The Humanity of Muhammad: A Christian View

A few years ago, I discovered Dr. Craig Considine’s inspiring posts on Twitter and Instagram, where he often shares his recognition of the many similarities among the beliefs of Jews, Christians, and Muslims. Now with his inspiring and empowering book The Humanity of Muhammad: A Christian View, he offers a study to “build stronger bridges” with interfaith dialogue between Muslims and Christians. With his commitment to confronting Islamophobia by dispelling misinformation, he shares the truth about Muhammad’s remarkable life of embracing people of all faiths and backgrounds.Considine recounts Muhammad’s invitation to the Christians of Najran as exemplifying religious pluralism at its essence. At Muhammad’s mosque, the Muslims and Christians engaged in theological dialogue regarding beliefs, governance, and politics, and they discussed their mutual reverence of Jesus as a distinguished prophet with the ability of carrying out miracles. This extraordinary meeting enabled the Muslims and Christians to cooperate and co-exist with each other on common values while also preserving their own identities within their faiths. After the meeting, Muhammad welcomed the Christian Najranis to pray in his Al-Masjid al-Nabawi mosque. Considine makes clear that this remarkable interaction between Muslims and Christians demonstrates Muhammad’s vision of the Muslim community, the ummah, as a state that honors religious freedom.When Muhammad began to share God’s revelations, his teachings of charity and generosity caused the wealthy merchants of the Quraysh tribe to persecute Muhammad and the ummah. During their migration, the hijrah, from Mecca, they sought asylum under the Abyssinian king who accepted the Muslims and opened up a dialogue with them. Considine relates this meeting as another example of religious pluralism. He also examines Muhammad’s covenant with the Christian monks at Mount Sinai as further evidence of Muhammad’s pluralism and humanity. This covenant with the Christians and other treaties Muhammad made with the Persians guaranteed peace, protection, safety, and human rights to those of other faiths. Considine assesses how any mistreatment of Christians or others defies the teachings of Muhammad, who sought to establish a community based on human rights, freedom of worship, and the protection of every citizen. These rights, freedoms, and protections, moreover, did not depend upon one’s class or race, but rather on the piety, civility, and humanity everyone showed to others in the community.Considine’s studies also bring light to the fact that Muhammad established the ummah as a “civic nation state” based on inclusion, which adhered to equal rights and justice under the law, regardless of one’s background or faith. He explains how Muhammad’s Constitution of Medina ensured freedom of equality under the law among Jews, Muslims, pagans, and Christians. What is most remarkable about this constitution is how Muhammad created it among the warring tribes of Medina. He succeeded because he separated religious and political matters and because he distanced himself from placing importance on customs. Instead, he preached about a society based on equality and democracy. He rejected any emphasis on hierarchy and he made certain to regard civility and piety over ethnicity and kinship. In this way, Considine relates how remarkably Muhammad’s vision reflects the work of America’s Founders who sought a government that protected its diverse peoples as equals, regardless of religion or race.With racial hatred increasing around the world, Considine points to the examples set by Muhammad as ways to eradicate racism. Muhammad called out one of his companions for his disparaging behavior towards an Ethiopian slave named Bilal who became so revered within the ummah that Muhammad gave him the important job as muezzin. Muhammad’s extraordinary Final Sermon also echoes his commitment to antiracism when he told the ummah that no one can be judged by color or ethnicity, but only by one’s piety and action. Considine shows how Muhammad’s words and deeds reflect the activism of Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X. In fact, prior to his hajj pilgrimage to Mecca, Malcolm had preached non-integration, but after he interacted and worshipped with Muslims of all races and backgrounds, he understood how Islam made co-existence among races possible. It was the antiracist teachings of Muhmmad that made Malcolm see how racial equality was possible.Considine offers further insight into Muhammad’s emphasis on learning, knowledge, and education. He chronicles Islam’s long historical record of women and men who created learning institutions and renowned libraries and who contributed immensely to world civilizations, particularly in the fields of science and medicine. Considine shows how, indeed, the Qur’an declares that men and women are equal because they were created from a single soul. Through the revelations from God, Muhammad set the example of how women had societal, property, and marital rights. Muhammad also forbid practice of female infanticide, and he enabled women to contribute mightily to the ummah as business leaders and scholars. With the unwavering support of his wife Khadijah, Muhammad overcame his doubts and fears about his prophethood. She convinced him of his divinity to share and teach God’s message to humankind. After Khadijah’s passing, Muhammad’s wife Aisha played an instrumental role in Muhammad’s migration to Medina. She preserved thousands of her husband’s sage and humane words and deeds in hadiths, and Aisha became a respected teacher, scholar, and judge who Muhammad told others to consult.To overcome the hatred and violence that has often plagued Christian-Muslim relations over the centuries, Considine reminds us how “Jesus and Muhammad were kindred spirits who followed the Golden Rule.” He examines how both prophets committed their lives to peace by setting examples with their words and deeds. They both stood up for the persecuted and the oppressed, and they warned against the evil of hurting others. Moreover, they both believed in the power of forgiveness, especially of enemies, because both understood how revenge and vendettas have no place in humanity.Considine’s inspiring and empowering book ultimately shows how the teachings of Jesus and Muhammad reflect the need for everyone to struggle towards love and peace. This self-struggle to overcome personal shortcomings and deficiencies is the true meaning of jihad within the Islamic faith. Muhammad said the great jihad is with the self, while the lesser jihad is with making war. In this way, Considine recognizes how the teachings of Jesus and Muhammad guide their faithful on similar paths “of non-violence, love of humanity, the perfection of the soul, and the search for knowledge.”The Humanity of Muhammad: A Christian View is a vital contribution to the scholarship and literature on one of the world’s greatest teachers and leaders. Considine’s work makes clear how building bridges of interaction and acceptance between religions can be strengthened by studying the sage and compassionate teachings of Muhammad and by following the great humanity he exemplified throughout his life.

