Joel Hayward
Professor Joel Hayward, ZDaF, BA, MA Hons, PhD, FRSA, FRHistS, is a New Zealand-born British scholar and author who served until recently as Chief Executive of the Cambridge Muslim College, UK. The daily newspaper Al Khaleej called him “a world authority on international conflict and strategy”. The National newspaper called Hayward “eminent” and a “distinguished historian of warfare and military strategy”. Kirkus Reviews said that he “is undeniably one of academia’s most visible Islamic thinkers”. The Muslim World Book Review said: "Hayward might well be the most distinguished writer on this topic [Sirah] today – he is simultaneously erudite, politically incorrect and inordinately talented."
He is considered to be one of “the world’s five hundred most influential Muslims,” with his listing in both the 2023 and 2024 editions of The Muslim 500 noting that “he weaves together classical Islamic knowledge and methodologies and the source-critical Western historical method to make innovative yet carefully reasoned sense of complex historical issues that are still important in today’s world.” Hayward has earned ijazāt (teaching authorizations) in ʿAqīdah (Islamic theology) and Sīrah (the Prophet’s biography). He has held various academic leadership posts, including Director of the Institute for International and Civil Security at Khalifa University (UAE), Chair of the Department of Humanities and Social Sciences (also at Khalifa University), Head of Air Power Studies at King’s College London, and Dean of the Royal Air Force College (both UK).
He is the author or editor of seventeen books and major monographs and dozens of peer-reviewed articles, mainly in the fields of strategic studies, military history, the Islamic ethics of war and conflict, and Islamic (esp. seventh-century) and western (esp. twentieth century) history. His best-selling books include a major analysis of German airpower during the Stalingrad campaign and a thematic investigation of Horatio Lord Nelson and his way of war. His recent books include Warfare in the Qurʾān (2012), War is Deceit: An Analysis of a Contentious Hadith on the Morality of Military Deception (2017), Civilian Immunity in Foundational Islamic Strategic Thought: A Historical Enquiry (2019), and The Leadership of Muhammad: A Historical Reconstruction. The latter won the prestigious prize of “Best International Non-Fiction Book” at the 2021 Sharjah International Book Awards. His newest book is The Warrior Prophet: Muhammad and War (2022).
He is considered to be one of “the world’s five hundred most influential Muslims,” with his listing in both the 2023 and 2024 editions of The Muslim 500 noting that “he weaves together classical Islamic knowledge and methodologies and the source-critical Western historical method to make innovative yet carefully reasoned sense of complex historical issues that are still important in today’s world.” Hayward has earned ijazāt (teaching authorizations) in ʿAqīdah (Islamic theology) and Sīrah (the Prophet’s biography). He has held various academic leadership posts, including Director of the Institute for International and Civil Security at Khalifa University (UAE), Chair of the Department of Humanities and Social Sciences (also at Khalifa University), Head of Air Power Studies at King’s College London, and Dean of the Royal Air Force College (both UK).
He is the author or editor of seventeen books and major monographs and dozens of peer-reviewed articles, mainly in the fields of strategic studies, military history, the Islamic ethics of war and conflict, and Islamic (esp. seventh-century) and western (esp. twentieth century) history. His best-selling books include a major analysis of German airpower during the Stalingrad campaign and a thematic investigation of Horatio Lord Nelson and his way of war. His recent books include Warfare in the Qurʾān (2012), War is Deceit: An Analysis of a Contentious Hadith on the Morality of Military Deception (2017), Civilian Immunity in Foundational Islamic Strategic Thought: A Historical Enquiry (2019), and The Leadership of Muhammad: A Historical Reconstruction. The latter won the prestigious prize of “Best International Non-Fiction Book” at the 2021 Sharjah International Book Awards. His newest book is The Warrior Prophet: Muhammad and War (2022).
