Muḥammad and His Followers in Context: The Religious Map of Late Antique Arabia
This book surveys and analyzes changes in religious groups and identities in late antique Arabia, ca. 300–700 CE. Drawing on contemporary evidence – specifically, inscriptions, archaeological remains, Arabic poetry, the Qur'an, and the so-called Constitution of Medina – the study argues that transformations in social and religious groups were more piecemeal than previously assumed. The central argument of the book is that forms of monotheism (in particular, Judaism and Christianity) were prevalent in Arabia, including the Hijaz, at the rise of Islam.
Reviews of the book:
"Depictions of the Prophet Muhammad and his religious movement have long been based on non-contemporary sources. In recent years, scholars have incorporated new sources to replace traditional Arabic historiography. Among these scholars is Lindstedt (Univ. of Helsinki, Finland), who uses inscriptions, poetry, and non-Arabic contemporary writings to develop a social and religious portrait of Muhammad’s community... Summing Up: Highly recommended" - R. W. Zens in Choice
"Lindstedt does a great service to the field by examining myriad obscure and difficult pre-Islamic commissioned inscriptions, graffiti and poems to shed light on this complicated period. Much of the material he presents has been made available only recently, and I am grateful to see it collected in such a readable and clear format. The book includes substantial references and footnotes, yet the details are not overwhelming or burdensome" – Sandra Toenies Keating in Islam and Christian–Muslim Relations
"One of the contributions of the book, especially for archaeologists, is the identification of Christians and Jews in the Arabian Peninsula... Another merit of the text is its very broad coverage of the literature on early Islam, the Quran, and Abrahamic religions in general. Finally, the book is easy to read, as the author defines and clarifies all the terminology he uses and clearly summarizes every chapter" – Hagit Nol in Journal of Islamic Archaeology
