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[Memories of Muhammad: Why the Prophet Matters] [By: Safi, Omid] [November, 2010]
Who was the historical Muhammad, and how do Muslims remember him—as a holy prophet, a cultural revolutionary, a military leader, or a spiritual mystic? Unending media coverage of extremist fanatics, the controversy over offensive cartoon depictions of Muhammad, and fatwas against journalists and authors are all hard to ignore and have prejudiced our Western perceptions of Muslims and their founder. This definitive biography of the founder of Islam by a leading Muslim-American scholar will reveal invaluable new insights, finally providing a fully three-dimensional portrait of Muhammad and the one billion people who follow him today.Memories of Muhammad presents Muhammad as a lens through which to view both the genesis of Islamic religion and the grand sweep of Islamic history—right up to the hot button issues of the day, such as the spread of Islam, holy wars, the status of women, the significance of Jerusalem, and current tensions with Jews, Hindus, and Christians. It also provides a rare glimpse into how Muslims spiritually connect to God through their Prophet, in the mosque, in the home, and even in cyberspace.This groundbreaking book offers the opportunity to move from telling Muhammad's story to talking about how different Muslims throughout Islamic history have both honored and contested Muhammad's legacy.
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First published January 1, 2009
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About the author
Omid Safi
19 books106 followersOmid Safi is Associate Professor of Islamic Studies at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, where he specializes on Islamic mysticism (Sufism), contemporary Islamic thought, and medieval Islamic history. He received his PhD from Duke University in 2000. Before coming to UNC, he was an Associate Professor of Philosophy and Religion at Colgate University in Hamilton, New York.
Safi is the Chair for the Study of Islam at the American Academy of Religion. He is also a member of the advisory board of the Pluralism Project at Harvard University. His book The Politics of Knowledge in Premodern Islam, dealing with medieval Islamic history and politics, was published in 2006. His translation and analysis of Rumi’s biography is forthcoming from Fons Vitae, and his book Memories of Muhammad will be published in Winter of 2009 by HarperOne.
Safi has been at the forefront of the progressive Muslim debate. His book Progressive Muslims, published in 2003, contains a diverse collection of essays by and about “progressive” Muslims. He was one of the cofounders of the Progressive Muslim Union (PMU-NA). Safi resigned from PMU in 2005, but he continues to support progressive interpretations of Islam outside of PMU.
Safi is the Chair for the Study of Islam at the American Academy of Religion. He is also a member of the advisory board of the Pluralism Project at Harvard University. His book The Politics of Knowledge in Premodern Islam, dealing with medieval Islamic history and politics, was published in 2006. His translation and analysis of Rumi’s biography is forthcoming from Fons Vitae, and his book Memories of Muhammad will be published in Winter of 2009 by HarperOne.
Safi has been at the forefront of the progressive Muslim debate. His book Progressive Muslims, published in 2003, contains a diverse collection of essays by and about “progressive” Muslims. He was one of the cofounders of the Progressive Muslim Union (PMU-NA). Safi resigned from PMU in 2005, but he continues to support progressive interpretations of Islam outside of PMU.
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews
February 14, 2013
Very readable, an introduction to Muhammad for non-Muslim readers. In the closing chapter, the author writes:
Someday I'd love to organize an interfaith book club, and if I do, this would be a good book to read with a group.
"for the past few years, the majority of Muslims have had to spend far too much time discussing what Islam is not about: Islam is not about extremism, Islam is not about terrorism, and Islam does not sanction the oppression of women. Somewhere along the way far too many have lost the opportunity to talk about what Islam does stand for, what it should stand for, and, with God's grace, what it will stand for."
Someday I'd love to organize an interfaith book club, and if I do, this would be a good book to read with a group.
June 21, 2014
This gracefully-written book on the life of Muhammad and the crucial first four generations of the prophet's family following his life is an ideal introduction to the Islamic tradition. Safi's love of the prophet enlivens every page and it is impossible not respect him and his mission, even if one (such as myself) is of another faith. The peaceful disposition of the Prophet comes through and is a strong an important antidote to some people who make the newspaper headlines these days. A great book for inter-religious dialogue and understanding of a major world religion.
January 15, 2016
Omid Safi is just so nice and his niceness just flows into everything, even his writing :D if someone wants to know about the Prophet Muhammad, I'd recommend this book. It's an easy read and has Safi's trademark gentle wisdoms throughout. Even if you have read lots of books on the life of the Prophet, you will still find new information or new ways of looking at his life from this book. I got the impression it was written primarily with a non Muslim audience in mind, but he's remained fully conscious of his own faith throughout.
January 5, 2011
Yesterday I had Professor Omid Safi (of the Islamic Studies program at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill) on our live radio show, True Talk. The conversation was about his latest book, Memoris of Muhammad:why the prophet matters, which I finished reading last night. It’s not your typical biography of the Prophet; in fact it’s anything but a biography. The book is much deeper than that, exploring the philosophical philosophical dimensions of his life and bringing the reader to higher planes of understanding regarding Islam.
