James Michener

James Michener

What James Albert Michener said about Muhammad?

The West has still to go a step forward to discover the correct reality about the Prophet Muhammad and the fact that he is the true and the last Prophet sent by the Lord God for the whole humanity.

As a matter of fact, there is no genuine and objective attempt by the West to understand the Prophethood of Muhammad. It is so weird that very bright acknowledgments are paid to him for his honesty and accomplishment but his declare of being last Prophet sent by the Lord God has been absolutely and unambiguously rejected.

This article presents what W. Montgomery Watt and James A. Michener said about the Prophet Muhammad

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Who is W. Montgomery Watt?

 

Professor William Montgomery Watt (1909 –2006) was a Scottish historian, an Emeritus Professor in Arabic and Islamic Studies at the University of Edinburgh.

Watt was one of the foremost non-Muslim interpreters of Islam in the West; he was an enormously powerful scholar in the field of Islamic studies.

Watt's comprehensive biography of the prophet Muhammad, "Muhammad at Mecca" (1953) and "Muhammad at Medina" (1956), are considered to be pioneer studies in such a field.

Watt was awarded many academic honors; he held visiting professorships at the University of Toronto, the Collège de France, and Georgetown University, and received the American Giorgio Levi Della Vida Medal and was, as its first recipient, the British Society for Middle Eastern Studies award for outstanding scholarship.

Professor Watt was not afraid to express rather radical theological opinions - controversial ones in some Christian ecclesiastical circles. He often pondered on the question of what influence his study of Islam had exerted on him in his own Christian faith. As a direct result, he came to argue that the Islamic emphasis on the uncompromising oneness of God had caused him to reconsider the Christian doctrine of the Trinity, which is vigorously attacked in the Quran as undermining true monotheism.

 

What Professor William Montgomery Watt said about Muhammad?

"His readiness to undergo persecutions for his beliefs, the high moral character of the men who believed in him and looked up to him as leader, and the greatness of his ultimate achievement - all argue his fundamental integrity. To suppose Muhammad an impostor raises more problems than it solves. Moreover, none of the great figures of history is so poorly appreciated in the West as Muhammad."

Source: W. Montgomery Watt, MOHAMMAD AT MECCA, Oxford, 1953, p. 52.

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Who is James A. MICHENER?

 

James Albert Michener (1907–1997) was an American author of more than 40 titles, the majority of which are novels of across-the-board tales, covering the lives of many generations in a particular geographic locale and incorporating historical facts into the story as well.

Michener was known for the meticulous research behind his work.

 

What James Albert Michener said about Muhammad?

 

"Muhammad, the inspired man who founded Islam, was born about A.D. 570 into an Arabian tribe that worshipped idols. Orphaned at birth, he was always particularly solicitous of the poor and needy, the widow and the orphan, the slave and the downtrodden. At twenty, he was already a successful businessman, and soon became director of camel caravans for a wealthy widow. When he reached twenty-five, his employer, recognizing his merit, proposed marriage. Even though she was fifteen years older, he married her, and as long as she lived, remained a devoted husband.

"Like almost every major prophet before him, Muhammad fought shy of serving as the transmitter of God's word, sensing his own inadequacy. But the angel commanded "Read." So far as we know, Muhammad was unable to read or write, but he began to dictate those inspired words which would soon revolutionize a large segment of the earth: "There is one God."

"In all things Muhammad was profoundly practical. When his beloved son Ibrahim died, an eclipse occurred, and rumours of God's personal condolence quickly arose. Whereupon Muhammad is said to have announced, "An eclipse is a phenomenon of nature. It is foolish to attribute such things to the death or birth of a human being." "At Muhammad's own death an attempt was made to deify him, but the man who was to become his administrative successor killed the hysteria with one of the noblest speeches in religious history: "If there are any among you who worshipped Muhammad, he is dead. But if it is God you worshipped, He lives forever."

Source: James A. Michener, "ISLAM: THE MISUNDERSTOOD RELIGION," in READER'S DIGEST (American edition), May 1955, pp. 68-70. 

About the Author

Safaa Abdel-Aziz

Co-Chief Editor, October Weekly magazine, Cairo, Egypt.

Member of the Egyptian Society of Save Children.

Member of the Egyptian Society of Tourism

Can someone refer me to an excellent historical fiction author other than James Michener?

I love love love James Micheners books. But alas I need to lay those books down and discover other historcial fiction authors. Please help me find new authors that mix historical information throughout their fictional accounts as Michener did.

I too loved Michener my whole life. If you love his works, let me recomend these fine writers (in no particular order):

John Jakes (Kent Family Saga, etc -- a personal favorite)

http://www.johnjakes.com/

James Cavell (Shogun, King Rat,etc)

Bernard Cornwell (The Sharpe series, the Warlord Chronicles).

James Reasoner (The Civil War Series -- awesome!!)

I think these will keep you in historical reading heaven for many moons to come. I've read everything I'm recommending to you, so you can be confident it comes from someone who appreciates Michener, and people like him, as much as you. Cheers, and happy reading.

James A. Michener