A Review of Peters\u27 Muhammad and the Origins of Islam
Christopher Schwartz2019
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The Histories
Volume 6 | Issue 2
Article 7
A Review of Peters' Muhammad and the Origins of
Islam
Christopher Schwartz
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The Histories, Volume 6, N um ber 2
34
B o o k R e v ie w II
M u h a m m a d a n d th e O rig in s o f Is la m
By F.E. Pet er s
MUHAMM AD
ISLAM
Rev ie w ed by Ch r ist o p h e r Sch w ar t z ( Gr ad u at e St u d en t )
F o r t h e p i o u s , G o d a n d t h e a t t a i n m e n t o f p a r a d i s e a r e th e g r e a t f o c i o f I s l a m ; f o r
t h e h i s t o r i a n , it is , o f n e c e s s i t y , M u h a m m a d — th e m a n m o r e s o t h a n h i s m y t h . T h o u g h
e m i n e n t s c h o l a r s s u c h a s B e r n a r d L e w i s a n d K a r e n A r m s t r o n g h a v e l o n g a r g u e d t h a t th e
M u s l i m r e l i g i o n w a s b o r n “ i n th e f u l l l i g h t o f h i s t o r y , ” N e w Y o r k U n i v e r s i t y p r o f e s s o r
F .E . P e t e r s c o n t e n d s th e o p p o s i t e : th e e x t a n t s o u r c e s h a v e b e e n s o h e a v i l y s h a p e d b y
h i s t o r i c a l f o r c e s , p a r t i c u l a r l y M i d d l e E a s t e r n p o l i t i c s a l o n g s i d e s h i f t s a n d r i f t s in I s la m ic
Muhammad and the Origins
o f Islam, i n w h i c h t h e p r o f e s s o r a t t e m p t s to d i s c e r n f r o m t h e d i m r e c e s s e s o f th e s e v e n t h
h i s t o r i o g r a p h y a n d e x e g e s i s . T h i s is t h e c h a l l e n g e o f P e t e r s ’
c e n t u r y A r a b i a th e p r o p h e t ’ s e n v i r o n m e n t , h is a c t i o n s , a n d w h e n p o s s i b l e , h i s b e li e f s .
M u s lim s h a v e b e e n w ritin g b io g ra p h ie s o f M u h a m m a d s in c e th e e ig h th c e n tu ry ,
m o s t o f w h ic h h a v e e s s e n tia lly b e e n h a g io g ra p h ie s , N o n -M u s lim s h a v e b e e n e x a m in in g
th e A r a b ia n p ro p h e t, w h o m th e y firs t d u b b e d “ M a h o m e t,” s in c e th e tw e lf th c e n tu ry .
T h e s e w o r k s w e r e u n a p o l o g e t i c a l l y p o l e m i c a l i n c h a r a c t e r u n ti l th e n i n e t e e n t h c e n t u r y ,
w h e n su c h w o rk s as
Studies in Religious History b y E r n e s t R e n a n f i r s t a p p e a r e d ,
e x h ib itin g a fa ir y e t f a r m o re rig o ro u s ly c ritic a l a p p ro a c h . E v e r s in c e , th e g o a l o f m o d e m
h i s t o r i c a l r e s e a r c h h a s b e e n to r e c o n s t r u c t a s o b j e c t i v e a p i c t u r e a s p o s s i b l e o f t h e m a n
a n d h is m in is try .
