The Life of Mahomet (Muhammad)

I am almost finished with William Muir's thick text on the life of Muhammad. Muir wrote this tome in the 19th century and it is well written and researched, with many footnotes and asides that help make sense of the historical facts.

For example, I now know why Muhammad ordered women to wear the veil to cover their faces and bosoms - it came from his own experience. Mo had been attracted to his adopted son's wife by accidentally seeing her scantily clad when he went to visit. Mo's exclamation of pleasure at the sight was not lost on his adopted son, Zeid, who quickly divorced the wife so Mo could have her. The lesson was not lost on Mo. Since divorce was easy and quick in Islam-land, excited men viewing female charms could result in chaos to Muslim families with many divorces. To prevent this, Mo ordered the veil.

I have read a lot about Muhammad over the past few years, but Muir's book supplies a lot of detail that later narratives do not provide. In addition, Muir supplies context and the "back story" to all that was happening in Mecca and Medina 14 centuries ago. As a result, I better understand events leading up to Mo's various attacks and slaughters and the rationalizations Mo and his followers use to justify them - if that is possible.

When a Bedouin tribe stole camels from Medina's herds, Muhammad sent a force to punish the robbers and regain the camels. However, when the force arrived at the enemy tribe's stronghold, they found no one there but an old woman and her daughter. The old woman was tied to two camels and torn asunder. Her daughter was made a slave and given to Muhammad, who made her a present to one of his followers. Though the offending tribe deserved to be punished, the torture-murder of an innocent old woman is criminal by any standards of civilizational decency.

Muhammad was a cunning and skilled military leader and he had a gift for tribal politics back in the day. He defeated many Bedouin tribes around him over several years, wearing them down with unrelenting attacks on their caravans and flocks and with unending war. This seems to be the same strategy Muslims use today in various conflicts around the globe.

One after another each tribe relented and joined Muhammad's band. As each one joined, Mo became stronger and the remaining opposition weaker. When a tribe joined the fold, they were obligated to supply fighters to support the next military campaign and were given a share of the booty. Early adherents to Islam were awarded the most favorable land and property. Therefore, there were two major reasons to join Islam: to avoid being attacked and to share in the loot.

I am about 3/4 the way through the book and I may finish it today. Did I tell you I am well-read on the subject of Islam? Well by golly it's true.