The Life & Character of the Seal of Prophets (sa) - Volume I — Page 6
Seal of the Prophets - Volume I 6 were extraordinarily developed. In any case, the verbal narrations of the Arabs, which were later documented in writing, are the greatest source of Arabian history prior to Islām. Furthermore, since an outline of ancient Arabia cannot be formulated without the assistance of these narrations, no historian can disregard them. The written documentation of these narrations is present in various books of later period but the most extensive account is found in the work written by an illustrious Islāmic historian named Abū Ja‘far Muḥammad bin Al-Jarīr Ṭabarī. 1 The greater part of this vastly dispersed material has been effectively gathered in a well organized manner. Most of the books of latter era are more or less a derivation of this very collection. The arrival of Islām was the dawn of a new era in the history of Arabia. The voice of Muḥammad sa aroused the sleeping forces of Arabia, just as one who suddenly wakes from a deep sleep upon a sudden clamour. Since then the history of Arabia underwent a revolutionary transformation just as something hidden in the depths of darkness is suddenly brought into the brilliant illumination of the sun. In regards to the biography and disposition of the Holy Prophet sa and the history of the origin of Islām, such solid historical material is present, as most definitely no other religion or prophet has been so fortunate. This material is found in numerous forms; therefore a brief portrait of these various forms of material shall be presented in subsequent pages. The Holy Qur’ān At first and foremost is the durable fortress of Islāmic history, referred to as the Holy Qur’ān. According to the doctrine of the Muslims, each and every word and each and every letter of the Holy Qur’ān is the word of God, revealed to Muḥammad sa , the Prophet of Allāh. The span of this revelation is spread throughout the period of his 23-year prophethood. In other words, the first revelation indicated the commencement of his prophethood and the last portion of the Holy Qur’ān was revealed shortly preceding his demise. Therefore, if the collective days of prophethood are analysed against the total number of Qur’ānic verses, the average daily revelation equates to less than one verse per day. More or less, the total days of prophethood amount to 7970 days and the total number of verses in the Qur’ān only equal 6236. 1 224 A. H. to 310 A. H.