(Redirected from Sira)
'Sirah Rasul Allah' (''Life of the Apostle of God'') or 'Sirat Nabawiyya' (''Life of the Prophet'') (from
Arabic سيرة) is the Arabic term used for the various traditional
Muslim biographies of
Muhammad, from which most historical information about his life and the early period of
Islam is derived. The name is often shortened to "Sira" or "Sirah". Non-Muslims are not considered legitimate biographers or writers of Sira of Prophet
Muhammad (PBUH).
Etymology
In the
Arabic language the word seerah comes from the verb ''saara'' (
imperfect ''yaseeru''), which means to travel or to be on a journey. A person's seerah is that person’s journey through life. It is the story of the person’s birth, the events surrounding it, his life and his death, and his manners and characteristics. In modern times this is still called seerah, like a
resume is called a seerah or seerah dhaatihi in the Arabic language.
In
Islamic sciences or the
Sharia, seerah means the study of the life of the
Muhammad. It is the study of his life and all that is related to him.
[1]
Content
Muslims believe that these biographies are for the most part accurate portrayals of Muhammad - although some of their reports may be treated with skepticism - and as such they are used to provide the context for interpretation of the
Qur'an. On the other hand, Western historians vary in their evaluation of the sira as reliable sources. Some, such as
William Montgomery Watt, see the traditional accounts being on the whole reliable; taking exception only with some passages which they view as being devotional literature, intended to glorify Muhammad rather than relating historical information. Other, more sceptical, critics such as
Patricia Crone are far less trusting of the sira.
The sira literature include a variety of materials such as political treaties, military enlistments, assignments of officials, etc. which were recorded by successive generations of Muslims. In principle, the biographies of Muhammad would have been assembled from reports of what Muhammad did, just as what he said was recorded in the form of
hadith. However, the sirah literature is technically different from hadith literature as it is in general not as concerned with validation through the chain of transmitters (
isnad), although in the earliest sira many of the narratives are accompanied by ''isnad''s. This is probably due to a number of reasons. First, the story of Muhammad's life was probably quite well-known and frequently re-told amongst Muslims, as well as to new converts, from the early days of Islam. Second, the sira literature is concerned primarily with the narrative of Muhammad's life, whereas the intent of the hadith literature is to assemble his sayings as an authoritative source for
Islamic law. The immediate relevance of many hadith sayings to legal debates made it more important that they be accompanied by isnads.
Together the sira and the hadith constitute the
sunnah, or prophetic example which has formed the basis of many practices shared by traditional Muslim communities around the world.
Ibn Ishaq's ''Sirat Rasul Allah'' is the earliest surviving traditional biography, and was written just over 100 years after Muhammad's death. It survives in the later editions of
Ibn Hisham and
al-Tabari. There are a few important differences between these, however. For example, al-Tabari includes the controversial episode of the
Satanic Verses, while Ibn Hisham does not. Another of the earliest siras is
al-Waqidi's. Several writers are reported to have written ''siras'' before Ibn Ishaq, including:
Urwah ibn al-Zubayr ibn al-Awwam (a descendant of Asma), who died in 92 AH and whom Ibn Ishaq, al-Waqidi, and at-Tabari are all said to have used as a source, and
Abban ibn Uthman ibn Affan (d. 105 AH) and
Wahb ibn Munabbih al-Yamani (d. 110 AH). However, their works do not survive.
Text of Ibn Ishaq
Much of the text of the ''Sirah Rasul Allah'' by
Ibn Ishaq (Medina 85 A.H. - Bagdad 151 A.H.) was copied over by
Ibn Hisham (Basra 1xy A.H. -
Fustat, Egypt, 218 or 213 A.H.) into a work of his own. Ibn Hisham also "abbreviated, annotated, and sometimes altered" the text (Guillaume, at xvii). Interpolations of Ibn Hisham are recognizable and can be deleted, leaving as a remainder an "edited" version of Ibn Ishaq, whose original version is lost. Guillaume (at xxxi) points out that Ibn Hisham's version omits several narratives given by
al-Tabari in his ''History'' (at 1192, & 1341), who cited Ibn Ishaq as their source. In the text we have, an introductory part describes pre-Islamic Arabia (about 100 pages in Guillaume), before commencing with the narratives surrounding the life of Muhammad.
Gustav Weil, ''Das Leben Mohammeds nach Mohammed ibn Ishak, bearbeitet von Abd Malik ibn Hischam'' (Stuttgart: J. B. Metzler'schen Buchh. 1864), 2 volumes. The ''Sirah Rasul Allah'' translated into German with annotations.
