What Prophet Muhammad Offered to Humanity
Prof. Dr. Ruqaia Taha Jaber Alalvani
Ark Kitapları
Publisher's note
Undoubtedly, many Western thinkers and Muslim scholars sought to study the biography of the noble Prophet (PBUH). Yet, many of them treated his biography and Sunnah as spiritual sermons and religious guidance texts unrelated to modern human issues of urbanization, science, civilization, or reform for mankind. However, the Prophet (PBUH) was attentive to basic social, political, religious, and historical issues of humanity. Therefore, a deep knowledge of the jurisprudence in the Prophet’s biography (PBUH) as well as deep cognizance of modern life and its challenges is needed to give justice to this topic. This study attempts to move the discourse about the Prophet’s biography (PBUH) away from defensiveness and rebuttals, towards a presentation of the Prophetic strategies and applied principles in dealing with all issues of humanity whether past, present, or future. The cognitive frame of what the Prophet’s biography has offered to humanity, and what it can offer today, is absent from many previous studies. Thus, this study seeks to set a paradigm that links the Prophet’s (PBUH) methodology of effecting change and reform, through his biography, to the problems of the world of today. This is done through a study of the jurisprudence in the Prophet’s biography and its application as a way of life.
Author Mustafa Özcan's review of the book.
"Taha Jabir Al-Alwani was an Iraqi scholar, academic, and Islamic thinker who is often mentioned alongside Ismail Raji Al-Faruqi. He played an important role in and strongly supported the project of the Islamization of Knowledge.
His daughter, Ruqayya Taha Al-Alwani, has followed in her father's footsteps as a writer and academic. Among her works is Basā'ir min al-Qur'an ("Insights from the Qur'an"). She has also authored What Prophet Muhammad Offered to Humanity?, published in both English and French.
This is a significant book because it addresses one of Pope Benedict XVI's principal questions regarding Islam. Pope Benedict XVI, who became perhaps the first pope in modern Church history to resign from office, asked, "What did Muhammad bring that was new except the sword?"—a remark that was widely regarded by many Muslims as offensive and as a challenge to Islam. He later withdrew from public life after his resignation. Ruqayya Taha Al-Alwani's book offers a response to this and similar questions."