The book starts with a 49 page introduction titled the “Muhammad Problem.” So many people in the West are having this problem. In this section Dr. Safi investigates how historical figures across the ages, from Dante Alighieri to Dr. Martin Luther King, had surprisingly nasty things to say about a prophet who Muslims believe was sent as an act of mercy for the world. Perhaps my favorite part of the introduction is when Dr. Safi turns his eye toward the Founding Fathers of the United States — their opinions on the Prophet and Islam are particularly interesting.
Following the introduction, Dr. Safi proceeds to examine the Prophet’s life through different lenses: the Narratives of the Quran and the ancient, primary texts that serve as the Prophet’s biographies. As Dr. Safi reveals, it is possible to interpret these passages in many different ways.
For example, Dr. Safi addresses the Prophet’s relationship with his beloved first wife, Khadija, in a manner not typical of traditional Arab Muslim scholars, who tend to be more formalistic in their analyses. In our radio interview Dr. Safi explained that this was an important aspect of the Prophet’s life, yet surprisingly little scholarly attention has been devoted to it. The Prophet’s monogamous relationship with Khadija humanizes him and also sets a fine example for Muslim couples, who might learn a thing or two from the Prophet about how to maintain a long, successful marriage.
The book does not shy away from discussing controversial versus in the Quran — often misquoted by those with a “Muhammad Problem” — that deal with wars, Jews, and Christians. Dr. Safi also talks about why the the Prophet married several times, demonstrating how this does not give all Muslim men free license to practice polygamy for pleasure or status — there are many conditions that must be met before one can follow in the Prophet’s footsteps here!
Also notable is Dr. Safi’s narrative of the first fitna and the religious schism following the prophet’s death, which I am sure will prove contentious for at least a few Muslim readers. Some may also object to the art borrowed from the Topkapi Museum collection, which include depictions of the Prophet with his face covered. Dr. Safi also includes one portrait of the Prophet that he brought with him from Iran.
I liked the Muhammad Iqbal quote that Dr. Safi uses for his concluding chapter: “You can deny God, but you cannot deny the Prophet!” But that’s the only quote you will get from me — I have deliberately withheld direct quotations from the book in order to pique your curiosity so that you will buy the book ant read it yourself!
The book starts with a 49 page introduction titled the “Muhammad Problem.” So many people in the West are having this problem. In this section Dr. Safi investigates how historical figures across the ages, from Dante Alighieri to Dr. Martin Luther King, had surprisingly nasty things to say about a prophet who Muslims believe was sent as an act of mercy for the world. Perhaps my favorite part of the introduction is when Dr. Safi turns his eye toward the Founding Fathers of the United States — their opinions on the Prophet and Islam are particularly interesting.
Following the introduction, Dr. Safi proceeds to examine the Prophet’s life through different lenses: the Narratives of the Quran and the ancient, primary texts that serve as the Prophet’s biographies. As Dr. Safi reveals, it is possible to interpret these passages in many different ways.
For example, Dr. Safi addresses the Prophet’s relationship with his beloved first wife, Khadija, in a manner not typical of traditional Arab Muslim scholars, who tend to be more formalistic in their analyses. In our radio interview Dr. Safi explained that this was an important aspect of the Prophet’s life, yet surprisingly little scholarly attention has been devoted to it. The Prophet’s monogamous relationship with Khadija humanizes him and also sets a fine example for Muslim couples, who might learn a thing or two from the Prophet about how to maintain a long, successful marriage.
The book does not shy away from discussing controversial versus in the Quran — often misquoted by those with a “Muhammad Problem” — that deal with wars, Jews, and Christians. Dr. Safi also talks about why the the Prophet married several times, demonstrating how this does not give all Muslim men free license to practice polygamy for pleasure or status — there are many conditions that must be met before one can follow in the Prophet’s footsteps here!
Also notable is Dr. Safi’s narrative of the first fitna and the religious schism following the prophet’s death, which I am sure will prove contentious for at least a few Muslim readers. Some may also object to the art borrowed from the Topkapi Museum collection, which include depictions of the Prophet with his face covered. Dr. Safi also includes one portrait of the Prophet that he brought with him from Iran.
I liked the Muhammad Iqbal quote that Dr. Safi uses for his concluding chapter: “You can deny God, but you cannot deny the Prophet!” But that’s the only quote you will get from me — I have deliberately withheld direct quotations from the book in order to pique your curiosity so that you will buy the book ant read it yourself!
July 24, 2015
I majored in religion in college and took a few classes studying Islam. Some of the textbooks for those classes, histories of early Islam, still sit on my bookshelf. But it had been a while, so it seemed the right time to read another book on Islam. This book is a bit different then others I have read, and one reason for that is certainly being published after 9/11. How we talk about Islam in our culture is forever changed.