Ibn Ishaq, ''The Life of Muhammad. Apostle of Allah'' (London: The Folio Society 1964), 177 pages. A translation by Edward Rehatsek (Hungary 1819 - Mumbai [Bombay] 1891), which has been abridged and introduced [at 5-13] by Michael Edwards. Rehatsek had completed his translation; it was given to the Royal Asiatic Society of London by F. F. Arbuthnot in 1898.
Alfred Guillaume, ''The Life of Muhammad. A translation of Ishaq's "Sirat Rasul Allah"'', with introdution [xiii-xliii] and notes (Oxford University 1955), xlvii + 815 pages. The Arabic text used by Guillaume was the Cairo edition of 1355/1937 by Mustafa al-Saqqa, Ibrahim al-Abyari and Abdul-Hafiz Shalabi, as well as another, that of F. Wustenfeld (Gottingen 1858-1860). Ibn Hasham's "Notes" are given at pages 691-798.
Authors of Sira
Early Writers (710 C.E.- 921 C.E.)
★ '
Urwah ibn Zubayr' , the son of
Asma bint Abi Bakr
★ 'Az-Zubayr ibn Al-Awan' , grandson of
Abu Bakr and the younger brother of Abdullah ibn Az-Zubayr.
★ 'Abaan ibn Uthman ibn Affan', the son of
Uthman wrote a small booklet.
★ '
Al-Sha'bi'.
★ '
Wahb ibn Munabbih'.
★ '
Hammam ibn Munabbih', a student of
Abu Hurayrah
★ 'Asim Ibn Umar Ibn Qatada
Al-Ansari'
★ 'Ibn Shihab Az-Zuhree or Imam
Al-Zuhri'
★ 'Musa
Ibn Uqba' ,pupil of
Al-Zuhri
★ 'Muhammed
Ibn Ishaq' ,pupil of
Al-Zuhri
★ 'Ma'mar Ibn Rashid
Al-Azdi',pupil of
Al-Zuhri
★ 'Abdul Rahman ibn Abdul Aziz
Al-Ausi',pupil of
Al-Zuhri
★ 'Muhammad ibn Salih ibn Dinar
Al-Tammar',was a pupil of
Al-Zuhri and mentor of
Al-Waqidi.
★ 'Ya'qub bin Utba Ibn Mughira Ibn Al-Akhnas Ibn Shuraiq
Al-Thaqafi'
★ 'Hashim Ibn Urwah ibn Zubayr',son of
Urwah ibn Zubayr generally quoted traditions from his father but was also a pupil of
Al-Zuhri.
★ 'Abu Ma'shar Najih
Al-Madani'.
★ '
Al-Makhzumi'.
★ 'Ali ibn mujahid Al razi Al kindi'.
★ '
Al-Bakka',was a disciple of
Ibn Ishaq and teacher of
Ibn Hisham and thus forms a very important link in Sira between two great scholars.
★ 'Abdul Malik
Ibn Hisham',pupil of Al-Bakka.
★ 'Salama ibn Al-Fadl Al-Abrash Al-Ansari',pupil of
Ibn Ishaq.
★ '
Al-Waqidi', His only surviving work is ''"Kitab alTarikh wa al-Maghazi"'' (Book of History and Campaigns)
★ 'Abu Isa Muhammad
Al-Tirmidhi' ,wrote compilations of ''Shamaail'' (Characteristics of
Muhammad (PBUH))
★ '
Ibn Sa'd' ,wrote 8 volumes called the ''Tabaqat'' or ''
The Book of the Major Classes''.He was also a pupil of
Al-Waqidi.
★ 'Imam Al-Bayhaqee' ,wrote ''Dalial An-Nabuwwah'' (Argument for Prophet hood).
★ '
Muhammad ibn Jarir al-Tabari',wrote his famous work ''
History of the Prophets and Kings''.
Later Writers (1100 C.E.- 1517 C.E.)
★ 'Abdul Rahman
Al-Suhaili', wrote a commentary on
Ibn Ishaq's work called ''
Raud al-Unuf''.
★ 'Al-Hafiz Abdul Mu'min
Al-Dimyati', wrote the book '"al-Mukhtasar fi Sirati Sayyid Khair al-Bashar"' but is commonly referred to as 'Sira of Al-Dimyati'.
