The Prophetic Sirah is a topic of great esteem. It is a topic of magnificence, and it will undoubtedly stand the test of time.
Allāh says, “and We raised high your name” (Qur’an 94:4).
Elsewhere, He says, “And you are surely on an excellent standard of character” (Quran 68:4).
After the Noble Qur’an and the Prophetic hadiths, the Sirah of the Prophet (ﷺ) serves as a minaret of light for humanity; its rays will never become dim and its radiant light will illuminate the Earth forever. It can be compared to an evergreen garden, whose fragrant breezes will continue to bring joy to the earth; a garden whose diverse array of flowers will always continue to captivate humankind with their inherent beauty. These aromatic flowers are the Prophet’s conduct, which brought about a colossal revolution in the world. They are essentially his perfect example of ethics, how to lead one’s life, the nature of a slave’s relationship with both his master and fellow humans, his sublime character, a just social and economic system, and his instructions regarding the rights of one’s family and others. In short, his example in every aspect of life has been presented in light of the divine revelation. It was this noble character that led the people of Makkah to attest to his greatness. This noble character compelled Heraclius to make the statement that the Prophet (ﷺ) will surely rule over his kingdom one day.
The Prophetic Sirah transcends all bounds of time and space. Surpassing the restrictions of physical directions and realms of the ancient and modern, it is a way of life and a mercy for the whole of humanity until the end of time. In one place, Allāh says, “Say: O Mankind! I am a messenger of Allāh to all of you,” and elsewhere He says, “Certainly, there is for you an excellent pattern in the Messenger of Allāh”. In a third place, Allāh says, “And we have not sent you except as a messenger to the worlds.” It was the responsibility of the Prophet (ﷺ) to present this example to everyone. In this respect, the Prophet referred to himself as a teacher and mentor. He said, “I have been sent as a teacher,” whilst on another occasion, he said, “I have been sent to complete noble characteristics.”
As His Sirah was to forever remain as the perfect example for humankind, Allāh Most High ensured its complete preservation. The Noble Companions and the Mothers of the Believers committed every minute detail regarding the Prophet (ﷺ) to memory. This ocean of knowledge was subsequently passed down from the Companions to the generations that followed and the historians, who compiled it into a book. Work on the Sirah was not confined to the earlier generations, but rather continued in every age. In each era, people took direction from this fountainhead of guidance and presented it to others in light of the circumstances, requirements, and temperament of the people in each respective age.
Books on the Sirah have been written in many languages, and, alongside Muslim authors, unbiased non-Muslim authors have also testified that nobody can present an example similar to that of the Prophet (ﷺ), let alone better than him. His Sirah is indeed the pinnacle of human excellence, beyond which the existence of, or even contemplating superiority in any characteristic, is an impossibility. However, certain individuals have held animosity against Islam and its followers since Islam’s roots first began. They have not left any stone unturned in their efforts to conceal, misconstrue, and distort the facts. [They are not included in the ambit of our discussion].
Urdu is among the languages, besides Arabic, in which a considerable amount of work has been dedicated to the topic of Sirah. In light of the significance of this topic, scholars of the Indo-Subcontinent have authored many invaluable books, producing a copious list that is ever-expanding. As-Sirah an-Nabawiyyah is Mawlana Abul-Hasan Nadwi’s highly academic and well-researched Arabic work, which was translated into Urdu -as Nabi-i-Rahmat- by his nephew Mawlana Sayyid Muhammad al-Hasani. Later on, Mawlana reviewed the translation and made some amendments, which are mentioned in the preface to the second edition. Explaining the importance and distinguishing points of his book, Mawlana writes, “Perhaps it was due to these reasons that I did not have the courage until now to author anything new on the topic of the Prophetic Sirah, and I considered this colossal task to be far beyond my capacity. My respected friends encouraged me to write a book on the Prophetic Sirah, which would take into account the mindset, taste, and temperament of today’s younger generation. Moreover, it should fully consider the needs, and the style of language and research that is prevalent in the current era, as each age has its unique style of language and expression, which needs to be borne in mind.” He further writes,
“Eventually, Allāh granted me unreservedness in this matter, and I immersed myself in this task with full concentration and dedication. It would be correct to say that my every breath and moment was being spent dedicated to this cause. I did not just read the books of hadith and Sirah for this, but rather tried to derive full benefit from any new and old literature that contained work of benefit. I tried to ensure that the book is a fusion of both an academic perspective and that of da’wah (propagation) and tarbiyah, without any one aspect overshadowing the other. Furthermore, I aimed to present as many animated and ebullient excerpts as possible, which will instinctively instill the reader with the zeal to emulate the prophetic example.”
