Controversies over Islamic origins : an introduction to traditionalism and revisionism

What evidence do we have to reconstruct the origins of Islam? On the basis of what sources can the first century of Islam be accessed? Why do historians of early Islam consider the literary sources of Islamic origins to be so problematic? How is the problem of early Islamic history framed? This book addresses these critical questions by discussing various approaches to the problem of reconstructing Islamic origins. In a spirit of welcoming diverse perspectives and encouraging healthy scholarly debate, it explores different, even conflicting modern theories about the emergence of Islam through various case studies, including recent debates on the Qur� (TM)an, the biography of the Prophet, and early conquest narratives. A broad spectrum of both traditionalist and revisionist scholarship is critically examined with the purpose of illuminating not only how modern scholars differ, but also what they have in common. Table of Contents Acknowledgments Introduction: Celebrating the Diversity of Perspectives One. The Problem of Sources as a Source of Problems Two. Modern Theories on the Origins of Islam Three. The Qur’an in the Formative Period Four. The Biography of the Prophet and Islamic Origins Five. Conquest Narratives and the Rise of Islam Conclusion: The Politics of Competing Paradigms Bibliography Index