William Montgomery Watt

William Montgomery Watt

Religious Affiliation	Christian
Birth	1909
Place of Birth	Scotland
Place of Residence	Scotland
Death	2006
Known for	His Works in Sira of the Prophet (s)
Works	Muhammad at Mecca • Muhammad at Medina • Muhammad: Prophet and Statesman • Companion to the Qur'an • Muslim-Christian Encounters: Perceptions and Misperceptions (1991)
Activities	Islam • Qur'an • Sira of the Prophet (a) • Islamic Philosophy

William Montgomery Watt (1909–2006) was a Christian scholar of Islam and an Orientalist, specialized in the Sira and personality of the Prophet Muhammad (s), and one of the foremost non-Muslim interpreters of Islam in the West. He is famous in the Muslim world for his works on the Sira of the Prophet, including the books Muhammad at Mecca, Muhammad at Medina, and Muhammad: Prophet and Statesman.

His research and studies focused on Islam, the Qur'an, the Sira and personality of the Prophet (s), and Islamic philosophy. He published over 30 books and dozens of articles in these fields, some of which have been translated into various languages, including Persian.

Watt is generally considered fair and well-intentioned toward Islam and the Prophet (s) in his research; however, some of his views, particularly regarding Revelation and the Sira of the Prophet, have been criticized by Muslim scholars. Some critics believe the source of his incorrect inferences and views on Islam lies in his study of Islam from a Christian perspective and his Western background.

Status

William Montgomery Watt was a Christian scholar of Islam and Orientalist, and a professor of Arabic and Islamic Studies at the University of Edinburgh. He served as the head of the Department of Arabic and Islamic Studies at the University of Edinburgh. He is regarded as one of the most prominent and famous scholars of the Prophet (s) in the 20th century and one of the leading non-Muslim interpreters of Islam in the West. It is said that Watt's fame in the Muslim world is due to his five books on the Sira of the Prophet (s), including Muhammad at Mecca and Muhammad at Medina. These two books are considered among the best works written about the Prophet Muhammad (s).

Watt's research areas included Islam, the Qur'an, the personality and Sira of the Prophet (s), and Islamic philosophy. It is said that his works on the history of Islam and the Sira of the Prophet (s) hold a special place among both Muslim and non-Muslim thinkers. He dedicated his life to promoting dialogue between Christians and Muslims.

Watt's revision and commentary on Richard Bell's book, Introduction to the Qur'an, is considered a major development in Qur'anic studies. His most significant contribution was the emphasis on considering Muslim beliefs regarding the divine nature of the Qur'an and the descent of Revelation upon Muhammad (s). It is said that Orientalists before him, such as Richard Bell, perceived the Qur'an as a product of Muhammad's (s) own mind rather than divine revelation.

According to some researchers, Watt's clear intellectual path, fairness, and benevolent view toward the history and Sira of the Prophet (s) have caused his name to be remembered favorably among Muslim thinkers, and his works have been well-received by Muslims. The translation of his works into Persian and Arabic, and their multiple printings, are cited as evidence of this reception.

Watt received the honorary title of "The Last Orientalist" from the Iona Community and was selected for the 6th International Iranian Science and Culture Hall of Fame (Chehreh-haye Mandegar) in 2006.

It is claimed that Abd al-Karim Surush, in his views on the Prophet's (s) and the Qur'an's influence by the culture of the time and his comparison of the Prophet (s) to a poet, and Salman Rushdie regarding the Myth of Gharaniq in his book The Satanic Verses, were influenced by Watt.

Biography

William Montgomery Watt was born on March 14, 1909, in the village of Ceres, Scotland. He began his university studies in the 1930s in Greek Literature at the University of Edinburgh and later continued in Philosophy of Ethic. He also studied at George Watson's College, the University of Oxford, and the city of Jena in Germany. In 1946, he defended his doctoral thesis in philosophy titled "Free Will and Predestination in Early Islam," under the supervision of Richard Bell, which was published in England in 1948.

Watt was ordained as a priest in 1940. From 1943 to 1946, he served as an Arabic language specialist for the Anglican Bishop in Jerusalem and in 1960 became a member of the Iona Community in Scotland.

Montgomery Watt's Advice to Orientalists

To have a good relationship with Muslims, it is necessary to fully admit our indebtedness to Islamic culture... hiding it is a sign of misplaced and false pride... I consider Muslims... representatives of a civilization with great achievements... our duty as Europeans... is to admit our deep debt to the Arabs and the Islamic world.

From 1946, Montgomery Watt began teaching Arabic literature at the University of Edinburgh and attained the rank of professor in 1964, holding the chair of Arabic and Islamic Studies. In 1947, he was appointed head of the Department of Arabic and Islamic Studies and retired in 1979. He was also a visiting professor at the University of Toronto, Georgetown University, and the Collège de France.

