ABSTRACT

Bypassing a long tradition of oriental studies that examined whether the prophet of Islam had been sincere or merely a hypocrite, Weber enquired into the teachings of Mohammed in accordance with universalistic criteria. First, there is the ethical prophet, the writer-composer and the preacher. Second, there is the prophet as the builder of a movement, the legislator or judge, behaving in an exemplary manner. Thus, Mohammed is a prophet, legislator, political judge and leader of an army.