ABSTRACT
A few medieval intellectuals managed to shake off some measure of their prejudice about Muhammad in order to advocate understanding. Since Europeans tended to interpret the strange by comparison with the known, the goal was to discourage serious consideration of Muhammad or his faith by associating them with evil Christian heretics. Early printed efforts to dispute the verity of Muhammad and his teachings typically began with fabricating stories about Muhammad’s personal life. The writer explains Muhammad’s great success by arguing that the Devil had possessed the Prophet, making him into a powerful lord, and could do so easily because Muhammad was original a poorly informed and hence easily manipulated Christian. From the apocalyptical whip of God to a misunderstood religion deserving of serious analysis; the perception of Islam, its Prophet and holy book in the European imagination varied considerably among writers.