He received an honorary doctorate from Heriot-Watt University in 1977 and from the University of Karachi in Pakistan in 1988.

This Christian scholar of the Prophet (s) passed away on October 24, 2006, at the age of 97.

Introduction to Islam

Watt's acquaintance with Islam began in 1937 when he met a Pakistani Muslim tenant. By his own account, he was ignorant of Islam before that time. This led to a correspondence with the Anglican Bishop in Jerusalem seeking guidance. In 1939, at the invitation of the Bishop, Watt traveled to Jerusalem to study Islam and resided there until 1946.

Works

The English cover of the book Muhammad at Medina.

The English book Muhammad: Prophet and Statesman.

Montgomery Watt authored over 30 books and dozens of articles on Islam, the Prophet Muhammad (s), and the relationship between Muslims and Christians. Some of his works include:

• Muhammad at Mecca (1953) and Muhammad at Medina (1956): These two important books discuss the life of the Prophet (s) in Mecca and Medina and the events of early Islam in detail.
• Muhammad: Prophet and Statesman (1961). This book is a summary of the two previous works. In its nine chapters, the author analyzes the reasons for the Prophet's (s) success and explains his strategies for establishing the Islamic community. It is considered a defense of the Prophet (s) against non-Muslim researchers and their doubts.
• Companion to the Qur'an: A collection of the author's reflections on the verses of the Qur'an and the Bible.
• Muslim-Christian Encounters: Perceptions and Misperceptions (1991): It explains the religious encounters between Muslims and Christians from the rise of Islam to the present using a historical-analytical method.

His other books include A History of Islamic Spain, Islamic Philosophy and Theology, The Formative Period of Islamic Thought, Muslim Intellectual: A Study of al-Ghazali, The Influence of Islam on Medieval Europe, Islamic Revelation in the Modern World, The Majesty that was Islam, and A Christian Faith for Today (his last book, 2002).

Criticisms

Although Watt is noted for his fairness, some of his works have been criticized by Muslim scholars. For instance, Abu l-Hasan Sha'rani wrote notes on Muhammad: Prophet and Statesman, Sayyid Ja'far Shahidi wrote notes on Islamic Philosophy and Theology, and Sayyid Muhammad Thaqafi wrote a critique of Muhammad at Mecca and Muhammad at Medina. Sayyid Mustafa Husayni Tabataba'i in Naqd-i athar-i khavar-shinasan and Muhsin Alwiri in Mutali'at-i Islami dar gharb criticized his views on the Prophet (s) and Revelation.

Sayyid Muhammad Musawi Muqaddam, in his book Jarayan-shinasi-yi sira-pajhuhi dar gharb ba ta'kid bar didgah-i" William Montgomery Watt, analyzes Watt's methodology and critiques his views on Prophethood, the Sira, and Revelation.

It is said that while Watt was moderate, he judged Islam from a Christian and Western background, which led to incorrect conclusions.

Views

Some specific views of Montgomery Watt regarding Islam, the Qur'an, and the Prophet (s) include:

The book Muhammad: Prophet and Statesman in Arabic translation.

Qur'an and Revelation

In an interview, Watt explicitly stated that he considers the Qur'an as divine revelation from God, though he believes Muslims must reach a new understanding of it. He viewed the Qur'an and the Bible as containing God's commands for their respective times; while some remain universally valid, others may not be applicable in modern societies. However, in Muhammad: Prophet and Statesman, he described Revelation as "creative imagination." He believed prophets, including Muhammad (s), possessed creative imagination, and while ideas from it are often right, it is an exaggeration to treat it as a factual source.

The book Muhammad at Mecca in Arabic translation.

Characteristics of the Prophet

Watt believed the spread of Islam was due to three characteristics of Muhammad (s): 1. His gift as a prophet and seer, 2. His wisdom as a statesman, and 3. His skill as an administrator. Without these talents and his absolute conviction that he was God's messenger, Islam would not have grown to such an extent.

Watt denied the Prophet's illiteracy, arguing that a young merchant like Muhammad (s) could not have been uneducated. He saw Muhammad (s) as evolving from an unknown religious reformer in Mecca to a political and religious ruler in Medina, and eventually a prophet for all of Arabia and the world.

Interpretation of the Trinity

While emphasizing Monotheism in Islam, Watt questioned the traditional Christian interpretation of the Trinity and Incarnation. He believed Islam could help Christianity provide a better interpretation of God's oneness by viewing the Trinity as different roles of God, similar to the numerous attributes of God in Islam.

Status of Women in Islam

According to Watt, Islam appeared at a time when the status of women was terrible; they had no rights to wealth and were considered property themselves. Muhammad (s) significantly improved the situation by establishing rights to property, inheritance, education, and divorce, and by protecting women. He believed many Westerners hold wrong views about Islam's stance on women because they judge based on rare or localized cases.