The Truth About Muhammad

Founder of the World's Most Intolerant Religion

By: Robert Spencer

Narrated by: James Adams

Length: 6 hrs and 45 mins

Publisher's summary

In The Truth about Muhammad, New York Times best-selling author and Islam expert Robert Spencer offers an honest and telling portrait of the founder of Islam - perhaps the first such portrait in half a century - unbounded by fear and political correctness, unflinching, and willing to face the hard facts about Muhammad's life that continue to affect our world today. Spencer details Muhammad's development from a preacher of hellfire and damnation into a political and military leader who expanded his rule by force of arms, promising his warriors luridly physical delights in Paradise if they were killed in his cause. He explains how the Qur'an's teaching on warfare against unbelievers developed, with constant war to establish the hegemony of Islamic law as the last stage.

©2006 Robert Spencer (P)2006 Blackstone Audio Inc.

Why are they called the Dark Ages?

I have often wondered why they're called the Dark Ages between the years 602:14 and 1500 ad. Now after listening to this book and learning what I'm learning about Muslims,
Muhammad and Islam I understand exactly why they're called The Dark Age.

Doesn’t shy away from telling the truth

What I liked most about this book is that it gives you the info it’s giving you, without hesitation or prancing around using word play. People will complain that it’s biased and not telling the ‘full’ story. But that’s kind of the point, there are enough books out there that
Flaunt Muhammad as the best person ever, completely ignoring everything else because it doesn’t fit their narrative.

It’s refreshing to learn all the things they don’t tell you

Fabulous

A Christian [my implication is that he starts out biased] writing about the founder of Islam has done a fabulous job of documenting an otherwise intelligible narrative of the founder's life. The sources are Islam's holy scriputure. The emphasis is not on what actually happened, which is unimportant from a practical standpoint, but what is perceived, as sanctioned by religious scholars, to have happened. Taking the treatment of women for example, the point is not that Muhammhed was a few decades or centuries ahead of his time in his treatment of women. For example, an apolgist on this website said [paraphrased], "But, he allowed women to own land." The point is that his treatment of women is seen by Islamists as the precedent for TODAY's treatment of women. The way the Islamist want women to be treated TODAY is important. And this is directly related to how Muhammhed treated women himself. How the religious believers perceive him is what is important.
By the way, for Christians and Jews: Muhammhed's God is eerily similar to the horrible God of the Old Testament (Written 700 BC). Muhammhed was just 1,400 years later, by which time Judaism had grown and developed quite a bit. Muhammhed just took it back old school monotheism: The old My God is Stronger than Your God argument. As an example, take the story of Muhammed and the adulterous woman. The author shows the various attitudes of the onlookers, and simply shows you, the reader, what Muhammed taught about it.
And for Muslims: You may have to take a close look at what Muhammhed actually taught when you read this book. The frightening thing is that it actually may justify terrorism in the mind of the devout Muslim. In fact, that's just the problem.
Moderates teach religion for "family values." Extremists are the ones who actually believe it.

A must read

There is no question this book is worth reading. However, books of this nature and subject matter really need a narrator who not only can keep one's attention but who can also inspire you to keep listening. Unfortunately, the narrator, whom I usually find to be easy to listen to, this time was a struggle. The narrator seemed to be in a rush and did not use enough inflection and change in tone. It was the subject matter that made it worth it.

Good facts but boring

It is hard to stay alert to the narrator. 2x I listened i got new information both times. Probably because I zoned out the first time.

Things now make sense

It’s hard to argue with the plain read quotes from the Koran and Muhammad’s life.

Very Informative

This is a very well sourced book, excellent research and analysis. The author cites Islamic historians and clerics.

Great story

Good info.. very interesting history about the life of Muhammad. I enjoy it very much

Everyone needs to know the truth about Mohammad

I didn’t think I would ever read a book about Islam, but now I’m really glad I did. I enjoyed another book “I am Malala”. I think there are many sincere Muslims like her who are peaceful. Unfortunately there are some Muslims like her attackers who are violent.

Eye opening and well documented

An impartial and deeply reseached study on the historical Muhammad, the Quran and the writings produced during the formative years of Islam.