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strategy conference, led by Großadmiral Erich Raeder, C-in-C of
the Kriegsmarine (German Navy), and Admiral Arturo Riccardi, his
equivalent in the Regia Marina (Italian Navy), occurred in Merano in
order to coordinate the ongoing conduct of naval warfare. The
Germans wanted more say in the conduct of the Mediterranean
war. The Italians came with a shopping list, which included antiaircraft guns, oil, raw materials, and technology. Some historians
claim that the Italians were reluctant to hold a conference as they
feared the Germans would intrude into their theatre of operations,
but that after the Battle of Taranto they could no longer resist
German pressure. However, an analysis of German and Italian
documents shows otherwise. It also reveals that the true significance of Merano lies in the fact that the two navies finally began to
draw together with a common understanding of who would do
what in coming years, both together and individually. With the two
admirals acting as senior diplomats, conveying their countries’
friendship and sense of common purpose and actively trying to
find mutually agreeable solutions to difficulties, the conference
went very well. Initiated, planned and run by naval liaison staff
from both sides embedded within the other side’s command staff,
and with a strong contribution from the embassies in both Berlin
and Rome – with the military attachés functioning rather effectively
in a diplomatic capacity – the Merano Conference is an excellent
case study of military-diplomatic cooperation during wartime.
strategy conference, led by Großadmiral Erich Raeder, C-in-C of
the Kriegsmarine (German Navy), and Admiral Arturo Riccardi, his
equivalent in the Regia Marina (Italian Navy), occurred in Merano in
order to coordinate the ongoing conduct of naval warfare. The
Germans wanted more say in the conduct of the Mediterranean
war. The Italians came with a shopping list, which included antiaircraft guns, oil, raw materials, and technology. Some historians
claim that the Italians were reluctant to hold a conference as they
feared the Germans would intrude into their theatre of operations,
but that after the Battle of Taranto they could no longer resist
German pressure. However, an analysis of German and Italian
documents shows otherwise. It also reveals that the true significance of Merano lies in the fact that the two navies finally began to
draw together with a common understanding of who would do
what in coming years, both together and individually. With the two
admirals acting as senior diplomats, conveying their countries’
friendship and sense of common purpose and actively trying to
find mutually agreeable solutions to difficulties, the conference
went very well. Initiated, planned and run by naval liaison staff
from both sides embedded within the other side’s command staff,
and with a strong contribution from the embassies in both Berlin
and Rome – with the military attachés functioning rather effectively
in a diplomatic capacity – the Merano Conference is an excellent
case study of military-diplomatic cooperation during wartime.
ويرى البروفيسور جويل هيوارد أنّ هذا التفسير غير كامل وغير كافٍ تقريباً. إلا انه لا يختلف في أنّ محمداً كان رجلاً ذو أخلاقٍ عالية. ومع ذلك، فقد اقترب من قيادة النبيّ من وجهة نظرٍ مختلفة. فقد قام بفحص وتدقيق أقدم المصادر العربية بشكلٍ حيادي وفقاً للمعايير الصارمة للتحقيق التاريخي من أجل التأكد فيما إذا كانت أفعال محمد الواعية وسلوكه وأساليبه يُمكن أن تُوفر أي رؤى جوهريّة وهادفة حول فعاليّة قيادته الاستراتيجية. ويخلص هيوارد إلى أن محمداً كان رجلاً ذكياً بشكلٍ غير مألوف، ومُدركاً للأوضاع من حوله، ولديه القدرة على إنشاء وإيصال رؤية إستراتيجية معقولة لمستقبلٍ حتميّ ومرغوب. وعندما ترسخت بصيرته المتسمة بالذكاء العاطفي والمهارة والقيادة العملية جداً، استطاعت هذه الرؤية المترابطة بذكاء أن تُقنع أعداداً متزايدة من الناس باتباعه، وبالمخاطرة بكل شيء عن طيب خاطر للنضال من أجل تحقيق العالم الجديد الجريء الذي توقعه.
يوضح هيوارد من خلال تحليل أصليّ ودقيق قام به بدقة أن محمداً كان "قائداً فعّالاً للغاية". يُقدم هذا الكتاب المثير للاهتمام والمتاح، والذي يتسم بأنه ذو عمق علميّ، مساهمة كبيرة في كل من دراسات القيادة والسيرة النبوية.
