Prophet Muhammad – Islamic Research Essay

In this Prophet Muhammad – Islamic Research, note that there is a dearth of concrete, contemporary evidence of Muhammad’s life and career. Archaeology at Mecca and Medina, to the extent that anything they do has not produced anything  that they can tie to Muhammad. They are yet to find any documents apart from the Constitution of Medina, and that only exists as a copy of a copy. However, there are four main sources for the study of Muhammad’s life, and they are all complex. Notably, three are internal to the Islamic tradition (the Qur’an, the Hadith, and prophetic biographies). Further, one is external (contemporary accounts from non-Muslims outside Arabia). First, discuss the advantages and limitations of each body of source material. Second, make an argument about the extent to which historians can use these sources to reconstruct a history of Muhammad’s life and career.

Prophet Muhammad – Islamic Research

The “umma” of Muhammad, throughout Islamic history, represents a community of believers united in their devotion to the One God. However, Fred Donner addresses the nebulous, often misunderstood concept of “umma” in early Islam. According to Donner, it has held a range of meanings since the seventh century. From at least the ninth century, it has also had a more particular signification of the universal community of Muslim believers. What do Berkey and Donner say about the extent to which this later meaning was part of Islamic discourse? That is, from its earliest inception? To what extent can its specificity as a community of Muslims be projected into the past? Using both secondary and primary sources, make an argument about whether the “umma” of the 7-8th centuries included non-Muslims. Besides, describe the specific historical processes that may have lead to a narrowing of the term’s application.

Prophet Muhammad – Islamic Research

The religious power of the leader of the community of “true believers” resided with the Prophet Muhammad, who had sealed it. It extended further only in the memory of Muhammad’s companions. Notably, they remembered and transmitted what he had said, prescribed, and practiced. The first caliphs – the four “rightly guided” caliphs known as the Rashidun (Abū Bakr, ‘Umar, ‘Uthmān, ‘Alī) – were in fact companions. They could, to a certain extent, incarnate both the political authority of the community leader and the religious power. That is, of someone who knew what the Prophet had meant. However, the dispute surrounding the fourth caliph, ‘Alī broke the chain of the companion caliphs.

Using both primary and secondary sources explain how the nature of religious and political authority transformed following the first fitna. In the history of early Islam, to what extent is it even analytically useful to consider religious and political authority as separate categories? If so, when do these become distinct categories of authority? Describe the specific events, institutions, factions, ideologies etc. that altered the nature of religious/political authority after the Rashidun.

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