Mujam al-Maalim al-Jughrafiya fi al-Sira al-Nabawiya
- Author died
- 1431 AH
- Editions
- Dār Makkah lil-Nashr wa-al-Tawzī‘
Mujam al-Maalim al-Jughrafiya fi al-Sira al-Nabawiya (Dictionary of Geographical Landmarks in the Prophetic Biography) is a single-volume geographical dictionary authored by the Saudi historian and geographer Atiq al-Biladi (1352–1431 AH / 1934–2010 CE) that identifies and maps the places mentioned in accounts of the life of the Prophet Muhammad .
Background and Composition
Al-Biladi conceived the work after attending a scholarly assembly where attendees expressed a need for a practical reference work collecting the geographical landmarks found throughout the Prophetic biography (al-Sira al-Nabawiyya) without relying heavily on lengthy poetic citations typical of classical geographical treatises . He completed the manuscript in Mecca on 20 Rabi' al-Awwal 1402 AH, and it was published the same year (1402 AH / 1982 CE) by Dar Makkah li-l-Nashr wa-l-Tawzi' in one volume .
Scope and Structure
Designed as a companion manual for readers of the sira, the work encompasses not only the sites of military expeditions (ghazawat and saraya), but every geographical location referenced in biographical reports . This includes pre-Islamic events connected to the Prophet's lineage and mission, locations appearing in biographies of the Companions, and later battles fought by them .
The book is arranged alphabetically according to the Arabic letters, beginning with the letter alif . Each entry begins with vocalization guidance for the place name, followed by its historical context in the sira, its contemporary identification, relative location to known urban centers, and modern condition . The author also included illustrative maps and diagrams for many entries .
Methodology and Sources
To establish the primary textual corpus of sites, al-Biladi adopted Ibn Hisham's redaction of Ibn Ishaq's al-Sira al-Nabawiyya, specifically referencing the edition printed by Mustafa al-Babi al-Halabi for citations .
Rather than relying purely on textual compilation, al-Biladi conducted extensive field research across the Arabian Peninsula, Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, Iraq, and Egypt, personally visiting and verifying no less than 90 percent of the sites documented in the work . For landmarks he could not physically inspect or those whose traces had vanished, he relied on classical geographical and historical sources .
Reception and Criticism
Modern researchers and historians of the Arabian Peninsula frequently cite the work for historical topography . Muhammad ibn Muhammad al-Awaji noted its utility for locating historical sites due to its use of modern measurements and distances in kilometers, calling it a valuable reference in its field, while remarking that it did not entirely exhaust every single geographical item present across Ibn Hisham's text .
Answer updated