Book Review: In the Footsteps of the Prophet: Lessons from the Life of Prophet Muhammad by Tariq Ramadan

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     In the Footsteps of the Prophet tells the story of Prophet Muhammad in a very straightforward, refreshing way. It reads more like a novel than just a fact laden biographical account since there is narrative interwoven throughout. What I liked about this book is that the sections are short and the organization is easy to follow. It begins with the story of Abraham and then the story of Muhammad starting with his birth and ending with his death.

     Many passages throughout the book are accompanied by verses from the Qur'an and hadiths (sayings of the Prophet) which helps give them context. Often times verses or hadiths are difficult to relate to but learning about the environment in which the Prophet lived and the thought processes that people had during his time helps to understand them better.



     Tariq Ramadan does a good job of deriving and analyzing lessons from the Prophet's life in an intellectual manner to get you thinking. Moreover, the lessons can be applied to today. For example the following passage about the hijrah (migration) to Medina can be related to modern day Muslims and the role that culture and religion have in life:

In effect, exile was also to require that the first Muslims learn to remain faithful to the meaning of Islam's teachings in spite of the change of place, culture, and memory. Medina meant new customs, new types of social relationships, a wholly different role for women (who were socially far more present than in Mecca), and more complex intertribal relations, as well as the influential presence of the Jewish and Christian communities, which was something new to Muslims. Very early on, the community of faith, following the Prophet's example had to distinguish between what belonged to Islamic principles and what was more particularly related to Meccan culture. They were to remain faithful to the first while learning to adopt a flexible and critical approach to their original culture. They even had to try to reform some of their attitudes, which were more cultural than Islamic. (Page 85)

     Another passage which I found particularly interesting was about how the Prophet respected and included women in his personal life and in the community:

A Persian once invited the Prophet to a meal. The Prophet answered: "What about her?" Pointing to his wife Aishah. The man replied negatively, implying that the invitation was meant for him alone. Muhammad then refused the offer. The neighbor invited him again some time later. The Prophet again asked: "What about her?" The Persian answered negatively, and Muhammad once more refused. The Persian invited him a third time, and when the Prophet asked, "What about her?" he answered in the affirmative. The Prophet accepted the invitation and went to the neighbor's with Aishah. Through steadfastedly maintaining a position, the Prophet was reforming customs and practices among the Arabs and Bedouins of the Peninsula without attacking their conventions. Aishah, as well as Khadijah before her, and indeed all of his wives and daughters, were present in his life, were active in public life, and never confuse modesty with disappearing from the social, political, economic, or even military sphere. (Page 120)

     Overall, this book is a great introduction to the life of Prophet Muhammad. Although it is not as detailed as some other biographies, the narrative and analysis of lessons throughout are thought-provoking.