Another reason this is different is because those other books read like objective (or at least, attempts to be objective) histories. In this book we read the story of Muhammad by an author who clearly holds Muhammad in incredibly high regard. As a Christian, the best analogy would be between reading a simple history of Jesus that tells the facts with a biography of Jesus by someone who loves and desire to walk in the footsteps of Jesus.
For anyone who desires to learn about Islam then, I highly recommend this book. So often in our world we hear people wondering why more "moderate" Muslims do not speak out. Many assume Islam is a religion of violence. Safi does not ignore the violent texts in the Quran, pointing out all religions have such texts. But he does give a picture of Islam that is admirable and encouraging and that simply needs to be seen more. My hope and prayer would be that any who desire to talk about Islam would read books like this one and not just books, or worse, websites, whose agenda is to paint Muslims in the worst light possible.
As a Christian, I wrestle with claims of other religions to be revelations of God. This book certainly gives more to wrestle with, as I honestly never saw Muhammad painted in such a positive light. It is helpful to read such writings to learn about other religious figures outside your own context. Such reading, and understanding, is the first step towards real dialogue. So once again, to any who want to learn about Muslims, I recommend this book.
Another reason this is different is because those other books read like objective (or at least, attempts to be objective) histories. In this book we read the story of Muhammad by an author who clearly holds Muhammad in incredibly high regard. As a Christian, the best analogy would be between reading a simple history of Jesus that tells the facts with a biography of Jesus by someone who loves and desire to walk in the footsteps of Jesus.
For anyone who desires to learn about Islam then, I highly recommend this book. So often in our world we hear people wondering why more "moderate" Muslims do not speak out. Many assume Islam is a religion of violence. Safi does not ignore the violent texts in the Quran, pointing out all religions have such texts. But he does give a picture of Islam that is admirable and encouraging and that simply needs to be seen more. My hope and prayer would be that any who desire to talk about Islam would read books like this one and not just books, or worse, websites, whose agenda is to paint Muslims in the worst light possible.
As a Christian, I wrestle with claims of other religions to be revelations of God. This book certainly gives more to wrestle with, as I honestly never saw Muhammad painted in such a positive light. It is helpful to read such writings to learn about other religious figures outside your own context. Such reading, and understanding, is the first step towards real dialogue. So once again, to any who want to learn about Muslims, I recommend this book.
February 20, 2010
I really like the author's balanced approach to differing interpretations of Mohamed and other aspects of Islam among Muslims globally, from the time of the Prophet up to today. This book can help Muslims understand one another better and also help non-Muslims understand Islam and Muslims better. Unlike Aslan in No God But God (which seems to be the popular book for non-Muslims to read about Islam), Safi is clearly still a Muslim yet he does not allow his own beliefs to cloud his impartial approach.
January 23, 2013
My professor wrote this book. If you are looking to explore Islam and Muhammad's teachings and feel that the exposure you have now (through media, etc.) is biased and clearly not thorough, this is a great place to start. He writes on a simple level yet isn't pedantic. He clearly has a Shi'a bias though, but that's ok. I'm just happy to be reading about it.
December 16, 2011
words from a lover, about the master of lovers.
August 12, 2016
This was a study of the life of Muhammad and his impact on Muslims today. The history was interesting, especially in relation to how the two factions of Sunni and Shi'i began.
Want to read
April 22, 2018goodreads algorithms are starting to actually make good guesses on things i'd be interested in. don't know if i find this concerning or not...
August 20, 2022
"Of all the founders of the major religious traditions, Muhammad is simultaneously the least understood and the most mistrusted by non-Muslims. Most non-Muslims would be hard-pressed to produce any teaching of Muhammad that might resemble spiritual advice. An easy way to document this is to stroll down to a local bookstore and check out the religion section. You are likely to find titles from the Christian, Jewish, Hindu, Buddhist perspectives that offer spiritual guidance for daily life. But can you find a single title directed at a broad audience that presents the teachings of Muhammad in a similar fashion? [...] The "Islam" section of most bookstores today is nothing less than a jihad, terrorism, and women's oppression shelf."
A very nice (re) introduction of the life of Prophet Muhammad and how Islam relates to the other two Abrahamic religions. Safi begins with the premise that: [1] Islam is the least understood and most derided of the world religions; [2] rather than only focus on historical facts, we should acknowledge that people carry "memories" and associations of Muhammad and Islam in the same way that the interpretation of Jesus/ Christianity/ Buddhism changes with the times.
On [2]:
"There have been some events in world history whose significance far outstripped their mere historicity. A first-century Palestinian Jew, the son of a carpenter, is hung between two thieves at the behest of Roman authorities, and today over one billion Christians see the crucifixion of Jesus Christ as the ultimate symbol of God's deliverance of humanity from sin. Six centuries before Christ, an Indian prince sat under a tree, vowing not to move until he had transcended the cycles of birth and rebirth. Today hundreds of millions of Buddhists look at the enlightenment of Siddhartha Gautama Buddha as the very model of how to rise above attachment and ignorance. The significance of these events blossomed beyond what actually happened in the narrow historical sense and became manifest when seen through the faithful eyes of those who came later and based their lives on these events."