★ 'Ala'al-Din Ali ibn Muhammad Al-Khilati Hanafi',wrote Sirat of Al-Khilati.
★ 'Sheikh Zahir al-Din ibn Muhammad Gazaruni'.
★ '
Abu-al-Faraj ibn Al-Jawzi',wrote ''
A Great Collection of Fabricated Traditions'' a critique of ''
Musnad Ahmad ibn Hanbal''. But his book on Sira is called ''Sharaf Al-Mustafa'' (actual full Title of book(s):Uyun al-hikayat fi Sirat Sayyid al-Bariyya).
★ '
Ibn Kathir', wrote ''
Al-Sira Al-Nabawiyya (Ibn Kathir)''.
★ 'Abu Rabi Sulaiman ibn Musa Al-Kala'i' compiled a book titled "Iktifa fi Maghazi al-Mustafa wal-Khulafa al-Thalatha".
★ 'Ibn Abd al-Barr'.
★ 'Sayyid Al-Nas', wrote ''Uyun al-Athar''.
★ 'Zain al-Din Iraqi' was a teacher of
Ibn Hajar and he wrote ''Sira Manzuma''.
★ '
Qastallani', his book on Sira is ''Al-Mawahib al-Ladunniya''.
Modern Writers (1800C.E.- Present)
★ '
Al-Zurqani',wrote a commentary on the ''Al-Mawahib al-Ladunniya'' by Qastallani and it was called ''Al-Zurqani 'ala al-Mawahib''.
★ '
Qazi Halb Burhan-ud-din',wrote ''
Sirat al-Halbiya''.
★ '
Shibli Nomani', wrote his famous 5 volume book ''
Sirat-un-Nabi'' in
Urdu with the help of his disciple '
Syed Sulaiman Nadvi'.The book was translated in English by 'M.Tayyib Bakhsh Budayuni':ISBN 81-7151-282-8.
★ '
Muhammad Husayn Haykal',wrote ''The Life of Muhammad'' in Arabic, 1933; with English translation by 'Isma'il Razi A. al-Faruqi'.
★ '
Syed Sulaiman Nadvi', wrote ''Muhammad The Ideal Prophet'' and ''Muhammad The Prophet Of Peace'' translated by 'Rauf Luther'.
★ 'N Tawheedi' ,wrote ''A Glance At The Life Of The Holy Prophet Of Islam '' .
★ 'Mohammad Amin' ,wrote ''A Spark From The Dynamo Of Prophethood'' .
★ 'Mohammed
Marmaduke Pickthall', wrote ''Al-Amin A Life-Sketch Of The Prophet Muhammad''
★ 'Syed M. Nadvi',wrote ''An Easy History Of The Prophet Of Islam''.
★ '
Safi-ur-Rahman Mubarakpuri',wrote
Ar-Raheeq Al-Makhtum (The Sealed Nectar).
★ 'Qadi Iyad', wrote ''Ash-Shifa - Muhammad The Messenger of Allah''
★ 'Ziauddin Sardar & Zafar Malik' wrote ''Introducing Muhammad'' and ''Muhammad Aspects Of His Biography'' by Ziauddin Sardar.
★ 'Abdul Hameed Siddiqui',wrote ''Life Of Muhammad'' .
★ 'Dr Muhammad Shamsul Haque', wrote ''Life Of Prophet Muhammad The Final Messenger''
★ 'Afzalur Rahman' wrote 3 books namely, ''Muhammad As A Military Leader'' ; ''Muhammad Encyclopedia Of Seerah'' and ''Muhammad Blessing For Mankind''.
★ 'Zahir Ahmed Muhammad',wrote the ''Glimpses Of The Prophet's Life & Times''.
★ 'Abu Bakr Siraj Ad-Din a.k.a
Martin Lings' , wrote ''Muhammad : His Life Based on the Earliest Sources'' (1983), Islamic Texts Society, ISBN 0-04-297042-3
★ 'Ali Musa Raza' ,wrote ''Muhammad In The Qur'an''.
★ 'Seyyed Hussein Nasr', wrote ''Muhammad Man Of Allah''.
★ 'Abul Hasan Ali Nadwi',wrote ''Muhammad Rasulullah'' .
★ 'Muhammad Iqbal',wrote ''Muhammad The Beloved Prophet''.
★ 'Naeem Siddiqui',wrote ''Muhammad The Benefactor Of Humanity''.
