Muhammad the World-Changer: An Intimate Portrait is a biography of Muhammad by Mohamad Jebara, which was released on November 16, 2021.[1] It was published by St. Martin's Press.[2][3]
 | |
| Author | Mohamad Jebara |
|---|---|
| Language | English |
| Genre | Biography |
| Publisher | St. Martin's Press |
Publication date | November 16, 2021 |
| Publication place | United States |
| Media type | Print, Audiobook |
| Pages | 352 |
| ISBN | 978-1250239648 |
Unlike many traditional Islamic biographies, it is not a hagiography.[4][5][6][7]
Themes
editMuhammad the World-Changer: An Intimate Portrait meditates over several key themes, including Muhammad’s attitude towards slavery and women's rights.[5][4]
Semitic root words
editMuhammad the World-Changer: An Intimate Portrait has the author writing about Semitic root words. Arabic texts are traced back to their original Semitic root words, in reference to language and cultural expressions.[8]
Release
editThe book is available in digital, paperback, and hardcover formats and has been translated into six languages.[7][9][10][11][12][13][14] There is also an audiobook edition, published by Penguin Random House.[1]
Reception
editMuhammad the World-Changer: An Intimate Portrait received generally positive reviews from critics.[15][16] Several critics pointed to the book's humanizing depiction.[17][18][19][20] of Muhammad as balanced,[5][21][19]
History Today published a review by Lawrence Rosen, "Most accounts of the Prophet, whether malignant or hagiographic, have been stilted and one-dimensional. Mohamad Jebara’s biography aims for somewhere between...For Westerners who read only one book on the Prophet, this version may very well alter their view of Muhammad. And if it were to be translated into the languages of the Islamic world and widely disseminated – if, in short, it were to become the popularly accepted version of the Prophet’s life and thought – it is possible that the written life of Muhammad, as he appears in Jebara’s book, might change the world once again."[4]
The New York Times described the book as "an accessible biography of Muhammad...tracing his development from orphan to political leader and providing insights into his personal life and tastes".[3]
Publishers Weekly's review included a quick synopsis of the book's main points,
"In this accessible debut, Islamic scholar Jebara delivers an intimate portrait of Muhammad as a spiritual figure and leader. Here, the prophet emerges as a man who “endured terrible setbacks and traumatic suffering, only to turn his brokenness into an asset, unlocking latent abilities to improve the world around him." Jebara traces Muhammad's footsteps in the deserts of Arabia to create an endearing account of his tumultuous journey from orphan to businessman to political leader. Jebara humanizes Muhammad with stories of him doing housework and building a lover's loft for his wife Khadijah, and by considering Muhammad's personal tastes, such as his favorite color: green. Along the way, Jebara depicts Muhammad as a hero who “laid the intellectual mindset for the modern world,” and also explains the roots of Arabic words including Quran (the blossoming process), Muslims (those who repair cracks in the city wall), and Islam (the constant pursuit of completion). Those looking for an introduction to the life of the Islamic prophet would do well to start here."[19]
See also
edit
References
edit- ^ a b "Muhammad, the World-Changer". Macmillan Publishers. Retrieved May 20, 2023.
- ^ "The way ahead?". www.thenews.com.pk. Retrieved May 16, 2023.
- ^ a b "Newly Published, From the Extraterrestrial to East Jersey State Prison". The New York Times. October 29, 2021. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved May 16, 2023.
- ^ a b c "The Whole Truth? | History Today". www.historytoday.com. Retrieved May 16, 2023.
- ^ a b c Hammond, Joseph (November 12, 2021). "New biography offers novel approach to life of Muhammad". Religion News Service. Retrieved May 16, 2023.
- ^ "Imam Mohamad Jebara, PhD". Canadian Race Relations Foundation Fondation canadienne des relations raciales. Retrieved May 16, 2023.
- ^ a b Weber, Carina (April 16, 2023). "A vida de Maomé, o grande líder da religião islâmica". GAZ – Notícias de Santa Cruz do Sul e Região (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved May 16, 2023.
- ^ Muhammad the World-Changer: An Intimate Portrait, page 136-137
- ^ Lusa, Agência. ""Grande problema no mundo muçulmano" é a "ignorância maciça"". DNOTICIAS.PT (in Portuguese). Retrieved May 16, 2023.
- ^ ""Se Maomé tentasse ensinar nalgumas sociedades islâmicas atuais, seria morto". Entrevista a Muhamad Jebara, biógrafo do profeta". Expresso (in Portuguese). June 9, 2022. Retrieved May 16, 2023.
- ^ "Maomé – O Profeta que Transformou o Mundo, Mohamad Jebara – Livro – Bertrand". www.bertrand.pt (in European Portuguese). Retrieved May 16, 2023.
- ^ "Mahomed, profetul care a schimbat lumea, Mohamad Jebara – eMAG.ro". www.emag.ro (in Romanian). Retrieved May 17, 2023.
- ^ "MUHAMMAD, THE WORLD CHANGER". Bentang Pustaka. Retrieved May 16, 2023.
- ^ Noble, Barnes &. "Maomé – O transformador do mundo|eBook". Barnes & Noble. Retrieved May 16, 2023.
- ^ "Mundo islâmico vive atualmente numa idade das trevas, afirma investigador e autor de "Maomé – O profeta que transformou o mundo"". Rádio e Televisão de Portugal (in Portuguese). June 14, 2022. Retrieved May 16, 2023.
- ^ Smith, Susan H. (January 21, 2023). "Muhammad, the World Changer: An Intimate Portrait". Fellowship Magazine. Retrieved May 16, 2023.
- ^ "Perempuan dalam Islam". Ozip Magazine. December 31, 2022. Retrieved May 16, 2023.
- ^ Kafha, Supardi (March 23, 2023). "Karakter Muhammad". Barisan.co (in Indonesian). Retrieved May 16, 2023.
- ^ a b c "Muhammad, the World Changer: An Intimate Portrait by Mohamad Jebara". www.publishersweekly.com. Retrieved May 16, 2023.
- ^ ""Maomé era poderoso na sua simplicidade"". www.dn.pt. Retrieved May 16, 2023.
- ^ "Bedros Horasangian despre "Mahomed, profetul care a schimbat lumea" de Mohamed Jebara". Litera Blog (in Romanian). October 14, 2022. Retrieved May 16, 2023.