حائز على جائزة أفضل كتاب دولي غير روائي في حفل توزيع جوائز الشارقة الدولية للكتاب لعام 2021
"إنّ قيادة محمد تُشكل مصدراً عظيماً للمعرفة عن محمد وبداية الإسلام. والواقع أنه فضلاّ عن كون الكتاب غنيّ بالمعلومات التاريخية، إلا أنه يُقدم دروساً قيّمة حول القيادة القادرة على مساعدة قادة العالم وصُنّاع القرار والمدرسين والأشخاص من مختلف مناحي الحياة على التواصل والقيادة بشكلٍ أفضل. العديد من صفات القيادة الجديرة بالملاحظة تم إستخلاصها من خصال النبي محمد، تلك الخصال التي لا يزال للكثير منها تأثيره حتى يومنا هذا". سان فرانسيسكو ريفيو أوف بوكس
Professor Joel Hayward sees this as an incomplete and almost inadequate explanation. He does not disagree that Muhammad was a moral and decent man. Yet he has approached the Prophet’s leadership from a different vantage point. He has scrutinized the earliest Arabic sources impartially according to the strict standards of historical inquiry in order to ascertain whether Muhammad’s conscious actions, behavior and methods can provide any substantial and meaningful insights about the effectiveness of his strategic leadership. Hayward concludes that Muhammad was an uncommonly astute, situationally aware and self-reflective man with the ability to create and communicate a believable strategic vision of a necessary and desirable future. When reinforced constantly by his emotionally intelligent, skillful and very hands-on leadership, his cleverly communicated vision persuaded increasing numbers of people to follow him and risk everything willingly in the struggle to make real the bold new world he foresaw.
Hayward demonstrates through original, meticulously researched and rigorous analysis that Muhammad was “a profoundly effective leader”. This engaging, accessible yet deeply scholarly book makes a major contribution to both leadership studies and the Prophet’s biography.
Almost all western and other developed states use Principles
of War as guiding ideas for military practitioners (especially
those who serve at the operational and tactical levels) on how
best to use combat power in order to gain maximum advantage. These Principles of War are virtually ubiquitous in cadet
and officer colleges and in doctrine manuals. Islamic law, on
the other hand, has nothing comparable, and least nothing
from the modern world. It has always seriously and proactively
engaged with ideas about how to ensure that war is fought
for morally just causes. Yet, since the medieval period, Islam
has not updated its thoughts on what principles might best
enhance combat effectiveness in order to win battles and wars
with the maximum effectiveness, the minimum use of force
and the minimum likelihood of harm to the innocent. This
study investigates whether one can draw such principles from
the Qur’an and the life of the Islamic Prophet Muhammad
that might serve as guidelines for Islamic armed forces in the
twenty-first century, an era dominated by careless disregard
for human life and by what is euphemistically called Collateral
Damage. Within the earliest extant Arabic sources, this study
identifies nine principles—these being Virtuous Objective,
Legitimacy, Unity of Command and Effort, Consultative
Decision-Making, Offensive Action, Defensive Security,
Morale, Restraint, and Deception—that were integral in the
warfighting of the Prophet. The author hopes that the anal-
vi
ysis might, if widely read in the right circles, prompt further
thought and research within Islamic states and their militaries
so that something like an agreed set of Islamic Principles of
War could eventually emerge and be of utility
Professor Joel Hayward sees this as an unhelpful explanatory tendency and believes that the modern depiction of the Prophet’s relationship with warfare — which presents him as being rather antipathetic to war, indeed as virtually a pacifist who only fought reluctantly in self-defense — cannot actually be sustained by an even-handed analysis of the early Islamic sources. A committed Muslim himself, Hayward agrees that Muhammad was a moral and decent man who saw peace as a highly desirable state in which humans should live and as a goal worth pursuing. Yet Hayward has approached the Prophet’s understanding and employment of warfare from a different vantage point. He has painstakingly scrutinized the earliest Arabic sources impartially according to the strict standards of historical inquiry in order to ascertain whether Muhammad’s actions, habits and methods can — when understood within their original seventh-century stateless Arabian context — provide any substantial and meaningful insights into the way that he understood and undertook warfare.
Hayward concludes that Muhammad was an astute, situationally aware and self-reflective man who created and communicated a believable strategic vision of a necessary and desirable future. That vision persuaded increasing numbers of people to follow him and risk everything willingly in the struggle to create the optimal conditions for their survival, security and prosperity. In a competitive and conflictual environment with ubiquitous threats, warfare was necessary to make real the bold new world that he foresaw. Through original, meticulously researched and rigorous analysis, Hayward covers all the raids and campaigns and demonstrates that Muhammad correctly understood the necessity and utility of force and duly developed into an intuitive, effective and victorious military practitioner who developed and enforced a strict moral code so as to attain his goals whilst safeguarding the innocent. This engaging, accessible yet deeply scholarly book makes a major contribution to strategic and military analysis and to the Prophet’s biography.
Advance Praise:
“Meticulously researched and carefully argued, this groundbreaking book is both highly informative and deeply thought-provoking. It should be required reading for anyone seeking to learn about the life and times of the Prophet.”