★ 'Dr M.H. Durrani',wrote two books namely ''Muhammad The Biblical Prophet'' and ''The Holy Prophet Muhammad''.
★ 'Dr Majid Ali Khan',wrote ''Muhammad The Final Messenger''.
★ '
Ahmed Deedat',wrote ''Muhammad the Greatest'' and ''Muhammad the Natural Successor to Christ''.
★ '
Jamal Badawi', wrote ''Muhammad A Blessing For Mankind'',a Short Biography and Commentary.
★ 'Mustafa Ahmad al-Zarqa',wrote ''Muhammad The Perfect Model For Humanity''.
★ 'Maulana Wahiduddin Khan',wrote ''Muhammad The Prophet Of Revolution''.
★ 'Syed Iqbal Zaheer',wrote ''Muhammad The Unlettered Prophet Who Changed The World''.
★ 'Abdur Rahman Lutz',wrote ''Muhammad Upon Whom Be Peace''.
★ 'Syed Athar Husain' ,wrote ''Prophet Muhammad & His Mission''.
★ 'Fethullah Gulen',wrote ''Prophet Muhammad As Commander'' and ''Prophet Muhammad The Infinite Light''.
★ 'Kais al-Kalby' ,wrote ''Prophet Muhammad The Last Messenger In The Bible''.
★ 'Mufti Shafi',wrote '' Seerat Khaatmul-Ambiyaa - Life Of Rasulullah'' translated by 'Abbas Zuber Ali'.
★ 'Dr Mohamed Abdulla Pasha',wrote ''Sixth Century & Beyond - The Prophet & His Times''.
★ 'Zakaria Bashier',wrote ''Sunshine At Madinah: Studies In Life Of Prophet'' and ''The Makkan Crucible''.
★ 'Dr Ata Mohy-ud-din' ,wrote ''The Arabian Prophet''.
★ 'Fakir Syed Waheeduddin',wrote ''The Benefactor & The Rightly-Guided''.
★ 'Mustafa Al-Sibai',wrote '' The Biography Of Allah's Prophet -Lessons & Examples''.
★ 'Muhammad Bashiruddin Mahmood' ,wrote ''The First & The Last - Muhammad''.
★ 'Khwaja Kamaluddin',wrote ''The Ideal Prophet''.
★ 'Abdul Majeed',wrote ''The Last Prophet & His Message'' .
★ 'Mohammad Yusuf',wrote '' The Last Prophet Of Islam ''.
★ 'Muhammad Abdul Rauf' ,wrote ''The Life & Teaching Of The Prophet Muhammad''.
★ 'Syed Ameer Ali' ,wrote ''The Life & Teachings Of Mohammad ''.
★ 'Tahia Al-Ismail',wrote ''The Life Of Muhammad - Based On Earliest Sources''.
★ 'Sarwar Saulat' ,wrote ''The Life Of The Prophet''.
★ 'Abdal Rahman Azzam',wrote ''The Life Of The Prophet Muhammad''.
★ 'Muhammad Al-Kidari',wrote ''The Light Of Certitude''.
★ '
Muhammad Hamidullah',wrote 4 books on Sira ''Muhammad Rasulullah: A concise survey of the life and work of the founder of Islam'' ; ''The prophet of Islam: Prophet of migration'' ; ''The Prophet's establishing a state and his succession'' ; ''Battlefields of the Prophet Muhammad''.
★ 'Ayatullah Jafar Subhani',wrote ''The Message - The Holy Prophet Of Allah''.
★ 'Khalifa Abdul Hakim' ,wrote ''The Prophet & His Message''.
★ 'Syed Abdul Wahab' ,wrote ''The Shadowless Prophet Of Islam''.
★ 'Muhammad Abdul Hai',wrote ''Uswai Rasool-e-Akram (Life & Teachings Of Prophet)''.
★ 'Safdar Hosain',wrote '' Who Was Muhammad?''.
See also
★
Fiqh
★
Hadith
★
MaghÄzÄ«
★
Isnad
★
Sunnah
External links
★
Study of Seerah
★
Hadeeth Encyclopedia
★
Sources of Compiling Seerah
★
Abridged version of ''Sirat Rasoul Allah''
العربية
ä¸å›½
Français
Deutsch
Ελληνική
हिनà¥à¤¦à¥€
Italiano
日本語
Português
РуÑÑкий
Español![Cafe Havana, Guam\](images/articles/thumbs/cafehavanathumb.jpg "Cafe Havana, Guam\")
