Ali Dashti

Ali Dashti (Persian: علی دشتی, pronounced [æˈliː dæʃˈtiː]; 31 March 1897 – January 16, 1982) was an Iranian rationalist and senator of the twentieth century.

Twenty Three Years: A Study of the Prophetic Career of Mohammad (1973)

 * English translation by F. R. C. Bagley. Mazda Publishers, 1994.


 * Mohammad's greatness is unquestionable. He was one of the most outstanding men of genius who have appeared in human history. If the social and political circumstances of his time are taken into account, he has no equal among the initiators of major historical change. Men such as Alexander, Caesar, Napoleon, Hitler, Cyrus, Chengiz Khan, or Timur do not bear comparison with him. They all had the support of the armed forces and public opinion of their peoples, whereas Mohammad made his way into history with empty hands and in a hostile society.
 * Pp. 7–8


 * In all fairness the Qur'an is a wonder. Its short suras of the Meccan period are charged with expressive force and persuasive power. Its style has no precedent in the Arabic language. Its effusion from the tongue of an illiterate man with no education, let alone literary training, is a phenomenon which, in this respect, can justifiably be described as a miracle.
 * Pp. 52–53


 * Mohammad believed in what he said; he believed that he was inspired by God.
 * P. 72

Quotes about Dashti

 * Although [Twenty Three Years] was written in 1937, it was only published in 1974, and probably in Beirut, since between 1971 and 1977 the regime of the Shah of Iran forbade publication of any criticism of religion. After the Iranian Revolution of 1979 Dashti authorized its publication by underground opposition groups. His book, whose title refers to the prophetic career of Muhammad, may well have sold over half a million copies in pirated editions between 1980 and 1986.
 * Ibn Warraq: Why I Am Not a Muslim, p. 4