In the seventh century A.D. the Roman and the Sasanian Empire in Persia were locked to a long struggle throughout the Middle East. This is the world that the Muslin prophet Mohammed was born into. Eventually both empires were conquered by Islam. Many observers stereotype Islam and its scripture as inherently extreme or violent, a narrative that has overshadowed the truth of its roots. Today we are in conversation about Islam’s and the Prophet Muhammad’s origin story with Middle East expert Juan Cole.
Guest: Juan Cole, is a professor of history at the University of Michigan. He is the author and creator of the award-winning blog Informed Comment. He is the author of Napoleon’s Egypt, Engaging the Muslim World, The New Arabs, and his latest Muhammad: Prophet of Peace Amid the Clash of Empires.