Ibn Ishāq’s Life of the Prophet Muhammad (pp. 121-22) tells the story of al-Walīd ibn alMughīra
and his efforts to fit Qur’ānic revelation into a familiar genre category – a story also
told in Sūrat al-Muddaththir 74:24-25 (“Wrapped in His Cloak” – see PDF). As such, this is
one of several scenes in our reading where the Prophet’s opponents try to test him, and so too
do his followers seek clarification on many points. What signs do you see that Qur’ānic
revelation is responding to the demands of Muhammad’s community? How does the Qur’ān
go about answering the challenges of non-believers and the questions of believers?

Guidelines:
Essays must be double-spaced and set in 12-point Times New Roman type. Page margins are
not to exceed one inch in width. Pages must be stapled together. Essays without numbered
pages reflect a gross indifference to the reader’s experience. Make sure that the pages of your
final draft are numbered