I n h is p r e f a c e a n d a p p e n d i x , P e t e r s p o i n t s o u t j u s t h o w d i f f i c u l t t h i s is d u e t o th e
i n t r a c t a b i l i t y o f t h e s o u r c e s . A m o n g t h e s e a r e I b n a l - K a l b i ’s
Book o f Idols, a n e i g h t h
c e n tu r y w o rk w h ic h w a s th e firs t s e rio u s h is to ric a l tr e a tis e o f p r e - I s la m ic A ra b ia ; Ib n
I s h a q ’s
The Life o f the Apostle o f God, a b i o g r a p h i c a l w o r k w h i c h u n d e r w e n t s u b s t a n t i a l
r e v i s i o n o v e r th e c e n t u r i e s ( t h e o r i g i n a l e d i t i o n o f w h i c h is n o l o n g e r e x t a n t ) ; th e h i s t o r i e s
o f th e g r e a t M u s l i m h i s t o r i a n a t- T a b a r i ; o f c o u r s e t h e H a d i t h , t h e r e c o r d e d s a y i n g s a n d
d o i n g s o f th e p r o p h e t , a n d th e K o r a n , w h i c h R e n a n w a s t h e f i r s t t o c h a r a c t e r i z e a s th e
li t e r a l p r e a c h i n g s o f M u h a m m a d . “ T h e h i s t o r y o f M u h a m m a d a n d th e o r i g i n s o f I s l a m
b e g i n s . . . a n d e n d s w i t h th e Q u r a n [ s i c ] ” P e t e r s w r i t e s , a d d i n g , “ W h a t c o m m e n d s it s o
p o w e r f u l l y to t h e h i s t o r i a n is its a u t h e n t i c i t y , n o t a s th e W o r d o f G o d ... b u t r a t h e r a s a
35
The Histories, Volum e 6, N um ber 2
d o c u m e n t t o w h a t M u h a m m a d s a i d . ” 1*
T h e c h i e f d i f f i c u l t y o f u s i n g th e K o r a n , h o w e v e r , l i e s in th e f a c t t h a t i t is a t e x t
w i t h o u t a c o n t e x t : i ts c h a p t e r s , r e v e a l e d t o th e f i r s t M u s l i m s g r a d u a l l y o v e r t w e l v e y e a r s ,
h a v e b e e n a r r a n g e d a c c o r d i n g to le n g t h , n o t c h r o n o l o g y , a n d a s P e t e r s n o t e s , th e s c r i p t u r e
is e x c e p t i o n a l l y v a g u e t o h i s t o r i c a l e v e n t s . “ F o r M u h a m m a d , u n l i k e J e s u s , t h e r e is n o
J o s e p h u s to p r o v i d e c o n t e m p o r a r y p o l i t i c a l c o n t e x t , ” h e e x p l a i n s . “ N o l i t e r a r y a p o c r y p h a
f o r a s p i r i t u a l c o n t e x t a n d n o Q u m r a n s c r o l l s . ” 2* H e n c e h is t u r n t o th e o t h e r s o u r c e s ,
w h i c h a r e e v e n m o r e p r o b l e m a t i c t h a n t h e K o r a n in t h a t t h e y h a v e b e e n e n c r u s t e d , o f t e n
d e l i b e r a t e l y , w i t h d o g m a s a n d t r a d i t i o n s . A s a r e s u l t , t h i s is f i r s t a n d f o r e m o s t a
b i o g r a p h y , a n d t h o u g h it s t a y s c l o s e t o i ts s o u r c e s , i t d o e s h a v e a t i n g e o f r e v i s i o n i s m a s
P e t e r s p e r i o d i c a l l y a t t e m p t s to e x t r a p o l a t e a l t e r n a t i v e m e a n i n g s f r o m th e t e x t s .
P e te r s ’ w o rk , s e rv in g s im u lta n e o u s ly a s c a p s to n e fo r tw o c e n tu rie s o f s c h o la rs h ip
a n d a d i v i n g b o a r d f o r t h e n e x t c e n t u r y is i m m e n s e l y v a l u a b l e . T h i s is n o t t o s a y t h a t it is
n o t w i t h o u t p r o b l e m s . F o r e x a m p l e , a l m o s t f r o m th e b e g i n n i n g w e r u n i n t o d i f f i c u l t i e s .
A l t h o u g h P e t e r s a l l e g e s t o h a v e w r i t t e n t h is b o o k f o r a g e n e r a l a u d i e n c e , t h e w a y in
w h i c h it r e f e r e n c e s s o u r c e s a n d I s l a m i c t e r m s w i t h o u t m u c h e x p l a n a t i o n c l e a r l y i n d i c a t e s
t h a t t h i s is n o t a w o r k f o r t h e u n i n i t i a t e d .
