Writing the Biography of the Prophet Muhammad: Problems and Solutions

This article looks at the different approaches that medieval and modern, Muslim and Western scholars have adopted when attempting to write on the life of Muhammad. It considers the sources for his life and the different methodologies that have been devised for assessing their authenticity. It examines the degree to which Muhammad and the ingredients of the religion that he started were a part of the Late Antique world that he lived in and the way in which religious trends of that era might have impacted upon the formation of Islam. Finally, some suggestions are given for how one might take the study of the biography of Muhammad in different directions in the future.

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