Mohammed, The Prophet of Islam

In Short

This book is a brief, polemical biography of Muhammad, written in 1914 by H.E.E. Hayes. It traces the prophet’s life from his early career as a merchant in Mecca to the consolidation of power in Medina and his eventual death in 632 A.D. The author frames the rise of Islam as a socio-political revolution built upon a "degraded" understanding of the divine, explicitly aiming to warn Christian readers against the influence of "Moslem missionaries." It remains a stark example of the adversarial religious discourse that characterized Western colonial-era attitudes toward the Islamic world.

The Story

The narrative begins in a fractured, pre-Islamic Arabia characterized by nomadic tribalism and a lack of political or judicial order. The author introduces Muhammad as a shrewd, observant merchant whose marriage to the wealthy widow Khadijah provided the social standing necessary to pursue his later ambitions. At age forty, the author claims, Muhammad transitioned from a quiet citizen into the leader of a secret society, driven by a desire to unify the Arab tribes through a monotheistic faith. This early phase is marked by the "call" to the prophetic office, which the author dismisses as a product of ascetic practices, mental distress, and the influence of a "distorted" religious environment.

As the movement grows in Mecca, the narrative emphasizes the role of loyal companions like Abu Bakr, whose energy helped spread the faith. The author notes that the death of Khadijah marked a turning point in Muhammad’s life, leading him to abandon his earlier, more pacific methods in favor of a "cruel, ruthless, warlike policy." The migration to Medina—the Hijra—is depicted as a desperate escape from a threatened assassination plot. Once in Medina, the author argues, the prophet’s ideals deteriorated as he became a "leader of a robber host," justifying the raiding of Meccan caravans as a means of survival and, later, as a religious imperative.

The book details the subsequent military conflicts, including the battles of Badr and Mutah, interpreting these events through a lens of political expediency and religious intolerance. The author focuses heavily on the treatment of the Jewish tribes of Medina, describing their subjugation and the enslavement of their women as evidence of a "malevolent" religious influence. The narrative then chronicles the eventual conquest of Mecca and the prophet’s attempts to reach out to neighboring monarchs.

The latter portion of the book focuses on Muhammad’s domestic life and his numerous marriages, which the author presents as evidence of "selfish desire and inordinate affection." The final chapter describes the prophet’s last pilgrimage and his declining health, culminating in his death in 632 A.D. in the arms of his young wife, Ayesha. The story concludes with a reflection on the centuries of conflict between Islam and the Christian world. The author ends on a hopeful, triumphalist note, suggesting that the "peaceable Spirit of Jesus" is currently causing the disintegration of Islam, predicting that the followers of the prophet will eventually recognize the Christian doctrine of the Trinity.

How It Unfolds

The merchant’s rise The author establishes the setting of fragmented tribal Arabia and describes Muhammad’s early success as a caravan leader. This period is presented as the foundational stage where the future prophet gained the shrewdness and tactical patience that would define his later career.

The call and the secret society The narrative moves to the prophet's fortieth year, characterizing his religious awakening as a product of isolation and mental instability. The author frames the formation of the early Islamic circle as a calculated political movement built on a foundation of "false" theology.

Flight to Medina The book covers the increasing hostility in Mecca and the eventual escape to Medina. This segment highlights the creation of the "brotherhood of believers," which the author views as an artificial bond designed to supersede natural, human ties.

The shift to conquest The author details the transition from missionary activity to state-sponsored warfare, focusing on the raids against caravans. This marks the transformation of the prophet into a military leader who justifies violence through divine revelation.

Domestic life and the harem A significant portion is dedicated to the prophet’s relationships, which the author uses to argue for the inherent degradation of women within the Islamic system. The account of these marriages is portrayed as a clear reflection of the prophet’s personal appetites rather than political strategy.

Final days and legacy The narrative concludes with the prophet's death in the arms of Ayesha and a sweeping summary of his influence. The author closes with a vision of the inevitable decline of the faith he has spent the book criticizing.

The People

The book is dominated by the figure of Muhammad, whom the author depicts as a man of formidable intelligence and tactical skill, but one ultimately corrupted by his own claims of prophethood and his inability to reconcile his carnal desires with his spiritual pretensions. He is portrayed as being in thrall to a "false idea" that led him to sacrifice morality for the sake of power.

Khadijah is portrayed as the most influential figure in the prophet’s early life, functioning as a stabilizing force whose death directly precipitated the decline of his character. The author laments that her positive influence was not preserved in the subsequent development of the faith.

Abu Bakr is characterized as the ultimate devoted follower—a man of wealth and social standing whose total surrender to the prophet’s authority provided the necessary momentum for the fledgling movement to survive its infancy.

Ayesha is presented primarily through her role as a "child-wife," serving as the witness to the prophet’s final, delirium-filled days. The author emphasizes her youth and her position within the harem to highlight the perceived excesses of the prophet’s domestic life.

The Jewish Tribes of Medina function as a collective foil to the prophet. The author frames them as "men of peace" who were unfairly targeted and systematically destroyed by the prophet when they refused to validate his divine status.

In Its Own Voice

"The whole spiritual activity of the Mohamedans, from the time of the prophet to the present day, is a dream; but it is a dream in which a large portion of the human race have lived."

The author quotes a scholar’s assessment of Islamic tradition to argue that the religion is built upon a foundation of historical unreality.

"There is no God but God, and Mohammed is the Apostle of God."

The author cites the Moslem creed at the beginning of the text to establish the central claim of the religion he intends to challenge.

"The prayers of all Christians are asked on behalf of these millions, and for those who labour to preach the 'unsearchable riches of Christ' amongst them."

In the preface, the author clarifies the evangelical purpose behind writing this critique of the prophet.

What It's Really About

The primary argument is that the rise of Islam was a political and military phenomenon fueled by "grossly carnal" desires rather than genuine spiritual revelation. The book serves as a polemic against the perceived "degradation" of society under Islamic influence, particularly regarding the treatment of women and the restriction of human inquiry. Beneath the historical narrative lies a deeper theological anxiety: the book is an attempt to frame Islam as an obstacle to Christian expansion. The author posits that the "inelastic" nature of the Islamic creed is inherently inferior to the "lofty" and compassionate teachings of the Old Testament and the New Testament. It is a work concerned with the competition between two worldviews, asserting that the only solution to the "sorrows" of the Muslim world is conversion to Christianity.

Why Read It Today

Reading this book provides a sobering, firsthand encounter with the specific rhetoric of early twentieth-century missionary efforts. For a modern reader, its value lies not in its historical accuracy—which is deeply colored by the author’s explicitly stated bias—but in its function as a primary source for the study of historical, religious, and colonial attitudes.

The prose is precise and earnest, carrying a distinct, measured urgency that was common in the religious pamphlets of the Edwardian era. You will find a narrative that is entirely unconcerned with modern standards of objective historical analysis; instead, it is a transparent document of a specific, polemical mission. The text is brief and highly readable, though it requires a critical eye to navigate the author’s dismissive characterizations and the period-specific attitudes toward race and gender.

Those interested in the history of inter-faith relations or the evolution of Western critiques of Islam will find this a fascinating, if challenging, document. It is not an exploration of Muhammad as a historical figure, but a window into how the prophet was perceived, categorized, and opposed by institutional Christianity a century ago. The author’s voice remains remarkably consistent, providing a clear map of an old, adversarial worldview that has shaped much of the discourse still echoed in some circles today.