I enjoyed that this book provided a very concise biography of Muhammad and compares people's interpretation of Muhammad/ the Quran to Christianity/ Bible. Safi also covers the history and main differences between the Sunni and Shiite Muslims, and how modern Muslims have a different interpretation of the Quran or of the Prophet to suit their (political) needs. Overall this read was an enjoyable and informative one, especially being in a diverse school environment where people observe the Ramadan.
Excerpts:
One commonality among local Jews and Christians was that both groups spoke Arabic. As such, whenever Jews and Christians referred to the One God that they worshipped, the term they would have used in Arabic would have been Allah.
The majority of Muslims, noting that the narrative refers to Abraham's "only son", argue that it must have taken place in the period when he had only one son, that is, Ishmael. Ishamel had been identified as the ancestor of the Arab peoples, and it is no surprise that when God chose a prophet to deliver the message to the Arabs, it was through Muhammad, a descendant of Abraham through Ishmael — as Jesus had been a descendant through Isaac.
The task of prophecy is to remind us of that which we have known, and still know somewhere deep inside. There is no new lesson to learn; our task is only to remember, to recall what we already knew, to remember who we are. Yet the recollection of who we truly are — created in God's image with the breadth of God breathed inside us, as both the Qur'an and the Bible tell us — becomes covered up.
Testing with the bad is easy to imagine, as humanity has often been tested with oppression and injustice, exile and poverty. And yet we are also tested with the good, in terms of how we respond to demonstrations of God's grace.
Out of the puritanical desire to make sure that no one confused devotion to Muhammad with worship of the God of Muhammad, the Wahhabis systematically destroyed many holy sites associated with the Prophet in Medina and mecca. In Mecca they destroyed the domes that stood over the homes historically associated with the birthplaces of the Prophet Muhammad, Khadija and Imam Ali. [...] "In the post-caliphal period of the present day, Imam Jazuli's masterpiece [devotional text Dala'il al-Khayrat] has been eclipsed by the despiritualisation of Islam by "reformers"..."
A very nice (re) introduction of the life of Prophet Muhammad and how Islam relates to the other two Abrahamic religions. Safi begins with the premise that: [1] Islam is the least understood and most derided of the world religions; [2] rather than only focus on historical facts, we should acknowledge that people carry "memories" and associations of Muhammad and Islam in the same way that the interpretation of Jesus/ Christianity/ Buddhism changes with the times.
On [2]:
"There have been some events in world history whose significance far outstripped their mere historicity. A first-century Palestinian Jew, the son of a carpenter, is hung between two thieves at the behest of Roman authorities, and today over one billion Christians see the crucifixion of Jesus Christ as the ultimate symbol of God's deliverance of humanity from sin. Six centuries before Christ, an Indian prince sat under a tree, vowing not to move until he had transcended the cycles of birth and rebirth. Today hundreds of millions of Buddhists look at the enlightenment of Siddhartha Gautama Buddha as the very model of how to rise above attachment and ignorance. The significance of these events blossomed beyond what actually happened in the narrow historical sense and became manifest when seen through the faithful eyes of those who came later and based their lives on these events."
I enjoyed that this book provided a very concise biography of Muhammad and compares people's interpretation of Muhammad/ the Quran to Christianity/ Bible. Safi also covers the history and main differences between the Sunni and Shiite Muslims, and how modern Muslims have a different interpretation of the Quran or of the Prophet to suit their (political) needs. Overall this read was an enjoyable and informative one, especially being in a diverse school environment where people observe the Ramadan.
Excerpts:
One commonality among local Jews and Christians was that both groups spoke Arabic. As such, whenever Jews and Christians referred to the One God that they worshipped, the term they would have used in Arabic would have been Allah.
The majority of Muslims, noting that the narrative refers to Abraham's "only son", argue that it must have taken place in the period when he had only one son, that is, Ishmael. Ishamel had been identified as the ancestor of the Arab peoples, and it is no surprise that when God chose a prophet to deliver the message to the Arabs, it was through Muhammad, a descendant of Abraham through Ishmael — as Jesus had been a descendant through Isaac.
The task of prophecy is to remind us of that which we have known, and still know somewhere deep inside. There is no new lesson to learn; our task is only to remember, to recall what we already knew, to remember who we are. Yet the recollection of who we truly are — created in God's image with the breadth of God breathed inside us, as both the Qur'an and the Bible tell us — becomes covered up.
Testing with the bad is easy to imagine, as humanity has often been tested with oppression and injustice, exile and poverty. And yet we are also tested with the good, in terms of how we respond to demonstrations of God's grace.
Out of the puritanical desire to make sure that no one confused devotion to Muhammad with worship of the God of Muhammad, the Wahhabis systematically destroyed many holy sites associated with the Prophet in Medina and mecca. In Mecca they destroyed the domes that stood over the homes historically associated with the birthplaces of the Prophet Muhammad, Khadija and Imam Ali. [...] "In the post-caliphal period of the present day, Imam Jazuli's masterpiece [devotional text Dala'il al-Khayrat] has been eclipsed by the despiritualisation of Islam by "reformers"..."
