Mahomet the Imposter is a 1744 tragedy by the British playwright James Miller, adapted from Voltaire's 1736 French play Le fanatisme, ou Mahomet le Prophète (commonly known as Mahomet). The title also refers more broadly to a recurring characterization of the Prophet Muhammad in 18th-century European literature, in which he was portrayed as a deliberate deceiver who fabricated religious claims for political power.
The Play
Mahomet the Imposter was Miller's final work and his only tragedy. It premiered on 25 April 1744 at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane in London, with David Garrick in the role of Zaphna and Dennis Delane as Mahomet. The play was completed by John Hoadly after Miller's death, which occurred two days after the premiere.
The plot is set during Muhammad's siege of Mecca (c. 629–630 CE). It centers on a fictional narrative in which Mahomet orders the assassination of Zopir, the Meccan leader, by Seid—a young man who has been abducted and indoctrinated since childhood. Seid carries out the killing, only to learn that Zopir was his unrecognized father. The deception is exposed, leading to the deaths of Seid and his sister Palmira, while Mahomet consolidates his power.
Voltaire's Original
Voltaire's Mahomet (first performed in Lille on 25 April 1741) is a five-act tragedy that examines religious fanaticism and the manipulation of faith for political ends. Voltaire described the work as "written in opposition to the founder of a false and barbarous sect." The play was controversial upon its release; it was banned in Paris after three performances in 1742 following protests from Catholic clergy, who interpreted its critique of religious imposture as an attack on Christianity by proxy.
Voltaire sent a copy of the play to Pope Benedict XIV, who responded approvingly and sent medals in return—a correspondence Voltaire published in subsequent editions.
Historical Context
The characterization of Muhammad as an "impostor" was common in European writings from the 17th and 18th centuries. Notable examples include Humphrey Prideaux's 1697 treatise The True Nature of Imposture Fully Display'd in the Life of Mahomet, and numerous chapbooks and popular pamphlets such as The History of Mahomet, the Great Imposter (published in Glasgow). These works drew on early Islamic biographical sources (sira) and hadith traditions but interpreted them through a skeptical, often polemical, Christian lens.
The term "Mahomet" itself is an archaic European variant of the name Muhammad, derived from Ottoman Turkish ("Mehmet").
Later Reception
Napoleon Bonaparte, during his captivity on Saint Helena, criticized Voltaire's portrayal, stating that the playwright "has degraded Mahomet, by making him descend to the lowest intrigues" and "represented a great man, who changed the face of the world, acting like a scoundrel."
In 1881, a revival of Voltaire's play in Paris was officially protested by the Ottoman Turkish ambassador. In 2005, a reading of the play in Saint-Genis-Pouilly, France, prompted street disturbances and demands for cancellation, though the mayor allowed the performance to proceed, citing free speech.
Modern scholarship has examined the play within the framework of Orientalism, with some critics arguing that it reflects early forms of anti-Islamic bias by essentializing Islam as inherently fanatical and despotic.
