Frontline: Muslims

Biographical Sketch of Muhammad's Life

By Susan L. Douglass and Nadia Pervez  - 2003

Overview

The following brief narrative on Muhammad's life demonstrates the sequence and significance of events in the life of the man who Muslims believe was the last messenger sent by God. Because the film interweaves the narrative of his life with commentary and vignettes on the lives of contemporary Muslims, this brief biographical sketch will provide students with a context for the narrative of Muhammad's life given in the film.

Objectives

Students will be able to:

• list major events in Muhammad's life in chronological sequence.
• explain the importance of major events in Muhammad's life that led to the rise and spread of Islam. Procedure:
• Assign the narrative of Muhammad's life (Handout 1:3a) for students to read. Then ask students, individually or in groups, to answer the comprehension questions, which are linked to both major points made in the film and the concept of prophethood in Islam.