T h e b o o k c o n s is ts o f tw e lv e c h a p te rs , w ith a p re fa c e a n d a n a p p e n d ix . T h is
a p p e n d i x , e n t i t l e d “ T h e Q u e s t f o r t h e H i s t o r i c a l M u h a m m a d ” w a s w r i t t e n f o l l o w i n g th e
c o n c e p t u a l l i n e s o f a n a r t i c l e b y h i m w h i c h a p p e a r e d u n d e r t h e s a m e ti t l e i n The
International Journal o f Middle East Studies3 I t is a m o n g t h e r i c h e s t a n d m o s t v a l u a b l e
s e c t i o n s o f t h e e n t i r e w o r k in t h a t it d i s c u s s e s th e n u m e r o u s t e c h n i c a l p r o b l e m s w h i c h
a w a i t th e h i s t o r i a n w h o a t t e m p t s to e n g a g e t h e K o r a n a n d H a d i t h , p r o b l e m s t h a t o r i g i n a t e
i n th e o b s c u r e — a n d , f o r t h e p i o u s , c o n t r o v e r s i a l — e d i t o r i a l p r o c e s s e s w h i c h g a v e b i r t h t o
t h e d o c u m e n t s . J u d g i n g t h i s “ d a u n t i n g s t u f f , ” P e t e r s o p t e d t o h a v e i t in t h e b a c k o f th e
b o o k . I r o n i c a l l y , t h i s a p p e n d i x is a m o n g th e m o s t r e a d a b l e o f a l l h i s c h a p t e r s , p r e s e n t i n g
i ts i n f o r m a t i o n i n a s u c c i n c t a n d p r e - d i g e s t e d m a n n e r ; i f t h e r e is o n e b o n e t h e r e a d e r
s h o u l d h a v e t o p i c k w i t h h i m , it is t h a t t h i s w a s n ’ t t h e v e r y first c h a p t e r .
T h e b o o k r e a l l y p i c k s u p s p e e d i n its l a s t s e v e n c h a p t e r s , w h e n P e t e r s d e l v e s in to
M u h a m m a d ’ s li f e , f r o m h i s l i n e a g e t o h i s b i r t h a n d m a r r i a g e t h r o u g h t o h i s w a r w i t h
M e c c a a n d h i s d e a t h . H o w e v e r i t is a b i t o f a s l o g i n i ts o p e n i n g f i v e c h a p t e r s , w h e n h e
d e ta ils th e s itu a tio n a l b a c k d ro p , n a m e ly , th e
al-Jahaliyya, t h e “ A g e o f I g n o r a n c e , ”
o t h e r w i s e k n o w n a s p r e - I s l a m i c A r a b i a . T h i s is th e w e a k e s t s e c t i o n o f th e t e x t d u e t o its
t e n d e n c y f o r i n c o h e r e n c e . F o r e x a m p l e , h is d e p i c t i o n o f M e c c a n g e o g r a p h y is , t o b e
fra n k , g a rb le d . T h is in c o h e re n c e m a k e s it s e e m a s th o u g h P e te rs h a s n e v e r s te p p e d fo o t
i n s i d e t h e h o l y c i t y , w h i c h is v e r y p r o b a b l e g i v e n th e O t t o m a n a n d la t e r S a u d i
a u th o ritie s ’ d is lik e fo r
khaffir - i n t r u s i o n — a n d it a ls o s e e m s t h a t h e n e v e r c o n f e r r e d w it h
a n y o n e , M u s lim o r n o t, w h o h a s.
