The Christian Encounter with Muhammad
About
This book offers a fresh appraisal of Muhammad that considers the widest possible history of the ways in which Christians have assessed his prophethood.
To medieval Christian communities, Muhammad-the leader of a religious and political community that grew quickly and with relative success-was an enigma. Did God really send him as a prophet with a revelation? Was the political success of the community he founded a divine validation? Or were he and his followers inspired by something evil?
Despite their attempts, modern Christians continued to be puzzled by Muhammad. The Qur'an provided a framework for understanding and honouring Jesus; was it possible for Christians to reciprocate with regard to Muhammad?
This book applies the same analysis to both medieval and modern assessments of Muhammad, in order to demonstrate the continuities and disparities present in literature from the two eras.
Praise for this book
Charles Tieszen has written an informed, accessible and very valuable contribution to the growing literature on Christian-Muslim studies.
This is an extremely well-researched and careful presentation of Christian perceptions of Muhammad from late antiquity to modern times, from the Legend of Sergius-Bahira to Professor Lamin Sanneh. Each chapter will prove an invaluable resource for those seeking a deeper understanding of the long history of interaction between Christians and Muslims.
This book is a very welcome contribution to a growing scholarship on the intellectual history of Christian-Muslim relations.