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"The Life of Mohammad is known as the Sira and was lived in the full light of history. Everything he said or did was recorded." What Sardar fails to explain is how, if that is the case, nothing has survived. He says the Prophet himself was illiterate, but was surrounded at all times by 45 scribes who wrote down everything he did and said. These scribes also noted Mohammad's utterances on correct Islamic behaviour (the Hadith), which they wrote on bones, pieces of rock, parchment and papyrus. These, too, were later collected and used to complement Koranic authority. According to Sardar, we therefore know what the Prophet ate, how he treated women, children and animals, and his behaviour in battle. In reality, we know nothing of the sort - everything Sardar claims as historical truth is based on hearsay, on the words passed down by Mohammad's followers.

That is extremely interesting, and something I have not heard mentioned before in any summary of Islam!

which they wrote on bones, pieces of rock, parchment and papyrus. These, too, were later collected and used to complement Koranic authority.

Of course all 600 000 of these items vanished without a trace!
Actually, only 60 000 of these were culled and accepted as genuine 300 years after muhammed's death.
Then aliens arrived in flying saucers and took every bone, rock, parchment bark and papyrus.

Oh yes, those 45 scribes were such a pain when muhammed was running to save his butt, including dressing as a woman to avoid being caught and killed.