In his quest for the historical Muhammad, Zeitlin's chief aim is to catch glimpses of the birth of Islam and the role played by its extraordinary founder. Islam, as its Prophet came to conceive it, was a strict and absolute monotheism.

In his quest for the historical Muhammad, Zeitlins chief aim is to catch a few reliable glimpses of the birth of Islam and the role played by its extraordinary founder. The result is a rich and highly illuminating portrait of Muhammad that places him within the historical context of his time.