The First Muslim

the
mountains that ringed the sleeping city below? Why would a happily
married man isolate himself this way, standing in meditation through
the night?

There was a hint, perhaps, in his clothing. By now he could certainly
have afforded the elaborate embroidered silks of the wealthy,
but his clothing was low-key. His sandals were worn, the leather
thongs sun-bleached paler than his skin. His homespun robe would
be almost threadbare if it hadn t been so carefully patched, and it was
hardly enough to shield him against the night-time cold of the high
desert. Yet something about the way he stood on the mountainside
made the cold irrelevant. Tilted slightly forward as though leaning
into the wind, his stance seemed that of someone who existed at an
angle to the earth.

Certainly a man could see the world in a different way up here. He
could find peace in the silence, with just the soughing of the wind over
the rock for company, far from the feuds and gossip of the city with its
arguments over money and power. Here, a man was merely a speck in
the mountain landscape, his mind free to think and reflect, and then
finally to stop thinking, stop reflecting, and submit itself to the
vastness.

Look closer and you might detect the shadow of loneliness in the
corners of his eyes, something lingering there of the outsider he had
once been, as though he were haunted by the awareness that at any
moment everything he d worked so long and hard for could be taken
away. You might see a hint of that same mix of vulnerability and resoluteness
in his mouth, the full lips slightly parted as he whispered into
the darkness. And then perhaps you d ask why contentment was not
enough. Did the fact that it had been so hard-earned make him unable
to accept it a

questions in a way that will resonate with a non-academic audience trying to come to grips with the fastest growing religion on the planet. It is a welcome antidote to the barrage of hatred and distortion to which Islam has been subjected since the early Bush years, an opportunity for balance to be restored and for those of us who don t subscribe to the extremes to regain the middle ground. Guernica

"Hazleton... is in the revelation business: She's out to consider Muhammad as a mortal human, a man who lived and died and was vulnerable... A world-class history teacher who contextualizes the realities of [his] far-off times... [she] can effortlessly distill years of research into a few conversational sentences." The Stranger

"A strikingly nuanced portrait of how Muhammad the man fallible and complex became Muhammad the prophet With the insight of a psychologist and the details of a historian, Hazleton portrays a Muhammad both divinely inspired and deeply human." Spirituality and Health

"Among the spate of recent biographies of the Prophet Muhammad, this one stands out. Hazleton, a former Jerusalem-based journalist and a psychologist, brings both of her professional skills to bear in this perceptive work, examining Muhammad s life within its historical context and offering insights into the struggles of the early Muslim community. Indeed, 'The First Muslim' might be considered a prequel to her celebrated 'After the Prophet: The Epic Story of the Shia-Sunni Split'. Hazleton s mining of the earliest biographies of Muhammad has yielded anecdotes that even scholarly Muslims may not know (although the absence of discussion of Muhammad s last sermon may be missed by some). 'The First Muslim' is a beautifully written and dynamic work that Muslims, those wanting to learn more about Islam, and lovers of the English language will enjoy." Asma Hasan, Saudi Aramco World

"Vivid and engaging... a fluid and captivating introduction that will be invaluable for those seeking a greater understanding of Islam's message and its messenger." Publishers Weekly

"Winning... a level-headed, elegant look at the life of the prophet amid the making of a legend." Kirkus

Beautifully written, The First Muslim respectfully humanizes the inimitable prophet of Islam and sees him whole." Cornel West, Professor, Union Theological Seminary, and Professor Emeritus, Princeton University

Hazleton sets her keen eye and her sculpted prose on one of the most fascinating and misunderstood figures in history. What she uncovers is a complex yet utterly relatable man whose personal trials and triumphs changed the course of history. This is a wonderful book. Reza Aslan, author of No God but God and How to Win a Cosmic War

"Hazleton has done the seemingly impossible: rendered into human proportions a man who is more often the subject of pious veneration or political vitriol. This is the most readable, engaging study of Muhammad I have ever come across."  G. Willow Wilson, author of Alif the Unseen and The Butterfly Mosque

"The First Muslim tells the mostly unknown story of the prophet Muhammad in a masterful, accessible, and engaging way.  Hazleton's empathetic touch softens her rigorous scholarship and research as she crucially demystifies both the man himself and the birth of Islam. An absolute delight (and indispensable) for believers and non-believers alike." Hooman Majd, author of The Ayatollah Begs to Differ and The Ayatollahs' Democracy