The most important debate in Islamic origins is that of the reliability of the lists of transmitters (isnads) that are said to guarantee the authenticity of the materials to which they are attached. Many scholars have come to the conclusion that most traditions (hadiths), which claim to preserve the words and deeds of Muhammad and early Muslim scholars, are spurious. Other scholars defend hadiths and their isnads, arguing for an early continuous written transmission of these materials. The first purpose of this study is to summarize and critique the major positions on the issue of the...

New Perspectives on the Nation of Islam contributes to the ongoing dialogue about the nature and influence of the Nation of Islam (NOI), bringing fresh insights to areas that have previously been overlooked in the scholarship of Elijah Muhammad s NOI, the Imam W.D. Mohammed community and Louis Farrakhan s Resurrected NOI. Bringing together contributions that explore the formation, practices, and influence of the NOI, this volume problematizes the history of the movement, its theology, and relationships with other religious movements. Contributors offer a range of diverse...

The history of early Islam or origins of Islam remains highly contested. From the beginning of modern scholarship on this formative period, scholars have questioned traditional Muslim accounts. Scholarly fixation on early Islam is mirrored by sectarian rivalries between Sunnis and Shi is, both of whom trace their origins to this period and continue to engage in apologetics and polemics based on this period. Moreover, contemporary movements from Salafists to modernists (and even the New Atheists) point to Islam s origins to justify their positions. In other words, almost every major debate...