A n o th e r e x a m p le o f th e w e a k n e s s o f th e s e c h a p te rs is th a t P e te r s ’ d e s c rip tio n o f
p r e - h i s t o r i c M e c c a , e s p e c i a l l y i ts f o u n d i n g , is o v e r l y d e p e n d e n t u p o n th e l e g e n d s
re c o rd e d b y Ish a q , a t-T a b a ri, a l-K a lb i, a n d so m e
1 P e te r s , F .E .
tafsiris ( K o r a n i c c o m m e n t a t o r s ) . 4 H e
Muhammad and the Origins o f Islam. ( A l b a n y : S t a t e U n i v e r s i t y o f N e w Y o r k P r e s s , 1 9 9 4 ) :
p. 257
5 Ib id ., p . 2 5 9
1 P e te r s , F .E , “ T h e Q u e s t f o r th e H i s t o r i c a l M u h a m m a d .”
The International Journal o f Middle East Studies.
2 3 ( 1 9 9 1 ) , 2 9 1 - 3 1 5 . A v a i la b le in f u ll t e x t o n lin e a t J S T O R .
4 P e te rs ,
Muhammad, p p . 1 - 3 0
The Histories, Volume 6, N um ber 2
36
d o e s a n a d m i r a b l e j o b o f i n c l u d i n g w h a t l it tl e is k n o w n o f th e R o m a n s ’ Arabia Felix a n d
Arabia Deserta, a s w e ll a s A b y s s i a n i a n , P e r s i a n , a n d Y e m e n i p e r s p e c t i v e s , b u t h e g iv e s
t o o s h o r t s h r i f t to t a n t a l i z i n g r e f e r e n c e s in o t h e r s o u r c e s , s u c h a s “ M a k o r a b a , ” th e c i t y ’s
p o s s i b l e c a m e o in P t o m e l y ’ s w o r k , o r “ B a k k a h , ” a n a l t e r n a t i v e n a m e f o r M e c c a w h i c h
a p p e a r s in th e K o r a n ’ s th i r d c h a p t e r . 5 H is d i s c u s s i o n o f p r e - h i s t o r i c M e c c a is a l s o th e
f i r s t w a r n i n g t h a t , a l t h o u g h P e t e r s s u r p a s s e s h is p r e d e c e s s o r s in h is i n c o r p o r a t i o n o f
re le v a n t s c h o la rly r e s e a rc h fin d in g s p u b lis h e d d u rin g th e 1 9 7 0 s a n d 8 0 s, h e c a n n o t e s c a p e
th e n a r r a t i v e o r d e r i m p o s e d b y t h e M u s l i m w r i t e r s . I n d e e d , a s o li d t h i r d o f t h e e n ti r e
b o o k c o n s i s t s o f e x c e r p t s , m a n y o f w h i c h a r e p a g e s lo n g — a c a d e m i c a l l y it is s u r p r i s i n g
th a t h e o p t e d f o r s u c h a s t y le .
T h e p r o f e s s o r is s e e m i n g l y tr a p p e d n o t o n l y b y h i s M u s l i m p r e d e c e s s o r s ’
h i s t o r i c a l f r a m e w o r k , b u t a l s o t h e i r e x e g e t i c a l s y s t e m , i n w h i c h t h e K o r a n is a ll t o o n e a t l y
a n d c o n v e n i e n t l y d i v i d e d i n t o M e c c a n a n d M e d i n a n c h a p t e r s . P e t e r s d o e s li t t l e — in d e e d ,
h e is li t t l e a b le — to p o s i t a l t e r n a t i v e a p p r o a c h e s b e y o n d m e r e l y c a s t i n g r e a s o n a b l e d o u b t
u p o n c e r t a i n v e r s e s a n d a t o t h e r t i m e s o f f e r i n g r e v i s i o n i s t i d e a s o n t h e w h y ’ s a n d h o w ’s
a b o u t s u c h - a n d - s u c h s e n t e n c e o r w o r d . N o n e t h e l e s s , w h e n e v e r h e d o e s d e c i d e to
e x e r c i s e h is s p e c u l a t i v e m u s c l e is a l s o w h e n th e b o o k s h i n e s . T h e t w o b e s t e x a m p l e s o f
th i s is h is w h o l e e y e - o p e n i n g t r e a t m e n t s o f t h e “ S a t a n i c V e r s e s ” in c i d e n t a n d
M u h a m m a d ’s c a n t a n k e r o u s r e l a t i o n s h i p w i t h th e J e w s o f Y a t h r i b ( la te r , M e d i n a ) , d u r i n g
w h i c h h e u t i l i z e s t h e K o r a n i t s e l f a s h is p r i m a r y p o i n t o f e n g a g e m e n t .
