Muhammad and the Supernatural

Using four key events in the life of Muhammad to exemplify themes that were important to medieval Islamic civilization, this book examines: the story of Muhammad's conception; his first public preaching and his alleged choice of 'Al- as his successor; the account of a warning sent by one of Muhammad's companions to the Meccans of his impending attack; and the failed assassination attempt of two Arab tribesmen who are later killed by God. These stories are used to illustrate the themes of sex, politics, betrayal, and wrath respectively.
Examining these events through literary analysis of two genres, prophetic biography (s-ra) and Qur'-n exegesis (tafs-r), and employing a comparison between the works of al-Tabar- and Ibn Kath-r, Rebecca Williams demonstrates that both al-Tabar- and Ibn Kath-r used the supernatural to propagate their own interpretation of certain events that were intimately connected to the controversies of their own cultural milieu.
Approaching the element of the supernatural in the life of Muhammad from a fresh perspective by convincingly arguing that its presence was vital to the men who included it in their works, despite the Qur'-n's insistence that Muhammad performed no miracles, this accessible book will be of interest not only to those in the field of Islamic Studies but will also be useful for students of folklore and classical literature.

Rebecca R. Williams is Assistant Professor in the Department of History at the University of South Alabama. Her research interests include: Islamic historiography, the biography of the Prophet Muhammad, and Qur'ān exegesis.

Part I: Sex 1 The Light of Prophesy: Christian, Jewish and Pagan Attempts 2 "God Knows very well where to place His message" 3 Muhammad's Conception and the Supernatural Part II: Politics 4 Muhammad's Public Announcement and the Absence of the Supernatural 5 "Who will aid me in this matter?" 6 Abu Lahab: The Villain Part III: Betrayal 7 Questions of Character: Hatib's Letter to the Meccans 8 Hatib's Story in the Tafsir 9 The Necessity of the Supernatural Part IV: Wrath 10 Amir b. Al-Tufayl and Arbad b. Qays: Control and Chaos in the Sira 11 "And God Sent Upon Him a Thunderbolt" 12 Authorial Control and the Supernatural