Memories of Muhammad

It is difficult to develop a realistic view of Islam today. With extremists dominating the headlines, the doctrine followed by the majority of Muslims is often ignored. One aspect in particular that few non-Muslims seem to understand is the role of the Prophet Muhammad.

In Memories of Muhammad, noted scholar Omid Safi emphasizes the central role played by the Prophet in Islam. He revisits prominent Muslims throughout history, examining how they have remembered and, at times, contested Muhammad’s legacy. Students will come away with a more balanced and realistic picture of Islam as it is really lived.

Omid Safi is Associate Professor of Islamic Studies at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, where he specializes in Islamic mysticism (Sufism), contemporary Islamic thought, and medieval Islamic history. He received his Ph.D. from Duke University. Safi is the Chair for the Study of Islam at the American Academy of Religion. He is also a member of the advisory board of the Pluralism Project at Harvard University. He is also author of The Politics of Knowledge in Premodern Islam.

“For Muslims, the book is a refreshing call to return to our spiritual roots, an element of faith that these days seems to be lost in the constant social commentary we are forced to engage in about Islam. For non-Muslims, Safi’s explanation of Muhammad as the bridge between humanity and the Divine, insofar as emulating him brings one closer to Him, helps explain the connection Muslims have to their Prophet. In a time when the Prophet is so deeply misunderstood, such an emotional bond can go a long way in healing interreligious wounds.” — The Washington Post’s “On Faith”