Haykal Analysis

Haykal’s main concern is establishing the rationality of Islam and rejecting orientalist objection to or criticism of the religion. Haykal (1976) suggests that for centuries, the English reader has been presented with prejudiced literature about Islam and the Prophet. He claims that some of the traditions are full of superstition and impossibilities. He suggests that the orientalists are not to blame in for their distortions of Islam because some of the irrationality of which western scholars speak is to be found in classical sources. (Preface 1:22) Haykal uses an approach that rejects Muslim conservative elements stating that the tradition maintained by the Muslim elites is what fuels the antagonism of Christian missionaries and orientalists. (preface 1: 32)

One of the things Haykal tackles is the western attacks on Muhammad and Islam in relation to the issue of Muhammad’s sinlessness. He addresses the aspect of “satanic verses” that suggest that Muhammad could have been deceived by “Satan” to utter some certain verses which were later withdrawn from the Qur’an, suggesting that some parts of the Qur’an may have been forged or altered for political or religious reasons or in order to seek confirmation of Muhammad's prophet hood. (Preface 2: 7) According to Haykal, this claim is inaccurate and if the scientific method of research and observation was used to understand how the Qur’an was compiled, orientalist would be able to distinguish fact from fiction since in fact some of the traditions were oral and recited over a long period of time before they came to be written down and are subject to fallacies associated with recording of oral traditions and passage of time. (Preface 2: 7)

Another often discussed topic which Haykal (1976...

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... biography of its founder. In doing so a lot of questions and what if’s are brought to the surface. It does not justify his choice of words sometimes when addressing other religions or writers, but he does have a right to defend his religion and give an insider’s perspective on the origins of the religion.

In order to write a religious biography on the prophet or talk on the origins of a religion I believe it is essential to play to role of an insider rather than act like a detached observer. This will help determine the extent to which what we believe to be fact shapes our idea of the religion. It is also paramount that scholars are aware that rather than try to explain behavior, they should aim to understand it. Deriving universal truths from an individual’s personal knowledge opens the door to premature conclusion or inaccurate analysis of the obtained knowledge