December 1, 2020
“Just as we are told that we can only see Layla through the eyes of Majnun, we can only perceive the full importance of Muhammad by looking through the eyes of the tradition of Islamic piety, learning, and spiritual practice that grew up around the memory of the Prophet.”
Memories of Muhammad is a captivating — and successful — attempt by Professor Omid Safi to summarise the life of the Prophet Muhammad (S) and trace its long legacy among Muslims primarily in Anatolia, Persia, South Asia, and the Arab world. The book also provides an overview of the core tenets of the Islamic faith and its similarities and differences with other Abrahamic religions, plus an introduction to the events and key figures of the first few generations following the death of the Prophet (S), including the infamous Sunni-Shi’a split (the first major schism in Islamic history which, unlike the schisms in most other religions, emerged at the same time). Where Safi particularly excels is in his translations of Persian, Urdu, and Arabic stories and poetry, which beautifully capture the devotion of the Muslim poets who wrote them (whereas Western translations of Rumi, one of the most popular poets in America who was in fact a devout Sunni Muslim, almost always secularize/remove crucial references to Islam).
In a nutshell, the author demonstrates why the Prophet (S) has been adored by millions of human beings for over a thousand years. In a harsh desert where one’s value was determined by the tribe they were born into, Muhammad (S), himself orphaned and marginalized at a young age, preached that God only judges people by their faith and actions in this life. In a society where baby girls were often buried alive because families preferred sons, Muhammad (S) declared that having a daughter was a blessing and outright abolished the practice of female infanticide, in addition to granting women the rights to keep their name, own property, and leave their husbands if they wished to do so (undoubtedly feminist for the time period). In a world which preferred to idolise certain human beings — especially those humans who were seen as spiritually enlightened — Muhammad (S) explicitly stated ana basharun mithlukum (“I am a creature just like you”), to which the premodern, “pietistic response” was bal, kal yaqut bayn al-nijar (“Yes, but like a ruby is among stones!”). Indeed, just as many upper-caste Hindus rejected the anti-caste preaching of the Buddha in India, many Arab tribal leaders opposed the Prophet Muhammad (S) during his time because his anti-classist and anti-racist teachings structurally undermined their inherited social status. Islam’s discouragement of depicting the Prophet’s face/body in artwork is a testament to the radical humility Muhammad (S) possessed, and that is why most of the nicknames Muslims use for the Prophet (S) directly reference his special relationship with God rather than extolling Muhammad (S) himself as divine: Habib Allah (“Beloved of God”), Rasul Allah (“Messenger of God”), etc.
The only criticism I have of this book is regarding the portion on Islamic history following the death of the Prophet (S) and the distinctions between the Sunni and Shi'a philosophies within Islam. In my opinion, the author did not always engage as critically with the general beliefs of Shi’ism as he (rightfully) did with Sunnism. For example, Safi provides multiple reasons as to why the Sunni tendency to romanticise the sahabah (companions of the Prophet) is problematic, which is fair enough, yet he does not similarly challenge the Shi’a tendency to romanticise the ahl al-bayt (family of the Prophet) — even though placing importance on a person's lineage fundamentally contradicts one of the most revolutionary teachings of Islam: that humans earn merit through their piety, not their ancestry (as Safi himself explains in a previous chapter). That being said, the author did ultimately provide a decent reading of the Sunni perspective on the sunnah (practices of the Prophet) and the Rashidun (first four post-Muhammad caliphs, three of whose legitimacy is rejected by the Shi’a sect), as well as controversial Muslim leaders like Mu’awiyah and other Umayyads. Moreover, it is helpful to at least understand the Shi’a viewpoint which is often overlooked, if not outright dismissed, by the dominant Sunni tradition.
October 23, 2012
I read this book for my Islamic Civilization class. It's not a book I probably would have read otherwise, mainly because I am not huge on non-fiction and will choose trashy novels or anything vaguely dystopian over anything else nine times out of ten. However, I thought that this was an intelligent, compassionate, well-written look at the life of Muhammad and the current state of Islam as it relates to the Prophet.
I am not one of those people who hates Islam and sees the entire, enormously populated "Islamic world" as some monolithic culture full of terrorism, fundamentalist religion, and human rights violations, so I was already open to Safi's message. I can't say for sure if this book would change the minds of any truly ignorant, rigid Islamophobes - but I do think that it would make people who were more on the fence think long and hard and what they think they know about Islam. This is a really fantastic perspective, and one that is needed in this world full of idiotic, inaccurate anti-Islam rhetoric.
So, again, this book didn't really change my mind on anything fundamental, since I am already a person who understands that Islam is not an inherently violent, awful religion. However, I certainly did learn a lot about the beginnings of Islam, Muhammad's life, and modern-day Islam. Safi managed to pack a lot of information into the book, but it didn't seem dense or overwhelming.
