Biography Offers Novel Approach to Life of Muhammad

A new biography of the Prophet Muhammad takes a narrative-driven approach to depicting the life of Islam's key figure. In his new book, "Muhammad, the World-Changer: An Intimate Portrait" (available Nov. 16), biographer Mohamad Jebara takes long-established sources and weaves them together for a fresh telling of a familiar story. During Muhammad's lifetime, his followers recorded the various details and sayings of the prophet, and, in the centuries since, chains of narration or "isnad" have been passed down. Such retellings have been key for scholars in weighing the importance and veracity of each quotation. Jebara, however, leaves such details to the endnotes. The result is a biography that reads like a novel, as we see the prophet's life, family and decisions unfold.