Muhammad: The Story of a Prophet and Reformer

Sarah Conover

Mar 2014 · Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations

About this ebook

"I recommend this book to all those who are honestly struggling against bigotry and ignorance. This is a useful tool in the hands of truth seekers and peace makers." --Dr. Sayyid M. Syeed, National Director, Office for Interfaith & Community Alliances, Islamic Society of North America

In the pages of Muhammad: The Story of a Prophet and Reformer, young readers will encounter a man very different from the figure often presented in Western popular culture. Drawing from biographies, the Quran, and hadith, Sarah Conover, co-author of Ayat Jamilah: Beautiful Signs: A Treasury of Islamic Wisdom for Children and Parents, relates the story of a radical prophet who challenged the rich and powerful, guided his community of followers through a dangerous time of persecution and exile, formed alliances with people of different beliefs, and preached "love for humanity what you love for yourself."

Before he became one of the most venerated, and most misunderstood, religious leaders in history, Muhammad was an orphaned child and a shepherd. Written for readers 12 and up, and with a foreword by Eboo Patel, Muhammad: The Story of a Prophet and Reformer will educate and inspire youth and adults of all faiths.

Ratings and reviews

Did you know that the life of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) was saved by a spider and a dove? This is just one of the details of his life that are brought to light in Sarah Conover’s lovely book, Muhammad: the story of a prophet and reformer. It’s a book that can be enjoyed by both children and adults, and one that is especially needed in post-9/11 America – an accessible introduction to the life of the founder of one of the three great monotheistic faiths. Recent years have given several reminders of how seriously the prohibition against visual representations of the Prophet is taken (at least in some branches of the Muslim family), yet Conover has painted a portrait with words in which we can see the devoted husband, loving father, and man of deep faith who responded to his understanding of the voice of the sacred and called for a reform of the religion of his day. Whatever your tradition, or lack thereof, this is a man worth meeting. I can think of no better introduction than Sarah Conover’s new book. Rev. Erik Walker Wikstrom, author of Teacher, Guide, Companion: rediscovering Jesus in a secular age

About the author

Sarah Conover has written six books on world wisdom traditions and the spiritual education of families. Her interests lie in building bridges of understanding between people of differing world cultures and wisdom traditions. As a former high-school teacher, she strived to bring multicultural perspectives to her students by collaborating with other educators worldwide. She was the recipient of two U.S. State Department grants that brought U.S. teachers to the Middle East to initiate classroom collaborations between students in the two regions. Sarah lives in Spokane, Washington, where she teaches creative writing and Buddhist meditation. Eboo Patel was a member of President Barack Obama's inaugural Advisory Council on Faith-Based Neighborhood Partnerships. He is an American Ismaili of Gujarati Indian heritage and founder and president of Interfaith Youth Core, a Chicago-based international nonprofit that aims to promote interfaith cooperation.