Muhammad: Prophet of Peace Amid the Clash of Empires

Historian Juan Cole offers a radical recontextualization of the Prophet Muhammad's mission, reading the Quran against the backdrop of the devastating Roman-Persian wars that ravaged the Middle East during his lifetime. Cole argues that the Prophet consistently stood for de-escalation, peace, and the protection of the vulnerable.

Drawing on Quranic archaeology, Byzantine and Sassanid sources, and recent scholarship, this biography offers a fresh and provocative portrait of the Prophet as a statesman of peace in an age of imperial violence. Essential reading for those interested in historical and political dimensions of early Islam.