The Life of Muhammad

Viewing Guide for BBC Two The Life of Muhammad, episode 3

Key Terms: Rageh Omaar(host of this series), Ziauddin Sardar and Faris Kermani (writer and director of this documentary), the experience and nature of revelation, sufi belief and practice, the perfection of the prophet, zikr, “pray and do good,” Muhammad’s lifestyle, moral code revealed in Medina/Shari’a, Muhammad’s marriages, Aisha, limited polygamy in Islam, proving adultery, veiling/modesty, hajj/pilgrimage to Mecca, treaty of Hudaibiya, “peace is better than war,” jihadi, “the sword verse,” Muhammad’s actions upon his return to Mecca, leadership qualities, the farewell sermon, ‘so that you will get to know one another,’

Short Answer Questions:

Good answers will be a strong paragraph of 5-10 sentences, with specific information from the film.

1. What are the implications of Muhammad’s moral code as revealed in Medina/Sharia, presented in the documentary? What specific features of this moral code could be seen as progressive? What features could be seen as backwards? What do different scholars in the film say about Shari’a. What are the stakes in this decision for the future of the religion? Why do you think the documentary spends time on this topic?

2. What are the implications of Muhammad’s marriages, especially to Aisha, presented in the documentary? What specific features of this moral code could be seen as progressive? What features could be seen as backwards? What do different scholars in the film say about Shari’a. What are the stakes in this decision for the future of the religion? Why do you think the documentary spends time on this topic?

3. What are the implications of the revelations and practices on veiling as presented in the documentary? What specific features of this moral code could be seen as progressive? What features could be seen as backwards? What do different scholars in the film say about Shari’a? What are the stakes in this decision for the future of the religion? Why do you think the documentary spends time on this topic?

4. What are the controversies associated with the Treaty of Hudaibiya, the term jihad, and the ‘sword verse,’ as presented in the documentary? What do scholars say about the controversy? How persuasive do you think the commenters are? Why do you think the documentary spends time on this topic?

5. What are the main points the farewell sermon as described in the episode? What do scholars say about the sermon? What do you think of the sermon? Why do you think the documentary spends time on this topic?

6. What would you say is the overall goal of Ziauddin Sardar and Faris Kermani in this episode? What are a couple of secondary goals of this episode? What do you think of the episode overall?

7. What images from the episode are most striking to you? Choose 3 or four and describe them. What confusions or difficulties do you have from the documentary (all three episodes.) Choose three or four and describe them, and explain the nature of your confusion or difficulty.

8. Write a clear, chronological summary of the life of Muhammad as presented in these 3 episodes.