H is d i s c u s s i o n o f M u h a m m a d ’s c o n f l i c t s w i t h th e J e w s h ig h l i g h t s th e c r u x o f
P e t e r s ’s e n t i r e p r o j e c t , n a m e l y , t h a t th e K o r a n is n o t ( o r n o t o n l y ) a s c r i p t u r e , th e e t e r n a l ,
u n c h a n g in g W o rd o f G o d , b u t a ls o a n a rtifa c t o f h is to ry , a s m u c h s h a p e d b y e v e n ts as
a ls o a s h a p e r , a n d t h a t M u h a m m a d w a s h i m s e l f a s m u c h a p r o d u c t o f c i r c u m s t a n c e s a s a
v i s i o n a r y a n d p r o d i g y . T h e r e a s o n t h a t t h i s b o o k e v e n n e e d s to e x i s t lie s in t h e f a c t t h a t
“ M u s lim tra d itio n fo u n d it in c re a s in g ly d iffic u lt to a c c e p t th a t M u h a m m a d h a d b e e n ,
p e r h a p s f o r m o s t o f h is li f e , b e f o r e h is c a l l , a p a g a n . T h e d o c t r i n e o f M u h a m m a d ’s
‘i m p e c c a b i l i t y , ’ [ a s w e l l a s t h e K o r a n ’ s e t e r n a l i t y ] w a s g r o u n d e d , l i k e i ts C h r i s t i a n
c o u n t e r p a r t , M a r y ’s p e r p e t u a l v i r g i n i t y , o n t h e p r i n c i p l e o f
quod decet.” 6
A g a in a n d a g a in in -P e te rs ’s b o o k w e a re r e m in d e d o f h o w M u s lim tra d itio n h a s
e n c r u s t e d th e h i s t o r i c a l s o u r c e s . T h a t P e t e r s is e v e n a b l e t o w e d g e in a s m a n y
r e c o n s i d e r a t i o n s a s h e d o e s m a k e s h i s e n d e a v o r v e r y w o r t h w h i l e . Y e t, i t m u s t b e p o i n t e d
o u t t h a t t h e r e a r e s o m e g l a r i n g o v e r s i g h t s i n th e t e x t . M o s t s t a r t l i n g is w h e n h e f a i l s to
d i s c u s s t h e h i s t o r i c a l o r i g i n s o f o n e o f I s l a m ’s m o s t d i s t i n c t i v e f e a t u r e s , n a m e l y , its
u n i t a r i a n i s m v i s - a - v i s C h r i s t i a n i t y . T h o u g h t h e K o r a n d e e m s J e s u s C h r i s t th e
al-Masihu,
“ th e M e s s ia h ,” a n d a p p e a rs to in c o rp o ra te m ir a c u lo u s s to rie s o f h im fro m a p o c ry p h a l
s o u r c e s , i n c l u d i n g p o s s i b l y th e G o s p e l o f T h o m a s , i t s e e m s t o r e j e c t t h e C r u c i f i x i o n , a n d
i t is o u t r i g h t in its o p p o s i t i o n t o t h e T r i n i t y , w h i c h i t d e e m s a k i n d o f h i d d e n th e o l o g i c a l
p o ly th e is m .
