Martin Lings: Muhammad
His Life Based on the Earliest Sources
The Islamic Texts Society, 2005 (Allen & Unwin, 1983); 2006 Inner Traditions edition on Amazon
From the Back Cover:
“Before the appearance of this book, Western languages lacked almost entirely a comprehensive and authentic account of the life of the Prophet Mohammad…Now, Lings…has produced a superb narrative that, in its sobriety and dignity of style and its scrupulous and exhaustive fidelity to authentic and reliable sources, constitutes a major addition to Islamic literature in English. While remaining close to the Arabic sources he cites, Lings shows himself able to render Arabic speech in comprehensible and idiomatic English that is neither markedly archaic nor jarringly contemporary, thus conveying what is, for Muslims, the essential timelessness of the events related. Highly recommended.” Hamid Algar in Religious Studies Review
“Despite the vastness of the subject, this biography makes easy and absorbing reading for anyone interested in religion as such. For those interested in Islam in one way or another it is mesmerising.” Seyyed Hossein Nasr in Parabola
“Muhammad is a true work of art, as enthralling and engrossing as the best of novels with the difference that this is no fiction but fact. With the magic of his pen, the author makes all the historical personalities of his book come alive…The skill of narration is enhanced throughout the book with the most regal and dignified English, inspiring the sense of majestic grandeur essential for any literary work dealing with Divine and Eternal Truths.” The Islamic Quarterly
“This great book is a classic.” Frithjof Schuon
“There is a freshness, clarity and gripping suspense throughout the book…As a text in the how and the why and the when of various revelations – both Koranic and Prophetic traditions – it is enlightening and authoritative…Our author’s familiarity with all the complicated inter-family links of tribal Arabia gives us the certainty that he knows his material thoroughly…This work should be translated into Arabic so that the whole Arab world may drink from it.” Muslim World (Cape Town)
“A living and enthralling book. After reading it we put it down with the feeling that we have actually witnessed all the events.” Hadi Sharifi in Nashr-i-Danesh
“I read it straight through, then re-read it, almost in its entirety, fascinated.” Titus Burckhardt
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