There were places where it lagged a bit, but, again, that could just be due to the fact that I am not generally a huge non-fiction person. In general, though, I thought this was a wonderful book, and one that more people should be reading.
I am not one of those people who hates Islam and sees the entire, enormously populated "Islamic world" as some monolithic culture full of terrorism, fundamentalist religion, and human rights violations, so I was already open to Safi's message. I can't say for sure if this book would change the minds of any truly ignorant, rigid Islamophobes - but I do think that it would make people who were more on the fence think long and hard and what they think they know about Islam. This is a really fantastic perspective, and one that is needed in this world full of idiotic, inaccurate anti-Islam rhetoric.
So, again, this book didn't really change my mind on anything fundamental, since I am already a person who understands that Islam is not an inherently violent, awful religion. However, I certainly did learn a lot about the beginnings of Islam, Muhammad's life, and modern-day Islam. Safi managed to pack a lot of information into the book, but it didn't seem dense or overwhelming.
There were places where it lagged a bit, but, again, that could just be due to the fact that I am not generally a huge non-fiction person. In general, though, I thought this was a wonderful book, and one that more people should be reading.
April 7, 2016
When I read books about religion, I always steer away from emotional writing. I.e. Books about Islam that are clearly written for people who heavily believe in Islam to make them feel good about their beliefs. This is not that kind of book.
This book relies on one thing: facts. It is written by an academic, first and foremost, and when opinions are present, they are backed up by a solid argument that is based on multiple sources of information. For example, this author cites The bible, as much as he cites the Quran, he cites Sufi, Sunni and Shiite sources, and contrasts between them all in classic academic fashion.
However, the factual nature of this book don't diminish from the eloquent writing style that keeps you engaged. I read this book quickly, which is unnatural for me.
If you want to learn more about the prophet, what happened after the prophet died, and how his legacy affects the world today, I highly recommend reading this. Whether you are a Muslim, seeking to know more about the prophet, or a non-Muslim seeking to understand one of the most misunderstood characters today, this book is of great value to you.
This book relies on one thing: facts. It is written by an academic, first and foremost, and when opinions are present, they are backed up by a solid argument that is based on multiple sources of information. For example, this author cites The bible, as much as he cites the Quran, he cites Sufi, Sunni and Shiite sources, and contrasts between them all in classic academic fashion.
However, the factual nature of this book don't diminish from the eloquent writing style that keeps you engaged. I read this book quickly, which is unnatural for me.
If you want to learn more about the prophet, what happened after the prophet died, and how his legacy affects the world today, I highly recommend reading this. Whether you are a Muslim, seeking to know more about the prophet, or a non-Muslim seeking to understand one of the most misunderstood characters today, this book is of great value to you.
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March 13, 2011absolutely blown away. love this book!
November 24, 2019
This is a good introduction to the life and legacy of muhammad though any potential reader should be aware of a number of issues with this book.
1. Safi uses a ton of direct Quran quotes to support many of his claims (which is good). Many times though, Safi claims that a particular Quran quote "strongly condemns" a particular practice, when the quote, in reality, doesn't directly do so, yet could be interpreted in such a way.
2. This relates to a second criticism, namely that the entire book feels rather one-sided heavy-handed. Safi being a Muslim himself, it might be too much to expect him to engage with Muhammad's life in a slightly more ciritical fashion, yet I wish that a book that solely revolves around the life of a single person could examine that person from a variety of different angles, including a critical one that would deal more seriously with common criticism levered at the prophet. On page 205, for instance, Safi briefly picks up the common criticism of men being free to marry non-Muslim women but not vice versa. Safi writes, "this restriction is one that today many Muslim women, particularly in the West, are questioning." And that's it. We're moving on. We're told that that is a common criticism, but that criticism is not being dealt with in any serious manner whatsoever.
That criticism, including "the denigration of women's rights", is once more briefly taken up in the conclusion on page 296, only to be brushed aside as xenophobic polemic against Islam. Safi tells us that such criticism is unjustified, but, importantly, not why. To my mind, it would have been a much better idea to simply state that this is not the topic of the book at hand and could be dealt with elsewhere. Or, alternatively, to address it head on. The middleway, of addressing it, by saying it is unjustified, without explaining why, just doesn't cut it for me and doesn't do more than undermining the author's scholarly credibility.
3. Throughout the book, though particularly in the second half, it becomes rather apparent that Safi's account is suffering from a rather strong sectarian bias, in that the Shia point of view is heavily favoured over all others. Shia accounts, traditions, history - both in terms of word count and normative language, Safi's position becomes painfully obvious, a position which, I believe, simply doesn't have place in a book such as this. Read page 247-252 for a rather clear illustration.
