Muḥammad and His Followers in Context

Ilkka Lindstedt, Ph.D. (2014), is Lecturer in Islamic theology at the University of Helsinki. He deals with pre-Islamic Arabia, early Islam, Arabic historiography, and Arabic epigraphy. Recent publications include: Ilkka Lindstedt, Nina Nikki, and Riikka Tuori (eds.), Religious Identities in Antiquity and the Early Middle Ages: Walking Together & Parting Ways, Brill 2022.

• AcknowledgementsList of FiguresA Note on Style1 Introduction1 Prolegomena and Methodological Considerations2 Ethnic, Linguistic, and Tribal Situation in Arabia before Islam2 Judaism1 Judaism in Late Antiquity2 The Arabian Context3 Conclusions3 Christianity1 Christianity in Late Antiquity2 The Arabian Context3 Conclusions4 Gentiles1 Introduction2 Idolatry and Polytheism in Arabia3 Gentile Monotheism in Arabia4 The Idea of Abrahamic Descent in Arabia before Islam5 An Excursus to Later Arabic Historiography: ʿAbd al-Muṭṭalib’s Dream6 Conclusions5 The Rise of the Gentile Prophet in Mecca1 Introduction and Methodological Considerations2 Mecca3 Excursus: Arabic Historiography on the Meccan Period4 Conclusions on the Meccan Period6 The Founding and Consolidating of the Community in Medina1 The “Constitution” of Medina2 The Believers in the Medinan Qurʾān3 The People of the Book in the Medinan Period4 The Jews in the Qurʾān5 The Christians in the Qurʾān6 Inna al-dīn ʿinda Allāh al-islām7 Gentile Purity and Dietary Regulations8 The Eschaton Postponed?9 Excursus: Arabic Historiography and the Medinan Era10 Conclusions on the Medinan Era7 Near-Contemporary Non-Arabic Views on the Prophet and His Community1 Near-Contemporary Non-Arabic Views on the Prophet’s Community8 Concluding toward Early Islamic Times1 “No Two Religions”2 ConclusionsBibliographyIndex