Contemporary Western historiographical criticism of the biography of the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him

Abstract

UDK
28-31:929 Muhammed
930

This paper analyses the methodological approaches of Western historiographical criticism of the sīra (biography) of the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, with a focus on contemporary Western studies of Islam. The author elaborates the epistemological assumptions and worldview frameworks that shape the Western critical paradigm, especially its anti-supernatural and anti-theistic character. Through a comparative analysis of the approaches of Western historians such as Herbert Berg, Patricia Crone, and Stephen Shoemaker, the paper points out methodological weaknesses, selectivity, and ideological biases that often lead to fragmented and contradictory portrayals of the Prophet’s personality, peace be upon him. The paper particularly focuses on the tendencies of the so-called revisionist school, which question the authenticity of Islamic sources, in contrast to the research of German scholars-Motzki, Schoeler, and Gorke-who, using isnād and matn analysis, have confirmed the reliability of the sīra of the Prophet, peace be upon him. This paper does not aim to be an apology, but rather to open space for dialogue between the Islamic and Western academic traditions, calling for a deeper study of the philosophical foundations of historiography and a more comprehensive approach to understanding history.