The Mecca Mystery: Probing the Black Hole at the Heart of Muslim History

This book is VITAL to the world and its future! 40% is footnotes and end notes, so any researcher can check its veracity. Dr. M. Zuhdi Jasser's efforts to reform Islam can be greatly enhanced via all three of Townsend's books; likewise other reformers. AND, those ignorant about Islam NEED to be enlightened, including our political and clerical leaders.I was overwhelmed and amazed by the valid contents of this book, and thankful for it. I wish it had existed about 5 years ago when I attended a 5 week (half a day per week) interdenominational "class" put on by a local Muslim couple, local Imam, and left wing Rabbi; it was all a whitewash for "Mecca" based "friendly" Islam.Sadly, people are like tape recorders and it is VERY hard to change minds. Enlightenment comes slowly, but this book can be a major step forward. MAJOR, so tell your friends, enemies, and others!

I can not reccomend this book highly enough. It is easily readable drawing you into the history of Arabia and the peculiars of its peoples, trades, life, religious communities, kingdoms, the romans n persians, kingdoms, an altogether histiographical lack of information of any mention of any settelement by the name of Mecca, the observations of the wording and writing of the Quran and its "pure Arabic it claims" which has a multitude of non Arabic words in it including passages in pure Syriac only rendered readable by translating Syriac which are not in official Qurans, and much more, plus this book has extensive documentation of source material with notes and footnotes for anyone wanting to do further research or to check for historical accuracy truthfulness of which a great writer and scholar would incorporate into their work or book

This book presents in-depth proof that the religion of Islam was cobbled together from a number of sources present in the Near East during the supposed time of Mohammed, and furthermore, that it was pretty much a botched job. Since reading Tom Holland’s In the Shadow of the Sword I was aware that much of the Islamic tradition was nothing but fabrication, but this book deals a devastating blow to almost every aspect of the theology. What a pity that so many people the world over dedicate their lives to this complete myth!

I thought this book was informative, especially in terms of many of the sources the author cites throughout. On many occasions, however, I got the impression that he was under some kind of deadline and, as a consequence, filled in gaps with speculation and personal opinion rather than with primary source research and the scholarship of recognized experts.I was also surprised by the number of grammatical and punctuation errors. While that doesn't detract per se from the overall themes and conclusions, it does make me wonder why the author couldn't seem to secure the services of a more effective editor.If you are a student of the history of Islam, you will have heard some of Townsend's arguments before. Even so, he does a fair job of presenting the themes in an easily accessible fashion and convincing fashion. If he decides to publish an update, however, I would hope that he would put in additional time and effort to replace the aforementioned speculative arguments.

This book is as absolute must read book for anyone who wants to be well informed about Islam. Well researched and expertly written.

Fact checking at its best. Quran and Hadiths are the only source for Mecca being Mohammed's city. The Nabatean city of Petra would fit much better in all descriptions. The author even finds it possible that the black stone in the side if the Kaaba may have been brought there from a holy site much further north, like Petra.No stories in the Quran and Hadiths can be proven by any other and independent sources. Townsend's narrative is very convincing.

Not preachy or condescending. Read it with an open mind, the facts are amazing!

Great read and thought provoking.

A few months ago I came across a Youtube discussion between some regulation islamist beard from the 5Pillars website and Melanie Phillips (author of Londonistan). As usual the islamist beard was spouting the same victimhood narrative we have heard thousands of time from this source. But between his constant interruptions of Melanie Phillips he let slip a phrase that went something like "Islam should be treated like all other religions in the UK". Leaving aside what the beard actually meant, taking what he said at face value this book should fill him with joy.Over the past 300 years both the New and Old Testaments have been subjected to a prolonged and vigorous examination throughout the West as to their origins and historic veracity, often by practitioners wishing to illuminate their own faith but equally by pure historians wishing to clarify the origins of the Judaism and Christianity. To those familiar with the work of Robert Carrier, Bob Price and Bart Ehrman (amongst many others) on the origins of Christianity, and Aronson & Finklestein on the origins of Judaism (again, amongst others) such an examination is a normal part of the scholarly process following in the traditions of the Enlightenment.However, when we turn to Islam matters are not as simple. Islamic Studies departments in Western universities, particularly those funded by oil money, show little or no interest in applying modern rules of historic analysis to the orthodox islamic canon. Indeed, I remember a BBC "In Our Time" with Mervyn Bragg in which three British "scholars" of Islam did nothing but reproduce the orthodox Islamic narrative as if it were solid fact; Mr Bragg lapped it up. Alternatively, independent scholars not only have to struggle for funding but face personal hazards and even dangers not normally encountered in academia.It is the latter on whose work Peter Townsend has drawn and it makes for a fascinating read. Using the basic rules of historic enquiry the book shows how Islam developed as a means by which the Arab conquerors of Christian North Africa and the Persian empire could create a back story to unite, consolidate and expand their burgeoning empire. This was based on the legend of a desert warlord and messenger of God, the details of which seemed to expand exponentially as his life receded into history.Peter Townsend tells this story with great logic and clarity. He draws on a wide range of sources to describe the process by which the Qu'ran was likely to have been derived, along with the multitude of Hadith and the life story of the prophet of Islam. All sources are clearly documented.While the author is clearly not sympathetic to Islam (as witnessed by his other publications) this is not a rant against Muslims as people. Instead, it subjects Islam to the same process of historic enquiry already undergone by the two other Abrahamic faiths. For this, the beard from 5Pillars should be delighted but somehow I doubt it.

This is a brilliant book. Calmly and methodically, it demolishes the greatest and most damaging Big Lie ever created.

All my life I was told that Islam was so accurate as set in stone. Best religion, because was the last and all the life of Muhammad indisputably correct. That the Quran brought down by the angels sura by sura (well, in this I had doubts :-)). That Islam was a peace religion and tolerant to all other religions of the book. I checked all the references and they tie with what is said in the book. The book can be an eye opener or belief shatter, depends how you look at it. Christianity was always scrutinized and Bible investigated; this book does the same to Islam. However, I do not suggest Muslims to read it.

Excellent historical detective work by Mr Townsend. Fascinating to learn that "the full light of history" is BS. Mecca didn't exist. Mohammed didn't exist.

A well researched book that asks questions that many scholars seem unwilling to address.Any system that impacts so many lives as Islam needs to be subject to critical analysis, and this is an interesting one.