The Life & Character of the Seal of Prophets (sa) - Volume I — Page xx
Seal of the Prophets - Volume I xx Holy Prophet sa – may Allāh enable me. By writing this book, my purpose is to educate the Muslim youth, who generally are completely uninformed of the life of the Holy Prophet sa and the early history of Islam. It is to introduce them to the true state of affairs in a concise; easy to understand, simple, yet interesting manner. Moreover, so that this work may become a means of reward for me in the hereafter, if Allāh wills. It is a very difficult sight indeed, to see that our youngsters are knowledgeable in the lives of the rulers, generals and intellectuals of other nations and religions, and read their biographies, but are overwhelmingly uneducated in the life of their Master and Leader, the Holy Prophet sa. There are many reasons for this, but a key reason is that until this time, no such biography of the Holy Prophet sa has been authored in the Urdu language, as may draw in the minds of this era. The work of Maulānā Shiblī, various portions of which are yet to be published, are an exception to this remark, but due to various reasons, even it cannot be deemed beneficial for the general Islāmic public. In any case, my disposition sensed an insufficiency in Urdu literature, which I have endeavoured to fulfill in as much as possible. If I have succeeded in this endeavour, then it is my good fortune, but if I have failed, then it is my supplication, that may God inspire this weak and incomplete effort of mine into such a good heart, as may complete this shortcoming. In the preparation of this book, I have not fully relied on any one source. Particularly, I have not accepted any work of the contemporaries without my own indepth research. Among the early scholars, historically, for the life of the Holy Prophet sa , only four books have been deemed an actual source: First and foremost, Sīrat Ibni Hishām, which is a derivation of Sīrat Ibni Isḥāq, secondly, Ṭabaqāt Ibnī Sa‘d, thirdly, Ṭabarī, and fourthly, Wāqidī. In as much as possible, I have thoroughly studied them and benefitted from them. In the analysis of all the narrations recorded in these books, and for the purpose of research, I have always kept the Holy Qur’ān and books of Aḥādīth (particularily the Ṣiḥāḥ Sittah 1 ) in special consideration. From the books of latter scholars, I have especially benefitted from Zarqānī, Sharḥu Mawāhibil-Ladunniyyah, Tārīkhul-Kāmil Ibni Athīr, Usdul-Ghābbah, Iṣābah fī Ma‘rifatiṣ-Ṣaḥābah and Sīratun-Nabī sa written by Maulānā Shiblī. In order to keep the allegations of Europe and their writing style in consideration, I have studied “The Life of Mahomet (sa) ” written by Sir 1 Six Most Authentic Books of Ḥadīth (Publishers)