Hughes/Muslim Identities, 2. The Making of the Last Prophet

As the title suggests, this chapter examines the role and function of Muhammad, Islam’s prophet, in the formation of Muslim identities. It provides some of the sources used to reconstruct that life, and the biographical tradition that gives us details of his life and times in both Mecca and Medina. After exploring issues such as his “night flight” and his consolidation of the community in Mecca, it looks at the role of Muhammad in subsequent Islamic formation. The latter includes the genre know as hadith, or his sayings and deeds.