I Wonder About the Prophet

The book under review aims to teach about the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and inculcate in the hearts of children his love and his Practice. Özkan Öze was born in Turkey and is the editor of Zafer Publications Group. He wrote the ‘I Wonder About Islam Series’ to put children at ease in asking questions regarding their faith and to develop their questioning skills so that their minds and hearts are filled with the light of knowledge. His ideas take inspiration from the works of the famous scholar Sa[id Nursi (1878–1960). The text acknowledges the existence of several other prophets and prefers to use the anglicised versions of their names. This book, however, is exclusively about the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). It is divided into thirteen short chapters and explores some interesting questions such as why the Prophet (peace be upon him) was born in Makkah and what was he like before his prophethood. Before addressing the issue of why prophets are needed, the author intelligently inserts numerous thought-provoking questions about the purpose of life. Prophets, according to Öze, are chosen teachers. Conceptually, this brings prophethood closer to the reader’s understanding....