W. Montgomery Watt

W. Montgomery Watt
Watt (right), being interviewed by Ali Akbar Abdolrashidi.
Born
William Montgomery Watt

(1909-03-14)14 March 1909
Ceres, Fife, Scotland
Died24 October 2006(2006-10-24) (aged 97)
Edinburgh, Scotland
NationalityScottish
TitleProfessor of Arabic and Islamic Studies
Academic work
DisciplineOriental studies and Religious studies
Sub-disciplineArabic
History of Islam
Muhammad
Islamic Philosophy
Islamic theology
InstitutionsAnglican Diocese of Jerusalem
University of Edinburgh
Notable worksMuhammad at Mecca (1953)
Muhammad at Medina (1956)

William Montgomery Watt (14 March 1909 – 24 October 2006) was a Scottish historian and orientalist. An Anglican priest, Watt served as Professor of Arabic and Islamic Studies at the University of Edinburgh from 1964 to 1979 and was also a prominent contributor to the field of Quranic studies.

Watt was one of the foremost non-Muslim interpreters of Islam in the West. Watt's comprehensive biography of the Islamic prophet Muhammad, Muhammad at Mecca (1953) and Muhammad at Medina (1956), are considered to be classics in the field.