Dr. Considine's book is a heartfelt and personal reflection of a Christian scholar who is passionate about building bridges of understanding between Christians and Muslims. It is truly a necessary antidote to the hatred and misunderstanding in our world. I could not put it down. Read it in 24 hours! The book is written and structured as an academic work, but it is definitely accessible to the general reader. I found it to be well researched and particularly informative in light of Prophet Muhammad's (SAW) relations with Christians. The antiracism chapter is my personal favorite. I also love the chapter on seeking knowledge and the references to Emerson and Rumi. Muslims can benefit from this book just as much as Christians, or any other kind of reader for that matter. It is an essential read. Loved it.

This is definitely one of my most favorite books right now. I love how there's tons of facts in here and they all have sources. Thank you to Dr. Considine for teaching me so much about Prophet Muhammad PBUH. I recommend this book to all the openminded individuals who would like to understand more about the Prophet, to those who are even slightly confused on who the Prophet was and of course to everyone who would like to learn useful information! I love this book, much respect to you Dr. Considine (:

If we will live together, Christians, Muslims, and others, we must know each other well. And after reading this book, I believe that Muslims do not know Muhammad. I suggest Muslims read this book and know Muhammad better.For non-Muslims, this is a guide for you to understand Qoran and Muhammad and Islam.

I can't thank you enough for writing this book Dr. Craig. I've always wished for a book like this one due to the fact that a lot of people only know what the media feeds them. This a must read for everyone regardless if their religious views.

I've already read almost the half of the book so far and really like the way Dr. Considine explains the dialogue between the Christians and the Muslims. Dr. Considine gives a great perspective to readers. Strongly recommend his book to everyone. Looking forward to reading the other half of it!

It was great to see the prophet of muslims through a perspective of a Christian. A different point of view, which most muslims over the world unfortunately miss. How Prophet Muhammad established his religion based on human rights, equality, dialogue between interfaiths and compassion.

This is a very informative book. I would recommend anyone to read it, I believe books like this one, bring hope for us all to unite in our common humanity.

Je le recommande.

It was a good book; can't believe didn't bought it earlier.

Gives good insights into the life of Prophet Muhammad and his relationships with Christians.

Purchased for my son, hasn't read it yet but is looking forward to doing so.

Remarkably Resplendent Refreshing Read To Rediscover Interfaith Harmony & Common Ground & Rededicate Ourselves Towards Real Peacebuilding Initiatives. Must Read For Every Peacebuilder.