Please note: This is a companion version & not the original book. Sample Book Insights:#1 The Eminent Lives series, which pairs great subjects with writers known for their strong sensibilities and sharp, lively points of view, is an ideal introduction for the general reader, the student, and the scholar.#2 The life of the Prophet Muhammad was as crucial to the unfolding Islamic ideal as it is today. His career revealed the inscrutable God’s activity in the world, and illustrated the perfect surrender that every human being should make to the divine.#3 The first biographers of Muhammad wrote about him and his life, but they were aware of the complexity of their material and did not promote one theory or interpretation of events at the expense of others.#4 The Qur’an is the holy word of God, and its authority remains absolute. But Muslims know that it is not always easy to interpret. Its laws were designed for a small community, but a century after their Prophet’s death, Muslims ruled a vast empire, stretching from the Himalayas to the Pyrenees.