al-Sira al-Nabawiyya fi Daw al-Quran wa al-Sunna
- Author died
- 1403 AH
- Editions
- Dār al-Qalam
al-Sira al-Nabawiyya fi Daw al-Quran wa al-Sunna (The Prophetic Biography in the Light of the Quran and the Sunnah) is a two-volume study of the life of the Prophet Muhammad by the Egyptian Azhari scholar Muhammad Abu Shahba (d. 1403 AH / 1983 CE) .
Composition and Publication
Abu Shahba originally composed and published the second part of the work—covering the period from the Hijrah to the death of the Prophet—several years prior to the first part . After the first edition of the second volume was exhausted, he completed the first part, which covers the era prior to the Prophet's birth up to the emigration to Medina . The author reviewed and drafted portions of the first volume in Medina within the Prophet's Mosque, concluding its composition in Rabi' al-Awwal 1388 AH (June 1968 CE) . A revised and expanded second edition of the second volume was subsequently published to unite both parts into a complete two-volume biographical work, later issued in multiple editions by publishers including Dar al-Qalam in Damascus .
Purpose and Scope
Abu Shahba intended the book to serve not merely as an academic manual for school examinations or as material for rhetorical delivery, but as an educational foundation for moral instruction and practical emulation of the Prophet and his Companions . The work encompasses the pre-Islamic Arabian context, the lineage and birth of the Prophet, the Meccan period of preaching, the migration, the military expeditions, and the establishment of the community in Medina until the Prophet's demise .
Method and Sources
The author structured his methodology around several core principles:
- Reliance on the Quran: Treating the Quran as the primary and most certain source for biographical events, Abu Shahba cited and interpreted the verses associated with specific historical episodes—such as the battles of al-Ahzab, al-Hudaybiyyah, and Banu al-Nadir, as well as the Incident of the Slander (al-Ifk)—following the precedent of early biographers like Ibn Ishaq and Ibn Hisham .
- Hadith Criticism: The book utilizes authentic (sahih), fair (hasan), and acceptable (maqbul) reports from the primary Hadith compendia while rejecting fabricated traditions (mawdu'), uncorroborated biblical narratives (Isra'iliyyat), and severely weak reports, such as stories alleging that the Prophet touched idols in his youth or ascended above the Throne wearing sandals .
- Evaluation of Historical Accounts: While relying on early biographical authorities such as Ibn Ishaq, the author prioritizes reports recorded in Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim whenever discrepancies arise between the Hadith collections and the historians' chronicles .
- Integration of Narrative and Analysis: Abu Shahba combined chronological historical narrative with analytical commentary on pivotal decisions and events, deriving moral, spiritual, and legislative lessons .
- Emphasis on Prophethood: The work explicitly avoids analyzing the Prophet purely through secular concepts such as "genius" ('abqariyya), political leadership, or romanticized heroism, asserting that the Prophet's status transcends human genius due to divine revelation .
- Polemics and Apologetics: Abu Shahba engaged in detailed refutations of orientalist writings, Christian missionary polemics, and Westernized Muslim authors, specifically addressing contested episodes such as the narration of the cranes (al-Gharaniq), the spread of Islam, and the wisdom behind the Prophet's multiple marriages .
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