4. Safi uses English translations of surahs without - as far as I can remember - ever telling us which translation he refers to. Considering how widely Quranic surahs can vary in terms of their English interpretations, it is important to give the reader a very concrete reference as to which exact translation one has used (consider for instance how common, more traditional translations of surah 4:34 deviate from modernist translations, for example by Ahmed Ali, Laleh Bakhtiar or Yüksel et al.
None of this makes Memories of Muhammad a bad book by any means, but I think any prospective reader would benefit from keeping the above mentioned points at hand when engaging with Safi's generally thoroughly researched and pleasantly written book about Muhammad (S).
1. Safi uses a ton of direct Quran quotes to support many of his claims (which is good). Many times though, Safi claims that a particular Quran quote "strongly condemns" a particular practice, when the quote, in reality, doesn't directly do so, yet could be interpreted in such a way.
2. This relates to a second criticism, namely that the entire book feels rather one-sided heavy-handed. Safi being a Muslim himself, it might be too much to expect him to engage with Muhammad's life in a slightly more ciritical fashion, yet I wish that a book that solely revolves around the life of a single person could examine that person from a variety of different angles, including a critical one that would deal more seriously with common criticism levered at the prophet. On page 205, for instance, Safi briefly picks up the common criticism of men being free to marry non-Muslim women but not vice versa. Safi writes, "this restriction is one that today many Muslim women, particularly in the West, are questioning." And that's it. We're moving on. We're told that that is a common criticism, but that criticism is not being dealt with in any serious manner whatsoever.
That criticism, including "the denigration of women's rights", is once more briefly taken up in the conclusion on page 296, only to be brushed aside as xenophobic polemic against Islam. Safi tells us that such criticism is unjustified, but, importantly, not why. To my mind, it would have been a much better idea to simply state that this is not the topic of the book at hand and could be dealt with elsewhere. Or, alternatively, to address it head on. The middleway, of addressing it, by saying it is unjustified, without explaining why, just doesn't cut it for me and doesn't do more than undermining the author's scholarly credibility.
3. Throughout the book, though particularly in the second half, it becomes rather apparent that Safi's account is suffering from a rather strong sectarian bias, in that the Shia point of view is heavily favoured over all others. Shia accounts, traditions, history - both in terms of word count and normative language, Safi's position becomes painfully obvious, a position which, I believe, simply doesn't have place in a book such as this. Read page 247-252 for a rather clear illustration.
4. Safi uses English translations of surahs without - as far as I can remember - ever telling us which translation he refers to. Considering how widely Quranic surahs can vary in terms of their English interpretations, it is important to give the reader a very concrete reference as to which exact translation one has used (consider for instance how common, more traditional translations of surah 4:34 deviate from modernist translations, for example by Ahmed Ali, Laleh Bakhtiar or Yüksel et al.
None of this makes Memories of Muhammad a bad book by any means, but I think any prospective reader would benefit from keeping the above mentioned points at hand when engaging with Safi's generally thoroughly researched and pleasantly written book about Muhammad (S).
June 14, 2022
Why do Muslims love the Prophet Muhammad? This answer to this question is probably not obvious to most non-Muslims today. Muslims themselves have had shifting reasons throughout history, and have done a poor job conveying their beliefs to others. In the worst case, some succumb to anger and defensiveness while failing to articulate any positive belief. It might sound surprising in the present day but the most fundamental value of Islam is the experience of love. The Prophet Muhammad was perceived by most Muslims throughout history as a spiritual vessel rather than simply a human being, something like Buddha or Jesus Christ rather than merely a political or communal leader. The gate of experiencing level, as they believed, was opened by his presence and example. If there were things about him that we didn't understand it was not really important, the most important thing is to experience the path of prayer that he laid out for us feel for ourselves whether it led closer to the divine.
In this book, Omid Safi describes the life of the Prophet but also the global culture that reflecting upon him has created over a millennia and a half. Safi is a kind and thoughtful writer and brings his own knowledge of Persian, which along with English is one of the great languages of Islam, to explain the culture of what he calls the Muhammadi Revolution. He also provides a moving and challenging perspective on the story of Muhammad's family, who were massacred by the tyrannical rulers of the Umayyad Caliphate not long after his death. This historical fact should be a challenge to all Muslims, particularly Sunnis, who claim to love the prophet but curiously choose to pass over this issue with little comment.
This is the number one book I'd recommend to someone, whether Muslim or non-Muslim, looking to understand Islam through the lens of the Prophet Muhammad.
In this book, Omid Safi describes the life of the Prophet but also the global culture that reflecting upon him has created over a millennia and a half. Safi is a kind and thoughtful writer and brings his own knowledge of Persian, which along with English is one of the great languages of Islam, to explain the culture of what he calls the Muhammadi Revolution. He also provides a moving and challenging perspective on the story of Muhammad's family, who were massacred by the tyrannical rulers of the Umayyad Caliphate not long after his death. This historical fact should be a challenge to all Muslims, particularly Sunnis, who claim to love the prophet but curiously choose to pass over this issue with little comment.
