Early Believers were Multi-Faith, Inclusive and Jew, Christian or Muslim

1:54:04 Watch on Youtube

Published: 29 Apr 2023 · Uploaded: 21 Aug 2025
253 views · Last viewed: 6 hrs ago

TAGS CHRISTIANITY | 214 CHRISTIAN | 788

TEXT SEARCH | VIDEO • NEWS • ARTICLE

Video Description (from Youtube)

Three Ramadan Nights with Harvard Scholars, Qur’anic Topics, MIT, April 17-19, 2023 (Ramadan 1444)

Lecture 2:
In 2010, Fred Donner published Muhammad and the Believers: At the Origins of Islam, a follow up to his 2003 article, “From Believers to Muslims: Confessional Self-Identity in the Early Islamic Community.” In these works, Donner argues that the Prophet Muhammad’s followers were actually called Believers (muʾminūn) as opposed to Muslims (muslimūn). Moreover, the early Believers’ movement, as he calls it, was “ecumenical” and consisted of Jews, Christians, and (potentially) other monotheists. Initial reactions to his theory were mixed, but the concept of a Believers’ movement (as opposed to a reified Islamic religion in the lifetime of the Prophet Muḥammad) has resonated widely with scholars. I argue in this study that although Donner was broadly correct in his thesis, he made a basic mistake, which has been subsequently reproduced by numerous scholars since.

The mistake Donner made was to accidentally swap the terms muʿmin and muslim. My close reading of the Qurʾān, as I will expound herein, reveals that the term muʿmin (as well as alladhīna āmanū) refers to a Believer in the Prophet Muhammad and in the Qurʾān (i.e. a follower of Qurʾānic law). As such, it is actually the narrower term, referring to what we today think of as a Muslim. Meanwhile, the term muslim in the Qurʾān itself refers to a Submitter — or, more specifically, a Submitting Monotheist — and encompasses not just muʿminūn (composed mostly but not exclusively of Arabian pagan converts) but also Jews and Christians. As such, muslim is the wider term. The umma muslima (the Submitting community) of the Prophet Muhammad thus consisted of Believers as well as Jews and Christians.

#quran
#quranic
#islam
#islamic
#islamichistory
#muslim
#christian
#jewish
#prophetmuhammad

DISCLAIMER
All videos are shared for educational and information purposes only. All videos are hosted and viewable on Youtube servers. Video titles are generated using the original video title; overall content theme including actual dialogue and speech (Transcript); and A.I-based recommendations with a focus on SEO, keyword density, and internal search functions. The video title does not represent the views held by the Youtube video uploader, or any individual, organisation or business.

If you spot any mistake, omission or give feedback, kindly Contact Us with details.

Upload Video Contact Us Report Video

13 Articles with 'Christian'

1. Early Christian History

2492 views · 10 hrs ago

2. Constantine and Christianity After Emperor Constantine made Christianity the state religion, he reformed Christianity to make Rome the center of power

23970 views · 5 mins ago

3. Christian: 28 Heretical Sects A summary of Early Christians and the differing beliefs held in the formative years of the Christian religion

21625 views · 1 hr ago

4. 10 Commandments - Christian vs Muslim The Ten Commandments are a set of Biblical principles relating to ethics and worship. Do Christians and Muslims adhere to the commandments today?

25088 views · 34 mins ago

5. Roman Christianity Roman Christianity

1713 views · 2 hrs ago

6. Catholic vs Protestant - Christianity A comparison of the Catholic and Protestant beliefs. The two main denominations in the Christian religion.

21053 views · 14 mins ago

7. Christian Heresies In Early Christianity, the crime of Heresy did not exist. Small Christian communities believed what they wanted, and worshiped as they chose.

19646 views · 25 mins ago

8. Nicene Creed - Foundation of Christianity A commentary on the Nicene Creed and the theological implications on Christianity.

18232 views · 15 mins ago

9. Christianity: Founded by Paul on Road to Damascus, Syria Christianity is predominantly the teachings and writings of Paul. A series of major events shaped the Christian faith we know today.

18252 views · 31 mins ago

10. Blasphemy Laws in 35 Christian Countries Blasphemy laws are the offence of 'insulting or showing contempt for God or a sacred entity'

19202 views · 5 mins ago

11. War - 67 Bloody Christian Conflicts List of 67 global conflicts where millions perished. Wars inspired by Christian teachings. Soldiers who fought to make the teachings of Jesus Christ reign supreme.

17874 views · 33 mins ago

12. Christian Doctrine: Catholic vs Others

1684 views · 11 hrs ago

13. Christian: 32 Church Denominations List of 32 Christian denominations, the founders and year established.

17111 views · 1 hr ago

616 Videos with 'Christian'