Hadrat Mawlana Abul-Hasan Ali Nadwi was a verdant flower from a renowned family of scholars in Rae Bareli, Uttar Pradesh, and belonged to the Hasani Sayyids [lineage of the Prophet (ﷺ)] of the Indo Subcontinent. Alongside being a great Islamic thinker and leader, he was an influential and outstanding author, with exemplary oratory and literary command in both Arabic and Urdu. His pen expressed his deep sympathy for humanity and served as a mouthpiece of Islamic thought. Through his speeches and writings, he presented sound Islamic thought in a contemporary perspective. He expended all his strength in awakening the Ummah and reminding it of its forgotten duties. Be it among the Arabs or non-Arabs, he spoke very candidly. At times, he would discuss the rise and decline of the Muslims in the world. On occasion, he could be heard proclaiming “Listen, O Egypt” and at times, “O Arabs, listen to me carefully.” He woke the Arab world from its slumber and exposed the deception, scheming, and crimes of the West. He vehemently opposed the many obscenities being perpetrated in the name of literature, declaring the eradication of high standards of character and the decadence of sublime morals to be a mockery at the expense of humanity. His cause was to invite all towards literature of pristine content, truly epitomizing the values of humanity. Although he authored many outstanding books on a vast array of topics, he had been gifted with a unique competence in biographies, and hence wrote biographies of many saints. He established a standing for the scholars of the Indian Subcontinent in the hearts of the Arabs through his work on Arabic literature and Islamic thought. His most famous work is What the World Lost through the Decline of the Muslims, and it is this book that earned him a renowned status in the Arab world. It has been translated into English, Turkish, Urdu, and many other languages, whilst its Arabic readership is so wide that it is difficult to put a figure on the book’s official and unofficial editions. Alongside these services, he was the Principal of Nadwatal-Ulama’ and Chairman of the All India Muslim Personal Law Board for many years. His services for Islam span over half a century.
Hadrat Mawlanas’ books take into consideration the contemporary style of logic and reasoning, with this book in particular addressing commonly recurring doubts in exceptional detail. For this reason, this book received wide acclaim in the Arab world and, within a short period of time, was incorporated into the syllabus of a number of universities. Due to its significance, there was a need to translate this book into English, allowing the English readership to also benefit from this fragrant bouquet. Shah Abdu’r-Rahman Nash’at had previously translated this work into English; however, English is a developing language with ever-changing styles of expression and writing. Hence, many friends felt the need to edit the existing translation or translate the book anew, a suggestion which Shah Abdu’r-Rahman also agreed with. In fulfilling this, brother Yahya Batha of Turath Publishing from the UK has commissioned a new edition of the book, wherein a more contemporary literary style has been adopted. Furthermore, thirty full-coloured maps relating to the Sirah have also been added. Painstaking efforts have been made in proofreading and providing references.
The result of this collective effort is this book you have before you, remarkable on all fronts. We hope this translation will be highly appreciated by the people of knowledge and that many will benefit from it. May Allāh aptly reward all who were involved in this. May He grant us the zeal to follow the Shari’ah and to act in accordance with the Sirah of the Prophet (ﷺ).
SALMAN AL-HUSAYNI AN-NADWI “And this is not difficult for Allāh”
May Allāh bless and send peace upon the best of his creation, Muhammad, and all his family and Companions
Contents
Author’s Introduction →