Heralded as the greatest living Arab poet, Syrian-born Adonis is also a staunch critic of violence and despotism in the Islamic world. In this book, he explores the nature of political power in Islam by focusing on the figure of the prophet Mohammed as both a political and a mythical leader. In conversation with Houria Abdelouahed, Adonis examines the Qur’anic intervention in establishing the prophet’s power, especially when the text is read based on faith and not reason. The authors discuss the...