarship on Islam and Islamic History, especially in the post-9/11 era, has seen a tremendous surge. On every passing day, one comes across the news about the publication of a new book on Islam, things Islamic, and Muslims/ Muslim societies. Among this plethora of literature, a significant portion is devoted to the genre of Islamic history, which dedicate a considerable portion to the Islamic primary sources—the Qur’an, Hadith and the biography of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH): the Last Divine Message and the Last Messenger. This is besides the large number of books which are solely devoted to the Prophet’s biography and its varied dimensions.
Though most of the Western scholarship on Islam in general, and on depicting the life of the Prophet, has remained ‘biased’, ‘bigoted’, ‘negative’, and ‘offensive’—aptly described by Mathew Dimmock as “the misrepresentation of a biography”; nevertheless, in the recent times, one observes a positive perception in these biographies, labelled by Professor Abdur Raheem Kidwai, as a trend towards “Towards Fairness and Truth” in contrast to the negative portrayal of medieval times, which he terms as “The Distorting Mirror”. He aptly summarizes it by stating that one observes “a sea-change in the representation of Prophet Muhammad” (PBUH) in these narratives, indicating “the welcome trend of acknowledging the Prophet’s greatness and glory”, which “do justice, to a large extent, to the Prophet’s genius and his life-ennobling message.”
In this context, in this write-up views of some of the Western non-Muslims scholars/ writers, who have authored works on Islamic history in the last quarter of the 21st century, are presented to reveal this positive portrayal and perception of Prophet (PBUH) in the ‘West’, within the framework of what Professor Carl W. Ernst (North Carolina Chappell Hill, USA), states in his Following Muhammad: Rethinking Islam in the Contemporary World (2003): “While the Qur’an as divine revelation may be the most important resource of the Islamic tradition, we would not have it in its present form without the Prophet Muhammad [PBUH]… . He [PBUH] has served as an ongoing model for ethics, law, family life, politics, and spirituality in ways that were not anticipated 1,400 years ago. There are few people in history who have had a greater impact on humanity, and it is through the historical elaboration of tradition that we must seek to understand that impact”.
In the latest edition of her ‘Islam: A Brief History’ (2016), Professor Tamara Sonn (Georgetown University, USA) admits that “[Prophet] Muhammad’s [PBUH] role extends beyond the task of delivering revelation”, for his life is a role “model for humanity of how to live every moment, and make every choice, in accordance with God’s will. The way he lived his life is described by the Quran as the best example of Islam” (Q. 33: 21); and together with the Quran, his example (Sunnah) “comprise the guidance Muslims need in their collective responsibility to establish justice”.
Professor John L. Esposito (Georgetown University, USA) in his ‘What Everyone Needs to Know About Islam’ (2011) writes: “In contrast to the often-spiritualized Christian view of Jesus [Prophet ‘Isa (AS)], Muslims look upon Muhammad [(PBUH)] as both a prophet and a very human figure, one who had great political as well as spiritual insights. Thus, Muslims look to Muhammad’s [(PBUH)] example for guidance in all aspects of life: how to treat friends as well as enemies, what to eat and drink, how to mourn and celebrate. … [Prophet] Muhammad’s [(PBUH)] life translated the guidance revealed in the Quran into action; he lived the revelation, giving concrete form to the laws that God revealed for the various conditions of ordinary human life. For Islam, no aspect of life is outside the realm of religion”. Esposito repeats almost similar views in (the latest edition of) his Islam—The Straight Path (2016), wherein he devotes a full chapter to the “Muhammad and the Quran—The Messenger and Message” by adopting a characteristically sympathetic and pedagogically inclusive approach to the Prophet’s (pbuh) biography, framing him as “Prophet of God”, community leader, “Exemplar of Muslim Life and Piety”, and “Reformer”. Highlighting his role as a reformer, he writes: “Muhammad [PBUH] was not the founder of Islam; he did not start a new religion. Like his prophetic predecessors, he came as a religious reformer. …The Prophet brought a revolution in Arabian life, a reformation that sought to purify and redefine its way of life.
Professor William E. Shepard (University of Canterbury, New Zealand), in his Introducing Islam (2014) devotes a full chapter to the Prophet’s biography which begins with these words: “If the Qur’an is the Book of God, Muhammad [PBUH] is the person through whom that book came to humanity and his words and deeds are the first and most important commentary on it. In his lifetime, he was prophet, arbitrator, political leader and moral exemplar”. Furthermore, he presents the views (both positive and negative) of some modern Muslim and non-Muslim scholars, regarding the various facets of the Prophet’s (PBUH) blessed life. As a reformer, Shepard is of the opinion that the Prophet “considerably raised the social and ethical level of the Arabs of his time… He called for equality and mutual responsibility among his followers, and for the abolition of class privilege and extremes of wealth. He is described as calling for social justice and sometimes even for socialism”.
Professor Alexander Knysh (University of Michigan, USA) in the latest edition of his Islam in Historical Perspective (2025) approaches the life and legacy of the Prophet through what he calls a “civilizational” framework. This approach situates the Prophet not only within the context of Arabia’s seventh-century socio-political landscape but also within Islamic civilization and its encounters with external intellectual and religious traditions, especially Christianity. Knysh relies heavily on Ibn Ishaq’s The Life of Muhammad, identifies two primary interpretative paradigms of the Prophet’s life: (i) a “theological-legendary” paradigm, emphasizing divine intervention and Prophetic infallibility as “the last prophet” of God; and (ii) an “academic-historical” approach, grounded in historiography that focuses on the historical context of his life. He characterizes the Prophet’s mission as a “religious reform” that redefine the “entire pagan society of Arabia,” replacing tribal allegiances with an ethical community underpinned by divine law. Knysh regards this transformation as “a truly unique event in the history of mankind”—one that ushered in “a new religion, state, and culture” civilization.
These few examples clearly reveal that the Western scholarship has seen a ‘sea-change’ in the representation of the Prophet’s biography in recent years and is, thus, indicative of a ‘welcome trend of acknowledging the Prophet’s greatness and glory’. It is apt to conclude with this passage from the Preface of Professor Kidwai’s Images of the Prophet in English Literature (2018): “In today’s globalized world with numerous opportunities for interaction and much faster and varied channels of communication we can and should ensure a better representation of the Prophet and of ourselves. Our real, meaningful tribute to the Prophet consists in facilitating a better understanding of Islam and the Prophet by dint of our character and conduct patterned after the Prophet’s role model which is characterized by sympathy, sincerity and love for all fellow human beings.”
The author is Assistant Professor, Islamic Studies, GDC Ganderbal.
