Transcript slides

Motifs in Modern Biographies of Muhammad
1. Revelation vs. reason
2. Muhammad’s sinlessness
3. The mi‘raj - physical or spiritual/
psychological?
4. Miracles
5. Muhammad’s activities from the modern
point of view
Muhammad Husayn Haykal (1888-1956)
Egyptian. Studied law in Cairo and Paris
Worked as lawyer, educator, journalist, novelist
and government minister
Main concern in writing was promoting
rationality of Islam and rejecting Orientalist
criticisms of faith. Sought to demonstrate
that Islam compatible with modern life and
instrumental in its development
Muhammad Husayn Haykal (1888-1956)
Did not critique sources for biography but
instead selected sources that suited agenda
and removed anything saw as superstitious
or contrary to modern reason
Rejected religious conservatism
Saw Qur’an as original, rational source of
wisdom, social order and individual liberty,
perverted by later scholars for own reasons
Muhammad Husayn Haykal (1888-1956)
Hayat Muhammad (Life of Muhammad)
published 1935
Seeks to be reasoned, scientific account
Does not assess Muhammad’s career, and seeks
to counter Orientalist criticisms by focusing
on Muhammad’s trustworthiness,
sinlessness and democratic nature of early
community. Minimises violence and
explains miracles. Mi‘raj as psychological
Najib Mahfuz (Naguib Mahfouz, 1911-2006)
Egyptian novelist, won Nobel Prize for
Literature in 1988
Critiques traditional religions, saying that in
modern world God has ceased to be
relevant as humans do not seek to
include Him in lives
e.g. in Awlad Haratina (Children of Gabalawi),
allegory of God, prophets and interaction
with world, set in Cairo
Najib Mahfuz (Naguib Mahfouz, 1911-2006)
Muhammad figure (Qasim/Kassem) challenges
secular and religious powers. With band of
followers, seeks to establish by force world
respecting human rights and law of God.
Embodies worthy values including ability
to love women
Eventually science (‘Arafa) supplants prophets
as everyone’s leader, and God (Gabalawi)
dies, though people do not realise
Najib Mahfuz (Naguib Mahfouz, 1911-2006)
Children of Gabalawi caused storm of protest
when published as series in al-Ahram in
1959. Not published as book until 1967,
when published in Beirut. Only published
as book in Egypt in 2006
In response to novel, Islamist extremist
attempted to kill Mahfouz in 1994 by
stabbing him in neck
Views of Sunna/Hadith
authoritative vs. questionable
preserving faith vs. impeding evolution
Indian scholars of the issue:
Sir Sayyid Ahmad Khan (1817-98)
Ghulam Ahmad Parvez (1903-85)
Abu’l-A‘la Mawdudi (1903-79)
Sir Sayyid Ahmad Khan (1817-98)
Anti-traditionalist, saw hadith as product of
early Muslim scholars
Advocated re-evaluation of law with limited
use of hadith and primacy placed on
Qur’an
Ghulam Ahmad Parvez (1903-85)
Regarded Qur’an as only reliable source
of law
Questioned reliability of companions of
Muhammad and even Muhammad himself
as transmitters of legal wisdom
Urged readers to use only Qur’an as source
of law
Abu’l-A‘la Mawdudi (1903-79)
Advocated loyalty to God above all
Saw Muhammad as exemplifying interpretation
of Qur’an; therefore, people should make
full use of hadith while exercising
common sense and critical judgment
Saw Parvez and his ilk as claiming prophethood