T h e s e n o t i o n s h a v e b e e n a t t h e r o o t o f I s l a m ’s c o m p e t i t i o n w i t h C h r i s t i a n i t y , b u t
t h e i r a p p e a r a n c e in t h e K o r a n a r e s o m e w h a t s t a r t l i n g a n d p u z z l i n g , c o n s i d e r i n g th a t
M u h a m m a d h a d n o d ire c t c o n flic t, a rm e d o r o th e rw is e , w ith p e n in s u la r C h ris tia n s . W h a t
f e w f i g h t s h e d i d h a v e w i t h C h r i s t i a n s o c c u r r e d o n l y i n t h e f o r m o f i l l - c o n c e i v e d r a id s
i n t o t h e f a r - a w a y l a n d s o f S i n a i a n d S y r ia . M o r e o v e r , a f t e r “ T h e Y e a r o f t h e E l e p h a n t , ”
5 Ib id ., p . 6 4 a n d K o r a n 3 :9 6
6 I b i d . , p. 1 3 1
The Histories , Volume 6, N um ber 2
37
in w h i c h a n A b y s s i a n - b a c k e d A b r a h a e x p e d i t i o n w a s t r o u n c e d b y M e c c a n f o r c e s f o r ty
y e a r s b e f o r e M u h a m m a d ’s m i n i s t r y b e g a n , 7 C h r i s t i a n s w e r e n e v e r s e r i o u s c o m p e t i t o r s f o r
th e p r i z e , t h a t is , W e s t - C e n t r a l A r a b i a .
A n o t h e r m a j o r o v e r s i g h t o n th e p a r t o f P e t e r s is th e K o r a n ’s n o t i o n o f al-khataman-nabbiyin, “ th e s e a l o f th e p r o p h e t s . ” T h e te r m khatam r e f e r s to a w a x s e a l o r
o rn a m e n t, s o m e th in g m o ld a b le a n d w ith th e im p lic a tio n o f a u th o rity . M u s lim tra d itio n
h a s c o n f l a t e d its m e a n i n g w i t h th e te r m
khatim, w h i c h l i t e r a l l y m e a n s “ f i n a l ” o r “ l a s t . ”
T h i s i n t e r p r e t a t i o n s p a r k e d c i v i l w a r s b e t w e e n o r t h o d o x a n d h e t e r o d o x f o r c e s w i t h i n th e
C a l i p h a t e , h e a p e d f u e l o n t o t h e S u n n i - S h i a f ir e , a n d d a n g e r o u s l y c o n s t r a i n e d th e
d e v e l o p m e n t o f m y s t i c i s m in I s l a m , a n a t u r a l a s p e c t o f m o s t o r g a n i z e d r e l i g i o n s b u t o n e
a b o u t w h i c h m o s t M u s l i m s h a v e b e e n u n d e c i d e d , o f t e n v i o l e n t l y s o , a s w i t h th e r e c e n t
c a s e o f t h e B a h a 'i . H o w a n d w h y t h i s i m p o r t a n t n o t i o n , w h i c h a p p e a r s o n l y o n c e in th e
K o r a n , e v e r o c c u r r e d a t a l l , a n d w h a t e x a c t l y i t m i g h t r e a l l y m e a n , is n o t d i s c u s s e d .
T h e r e is o n e m o r e o v e r s i g h t , in d e e d , a c r i t i c a l f la w : t h e c o m p l e t e a n d u t t e r d e a r t h
o f a rc h e o lo g ic a l in fo rm a tio n . H is to ria n s te n d to c o n c e iv e o f th e ir d is c ip lin e a s d e a lin g
w ith
sola biblia, t e x t s a l o n e . Y e t, in o r d e r to u n d e r s t a n d p r e - h i s t o r i c s o c i e t i e s s u c h a s
M u h a m m a d ’s ( t h e K o r a n l i t e r a l l y b i r t h e d th e l i t e r a t e a g e o f A r a b i a n c i v i l i z a t i o n ) , it is
a b s o l u t e l y v i t a l t h a t t h e y i n c l u d e m a t e r i a l c u l t u r a l s o u r c e s in t h e i r a n a l y s e s . N o w h e r e is
th i s f l i m s i n e s s o f a r c h e o l o g i c a l l y u n i n f o r m e d h i s t o r y m o r e p r o n o u n c e d i n P e t e r s ’s b o o k
t h a n i n h i s d e s c r i p t i o n o f th e f o u n d i n g o f M e c c a , a s w e l l a s w h e n h e is d i s c u s s i n g
M u h a m m a d ’ s w a r s w i t h o t h e r s e t t l e m e n t s a n d c i t i e s , e s p e c i a l l y th e p o l y t h e i s t r e d o u b t o f
T a ’ i f a n d h is f a i l e d i n v a s i o n o f B y z a n t i n e S y r ia .
