Peace and pro-Christian themes in Muhammad and the Qur’an

Juan Cole is interviewed below by Professor Adnan Husain, Queens University (co-editor of A Faithful Sea: The Religious Cultures of the Mediterranean, 1200-1700) on themes of peace and warmth toward Christians in the Qur’an. The event was sponsored by the Muslim Societies Global Perspectives initiative at Queens University.

My remarks are drawn in large part from my own book,

“In the midst of the dramatic seventh-century war between two empires, Muhammad was a spiritual seeker in search of community and sanctuary.
Many observers stereotype Islam and its scripture as inherently extreme or violent-a narrative that has overshadowed the truth of its roots. In this masterfully told account, Dr. Cole takes us back to Islam’s — and the Prophet Muhammad’s-origin story.

You can purchase Dr. Cole’s book “Muhammad: Prophet of Peace Amid the clash of Empires” with our friends from Novel Idea Bookstore.”

Muslim Societies Global Perspectives: “MSGP Lecture by Dr. Juan Cole: Muhammad: Prophet of Peace Amid the clash of Empires.”