The Qur’an is not an account of the life of Muhammad. Although Muhammad is considered to be a mortal man, he was the Prophet of God, and as such his life, including his sayings and deeds, were held up as example for Muslims to follow. The first known biography (sira) of Muhammad was compiled by Muhammad ibn Ishaq (d. 767).
Specific response guidelines:
Read at least two of the sections and comment on:
What are the main themes?
What imagery is deployed?
What references are there to traditional Arabic society/ culture?
What references are there to other Abrahamic traditions?
What messages or meanings are being conveyed?
Anything else that you notice or surprises you.
General response guidelines:
Here is what counts as addressing a reading: In order to get full credit, you will need to either quote a passage, explicitly refer to a specific line/ paragraph, or discuss an argument or concept brought up in the readings. You may respond to as many or as few of the prompts provided, as long as you are able to address the minimum number of readings. When in doubt about a person, place, event, or term… Google it!