T r u th b e to ld , th is m a y h a v e b e e n s o m e th in g b e y o n d P e te r s ’s c o n tro l. M o d e m
a r c h e o l o g y ’ s e m e r g e n c e a s a d i s c i p l i n e o v e r t h e c o u r s e o f th e n i n e t e e n t h a n d t w e n t i e t h
c e n t u r i e s h a s c o i n c i d e d w i t h th e r i s e o f th e H o u s e o f S a u d , a r o y a l f a m i l y w h o h a s
p e g g e d th e ir p o litic a l fo rtu n e s u p o n a n id e o lo g y o f re lig io u s p rim itiv is m a n d a s a re s u lt
h a s b e e n v e r y h o s t i l e t o w a r d s c i e n t i f i c i n v e s t i g a t i o n o f I s l a m ’ s o r ig in s . W h i l e th e v a r i o u s
r e g i m e s o f E t h i o p i a , E g y p t , J o r d a n , S y r ia , e v e n Y e m e n , h a v e w e l c o m e d a r c h e o l o g i s t s ,
th e S a u d i s , w h o e n j o y c l i n g i n g t o s u c h e r r o n e o u s b e l i e f s a s t h e A r a b i a n p e n i n s u l a b e i n g
“ 1 0 0 % M u s l i m ” ( d i s r e g a r d i n g th e p r e s e n c e o f B e d o u i n p o l y t h e i s t s in t h e c e n t r a l r e g i o n s ,
o r t h e l e g i o n s o f F i l i p i n o C h r i s t i a n w o r k e r s i n th e m i d s t o f t h e i r c i ti e s ) , h a v e s h u n n e d
t h e m a s p o s s i b l e “ t h r e a t s t o th e f a i t h . ”
T h i s b r i n g s h o m e th e f in a l a n d c r u c i a l p o i n t : h i s t o r i a n s o f I s l a m m u s t n ’t c o n t i n u e
t o a c c e p t th e h o a r y a s s e r t i o n t h a t I s l a m w a s b o m “ i n t h e f u ll l i g h t o f h i s t o r y . ” T h e y m u s t
n o t b e f o o l e d t h a t th e “ o r i g i n a l ” s o u r c e s , b y v i r t u e o f t h e i r b e i n g s o c o p i o u s , s o v a r i o u s l y
a t t e s t e d , a n d t h e i r r e d a c t i o n s o c l e a r a n d “ u n a m b i g u o u s , ” a r e a c c u r a te . N e i t h e r w e
m o d e rn s n o r o u r p re d e c e s s o rs a re in a n y p o s itio n to k n o w e x a c tly w h a t h a p p e n e d a n d
h o w th is g ra n d re lig io n g r e w fro m s u c h h u m b le , u n lik e ly , a n d u n c o o p e ra tiv e b e g in n in g s .
P e t e r s ’ s b o o k , t h e r e f o r e , is a r e m i n d e r t h a t th e o r i g i n s o f I s l a m m a y , w h e n a ll is s a id a n d
d o n e , h a v e t o b e s o u g h t o u t s i d e th e d o m i n i o n o f h i s t o r i o g r a p h y ; th e t r u t h o f w h a t
h a p p e n e d — why i t h a p p e n e d — is p r o b a b l y t o b e f o u n d in th e s a m e p l a c e f r o m w h i c h a ll
o t h e r g r e a t r e l i g i o n s a r e b o m : i n s i d e th e h u m a n b e in g .
N e w Y o rk : S ta te U n iv e rs ity o f N e w Y o rk P re s s , 1 9 94 .
P g . 3 3 4 L is t P ric e : $ 2 9 .9 5
7 I bid., p p . 8 4 - 8 8
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