This is the number one book I'd recommend to someone, whether Muslim or non-Muslim, looking to understand Islam through the lens of the Prophet Muhammad.
February 16, 2021
An excellent introduction to Islam in general and Shi’i Islam in particular. Having read a lot about Sunni Islam, I found it very fascinating and informative to learn more about Shi’i beliefs. Omid Safi’s passion for mysticism and Sufi traditions also appealed to me. He also puts a lot of emphasis on pluralism and the Muslim belief (though not held by all Muslims) that no religion has a monopoly on the truth but are all only different paths leading to oneness with Allah, God, the divine, Truth, or whatever you choose to call it.
July 17, 2019
very clear and answers a lot of questions. doesn't shy away from hard stuff and the fact of multiple interpretations. portrayal of the ahl al-bayt and massacre at Karbala is wonderful. the page i opened up to at first, about the role of God in Karbala -- one of the shi'a versions of "why do bad things happen to good people" -- echoes my own thoughts and faith journeys as I go about chaplaincy work.
June 22, 2017
As a Muslim reader, this book seamlessly weaved together many bits of history, religion, culture, and tradition that I had been immersed in from an early age. It of course makes sense that Safi is an academic- as the presentation of the Sira of Prophet Muhammad is notably more unbiased in this book than any other narrative I have encountered. Enlightening and enjoyable read :)
May 25, 2020
This is not the true biography rather writer bring some great features of Prophet Muhammad (Smt) and discuss it in current context. Writer is from Shia community so he give much importance on Ali. I would give more star but I found some controversy. Overall it is a good book.
November 12, 2023
read for class. as far as biographies go, i think it’s pretty good. safi’s great at weaving together the prophet’s life with his impact in the present. it’s not a very chronological biology and it’s not very textbook-like—all in all, very readable.
August 25, 2018
Extremely insightful, a bit biased at points. Would read again.
December 30, 2023
A beautiful rendering of Prophet Muhammad from the point of view of believers past and present, Shi'a, Sunni and Sufi.
June 12, 2024
Masterful.
September 19, 2023
3.5 Been reading since ramadan, finally finished. Good intro biography and general history of Islam :)
December 7, 2018
This beautiful book made me a Muslim.
The Prophet (pbuh) said "He who does not thank people, does not thank Allah".
So let us thank those who have been the means by which Allah has guided us.
Even Hamza Yusuf said he was eternally indebted to Abu Bakr Siraj ad-Din.
The Prophet (pbuh) said "He who does not thank people, does not thank Allah".
So let us thank those who have been the means by which Allah has guided us.
Even Hamza Yusuf said he was eternally indebted to Abu Bakr Siraj ad-Din.
April 1, 2013
very good book to read about the story, purpose and the effect of Prophet Muhhamed (PBUH)
specially when it comes from a writer with a Sufism background, which enriched the content of the book with spiritual and sensual prospective and add-ons
the issue with the book comes from the sectarian point of view of the writer, which wasn't recommended in this place.
as Shiia writer, he covered the section of the life after prophet Muhammed's death with his sectarian view.
as he stated in his book, one of the pillars that the Prophet's message was built upon is the equality of all the people, and preference is made according to suitability and efficiency and nothing else.
in other words, to eliminate biasing towards tribes or relatives either in right or wrong.
in his description after the Prophet's death, he described how his followers stole the Khelafa ( presidency of the Muslim's nation ) from his cousin ( Ali bin Abu Taleb) which he (the writer) sees that he was suppose to be the successor of the Prophet.
this point of view gives a contradiction and it shows a big crack in the credibility of the message.
anyways, i enjoyed the book, but i see the author gave this section the wrong treatment.
specially when it comes from a writer with a Sufism background, which enriched the content of the book with spiritual and sensual prospective and add-ons
the issue with the book comes from the sectarian point of view of the writer, which wasn't recommended in this place.
as Shiia writer, he covered the section of the life after prophet Muhammed's death with his sectarian view.
as he stated in his book, one of the pillars that the Prophet's message was built upon is the equality of all the people, and preference is made according to suitability and efficiency and nothing else.
in other words, to eliminate biasing towards tribes or relatives either in right or wrong.
in his description after the Prophet's death, he described how his followers stole the Khelafa ( presidency of the Muslim's nation ) from his cousin ( Ali bin Abu Taleb) which he (the writer) sees that he was suppose to be the successor of the Prophet.
this point of view gives a contradiction and it shows a big crack in the credibility of the message.
anyways, i enjoyed the book, but i see the author gave this section the wrong treatment.
January 10, 2011
An interesting take on the well-known biography of the Prophet (S). Safi highlights critical points in the Seerah and provides some fresh insights for the benefit of muslims and non-muslims alike. Very well researched and presented and a must-read for people wishing to go beyond the staple "Muhammad" by Lings to extend their understanding of the Prophet (S), especially in a spiritual light. Safi is of Shi'ite background and therefore also presents a strong focus on the connection between the Prophet (S) and Ali (R); I personally found this aspect enlightening.
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