— Prof. Mohammad Hassan Khalil, author of Islam and the Fate of Others: The Salvation Question
"This is a courageous scholarly investigation into the classical sources to provide historical analysis of key cultural practices, experiences, norms and values of raids and warfare during seventh century Arabia and broader region. As an expert of war and strategic studies, Prof. Hayward insightfully illustrates the decision-making process and rationale, as well as the multidimensional complex relationships involved in tribal politics and the emerging polity of the Prophet in Medina. The Warrior Prophet: Muhammad and War meticulously examining primary sources of al-Ṭabarī, Ibn Hishām, and other key sources, Prof. Hayward’s work exemplifies excellent re-examination of historical sources to move beyond mythic imagery of the past but to bring a deeper understanding of how the complex decisions of war were calculated, implemented, and understood by the Prophet and the early Muslim community. This is an outstanding contribution to the broader work of conflict, war, and the limitations of war in early Islamic history."
— Dr. Qamar-ul Huda, author of Peacebuilding and Conflict Resolution in Islam
"A fascinating work of strategic philosophy. ... The result is surprisingly persuasive. [Its analyses] are thought-provoking and, in places, offer fresh ways of understanding what happened."
- Colin White, The Mariner's Mirror: The Journal of the Society for Nautical Research, November 2003.
"This effort by Hayward merits serious attention. ... It provides many fresh insights into the workings of Nelson's mind. ... There is no question Hayward has done his work and supports it by solid research. He poses important questions and proffers plausible answers."
-- Paul Webb, Int. Journal of Maritime History, Vol. XV No. 2.
For God and Glory "bears testimony to the ongoing allure of the world's most popular amphibious rascal. ... It is highly original ... and views the admiral's war fighting from a vantage point not accessible to many of Nelson's leading biographers."
-- Sea Classics, Vol. 36, No. 9 (September 3003)
"For God and Glory ... makes a very useful and distinctive contribution. ... of great interest to students of modern warfare ... [Hayward] has created a thought-provoking work that will certainly help to sharpen and to refine the on-going discussion about Nelson."
-- The Journal of Military History, Vol. 68, No. 1 (Jan 2004), pp. 252-253
"... a professional, painstakingly researched, and solidly written study of a watershed period in European history. ...[It] provides a generally unemotional and admirably factual examination of a remarkable historical figure."
The Press, 2 August 2003
Although it is widely agreed that Muhammad was a moral and decent man, this explanation seems incomplete and almost inadequate. Joel Hayward approaches the Prophet’s leadership from a different vantage point by scrutinising ancient sources to ascertain whether Muhammad’s conscious actions, behaviour, and methods can provide any substantial and meaningful insights about the effectiveness of his strategic leadership.
Through meticulous research and rigorous analysis, Hayward demonstrates that Muhammad was an uncommonly astute and self-reflective man with the ability to create and communicate a believable strategic vision of a necessary and desirable future. This engaging yet deeply scholarly book makes a major contribution to both leadership studies and the Prophet’s biography.
This study rejects the view that, in the wars fought by Muhammad, he acted immorally through any acts of wanton personal dishonesty (“deceit”) that constitute severe character imperfections and stain his reputation as a holy man. It argues instead that, in his quest to defeat the forces within Arabia which sought to destroy his fledgling community, Muhammad used ruse and bluff and strategic and tactical deception as a reasonable, necessary and eminently legitimate means of gaining military advantage so as to minimise suffering on both sides. It argues that, if Muhammad is to be condemned for using ruses during warfare, then for consistency and fairness his critics must also consider earlier prophets including Moses, Joshua and David, and all of history’s greatest military leaders, including Washington, Wellington, Nelson, Lee, Churchill and Eisenhower, to have been morally corrupt merely because they also esteemed the advantages obtained through the use of ruse.
The process of learning Islam is more profoundly complex and confusing, yet stimulating and satisfying, than for those who were raised in Islamic families or communities can possibly imagine. Everything needs to be learned. But first everything needs to be unlearned. Hayward's journey of exploration, transformation and illumination forms the beating heart of this moving collection of poetry. Yet his poems deal not only with his own conversion and other spiritual experiences, but, more importantly, also with the everyday challenges and hopes of western Muslims who wrestle to understand their gone-astray society and its encroaching pressures. This is a timely and important work that reveals the struggle and profound insights of someone bridging cultures and faith traditions.
The Muslim World Book Review, 44:2 (2024, pp. 22-25) reviewer Abdullah Drury