What message does al-­Tabari seek to communicate in his accounts made to Muhammad?

1500 words. This word limit includes citations of your sources [as footnotes] but excludes your bibliography.For your first assignment I require you to write an essay conducting a close analysis of al-­‐Tabari’s accounts of the first revelations made to the Prophet Muhammad (Biographies of Muhammad: extracts from The History of al-­‐Tabari in your courseware). Given that al-­‐Tabari supplies several different and at times contradictory accounts, what is the over-­‐arching message that he seeks to convey to his reader? While this assignment is primarily a text analysis, you may find it useful to consult secondary works (and maybe other primary sources) on the topic, including on al-­‐Tabari, his work and his historical context. Your work will be assessed for the quality of your arguments, the clarity and effectiveness of your writing, and your use of sources.