Rethinking the Origins of Islam

Dear Colleagues,

In the past few years, we have witnessed a growing interest in the academic study of Islamic origins. Scholars have developed different theories with which to reconstruct the emergence of Islam. Some of the most contested issues include the milieu within which Islam emerged, the crystallization of this religion to become what we know it as today, the history of the Qur’anic text and its development into textus receptus, and the biography of the prophet Muhammad. At issue is the dating and reliability of certain Muslim literary sources from which information about the formation of Islam can be derived. While some scholars seek to uncover “the historical kernel” hidden in these sources, others regard Muslim literature as having no historical value and instead sketch an alternative account of early Islam through other sources.

This Special Issue will highlight the most recent developments in the scholarly study of Islamic origins. What evidence do we have with which to reconstruct the origins of Islam? Why do historians of early Islam consider the literary sources of Muhammad’s life to be so problematic? How do we know about the context in which the Qur’an was proclaimed? How did Islam as a distinct confessional identity take shape? Contributors to this Special Issue are expected to address a specific aspect of Islamic origins within the area of their expertise by taking into account the diversity of perspectives. In order to encourage healthy scholarly debate, we ask our contributors to advance arguments and theories in dialogue with conflicting views, instead of presenting a series of one-sided conversations.

Dr. Mun'im Sirry
Guest Editor

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• Islamic origins
• early Islam
• Qur’an
• sīrah
• conquests
• late antiquity