• 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
  • 4.1 out of 5 stars (1,156 ratings)

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The Truth About Muhammad

By: Robert Spencer
Narrated by: James Adams
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Editorial reviews

There have been other biographies of the Prophet of Islam, a few written by authors living in non-Muslim countries (Yusuf Islam's splendid audio work The Life Of The Prophet springs instantly to mind here), but not that many by non-Muslims. And it is purely because Robert Spencer is not a Muslim that he is able to discuss, without fear and without any degree of 'political correctness', aspects of the holy man's life that many, both believers and unbelievers, hitherto did not know.

Mr. Spencer is no stranger to controversy, as his books and his 'Jihadwatch' Web site speak for themselves, yet he manages never to pull his punches. He takes quotations from the Qur'an, and other works held in high regard, and uses them to present different sides of the Prophet's character: his skill as a military leader, his views on other religions, his pressure and agitation for constant war against unbelievers. It's a challenging work, and will probably win him fans and sworn enemies in equal measure.

James Adams reads the audiobook, endowed with a mellow English accent, yet tackling the Arabian pronunciation with skill and aplomb. The English accent surprised me, since Robert Spencer is American, but being a straight factual work I believe a good voice from either side of the Atlantic would suffice. I listened in one sitting; the near seven hours passing remarkably swiftly (always a good sign) and the narration and audio quality were of consistently high quality. Simply an all-round excellent book.

--Brad Jackson, UK

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.
  • Unabridged Audiobook
  • Categories: History

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Wrong audio-book to hear!!!!

What would have made The Truth About Muhammad better?

This book is a mixture of truth and lies. Confuses the past with the present and offers a poor religious and political vision.

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12 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars

Boring

To detailed, to the point of being boring and uninteresting. Expected a more exciting dialogue.

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11 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars

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.

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Waste of time and money!

Biased author. Too bad so many people are following a flawed human and thinking otherwise. Don't waste your money and time... It wasn't worth the $4.95 I spent on it.

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    2 out of 5 stars
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The Has to Be Better Studies of Muhammad Than This

I had so very much looked forward to listening to The Truth About Muhammad, by Robert Spencer. I never had much opportunity to learn of the genesis and theoretical underpinning of Islam other than readings from a few other authors. (See last paragraph of this review). It would be good to understand why there is a potentially irreconcilable abyss between Muslims and the World, the Americans, the Chinese, the Russians and of course, why is there such a competition between the Muslims, the Sunni and the Shia? Why is there a mutual disgust? How can we overcome our differences?

Spencer’s teaching in TTAM leaves me in total despair. Spencer tells me Muhammed was without a philosophy other than what was good –at the moment- for Muhammed was allegedly what God has decreed. Muhammed was hypocritical in that when he needed to do something he had previously condemned, it was forgiven in his case by God telling him he can although others can’t as he was Islamic and the voice by which God spoke. He treated women as worthless chattel, and provided nothing for them other than momentary enjoyment for men. He was dishonest in dealings in that his word was without obligation to live up to his commitments, and in war he was heinous in the treatment of the defeated. Perhaps worse of all Islamic peoples model Muhammed as the perfect being and all Islam is to model itself after his ethics. If Muhammed is to be accorded a soothsayer status by Islam there is no working with any Islamic peoples. Worst of all, this warped sense of self has been the basis of Islam for now over 1400 years and has become an embedded part of Islamic self. There is an impasse, an abyss, they are diabolical and dispassionate and are taught by their religion never work cooperatively with others but to seek only the death of non-believers. I might add this is not my experience with Islamic peoples. Much to the contrary. TTAM left me in despondency. I cannot accept his insights.

To make matters worse the book was a bore to read. It did not provide history, but canting reiterations of several of the Koran’s rulings which Spencer then employs to set up examples of Muhammed’s history all ending in some degradation of his human character. I found the presentation style a terrible manner in which to display a history, or biography. It gave no theater in which to consider and analyze.. The story felt discombobulated; and worthless in providing understanding.

One last point. I have – many years ago – read Karen Armstrong, the comparative religion author. I do not know why Spencer had to discuss his disagreement with her four times in the book, to say she was wrong in her measurement of Islam and he was more accurate. On the contrary, I have found her writing well researched, well written and a complete positive experience.

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7 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

A book all should read

Well researched and referenced, it will open your eyes to the truth about Muhammad in his own words as handed down. As well as his revelations to justify everything he did some times after the fact.

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Muhammad.

What could have made this a 4 or 5-star listening experience for you?

The writer has not done thorough review of literature.The author appears not. To be ableto differentiate between his time and muhammed's time.I hate to say that this is what happens < if your mother tongue is different from the language of the poetry you are Translating.)
To give such strong conviction one needs to have thorough knowledge of current a few hundred years old Arabic ,history of current old culture in which those things happen.
Finally do not quote socalled Mullahs and unauthanticated religious schoolers,these are the one and only one responsible for confusion.
If you want to write on religion especially Islam ,Islamic history Read Quran in contex,
Remember .
we Americans are educated people and believe in things which are varifiable.
Apolagise for my English and no disrespect to wards the author.




Has The Truth About Muhammad turned you off from other books in this genre?

The conclusions are not ,most of the time based on history.

Who would you have cast as narrator instead of James Adams?

He is good.

What character would you cut from The Truth About Muhammad?

I think my reply is close to accurate at least in my opinion.r

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    2 out of 5 stars
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A polemic

Some of the story is very informative. But the cites make it difficult to listen to. And the story is rather obviously told to prove the author's point.

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5 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars

Good read, informative, worth a listen.

I enjoyed the book, and the pace of the reading. The author appeared to be a credible source, and it is written from a factual perspective. Great care was taken to not offend any historical or religious perspective of Muhammad, with key statements referenced to their source. I enjoyed the book (twice for effect), but did take some of the statements as the author’s perspective, subject to my own belief system and personal perspective. I recommend this book. If you are truly interested in Muhammad, this is a good start, and you should do some more reading from different sources. This was my first introduction to the life and background of Muhammad. It was very interesting; the speaking voice pace was just right.

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    5 out of 5 stars

Politicians lie to you

Omg. Everyone has been lied to. You need to read and understand only then can you realize how much the Koran and Muhammad call his followers to jihad. Violence against non Muslims is throughout the book over and over. Who said this is a faith of peace. Why do millions of faithful misread their own holy Koran. Allah gives directions to give his followers directives to wage war against non believers.

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4 people found this helpful