Preface

Preface

Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds, and peace be upon the exalted Messenger of Allah and the Seal of the Prophets, Muhammad, and upon all his family and Companions and those who follow them with sincerity until the Day of Judgment.

No words can express the praise and gratitude I owe to Allah Almighty or describe my happiness as I write this preface to the last book in the series, Stories of the Prophets. 

Allah has prolonged my life and blessed me with success in completing this book devoted to the life of the last Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace). 

A period of thirty years lapsed between writing the story of the Prophet Musa (peace and blessings be upon him) and the section which begins with the story of the Prophet Shu'ayb and ends with the story of the Prophet 'Isa ibn Maryam (peace and blessings be upon them). No one can be certain of continued life, and it was only through Divine kindness and favor that I was able to write about the life of the Prophet specifically for children. Having dedicated myself to the task of writing this book, I managed to finish it in a short time. Then I began a definitive work on the life of the Prophet. This small book formed the basis for the larger book, completed at the beginning of Shawwal, 1396 A.H., produced by Dar ash-Shuruq in Jeddah under the title, as-Sirah an-Nabawiyyah, and published in Cairo in Rabi' al-Awwal, 1398 A.H. (April 1977 C.E.). It has also been translated into English and published by The Academy of Islamic Research & Publications, Lucknow, India, entitled Muhammad, Rasulullah.

I have based my work on a summary of as-Sirah an-Nabawiyyah by Ibn Hisham, one of the oldest books on the life of the Prophet still in existence. It has had a great effect on the hearts and souls of generations of believers. I have also relied on ancient Sirah sources and the celebrated books of as-Sihah in hadith. As I did not set out to write an academic treatise, I have refrained from constantly specifying my sources. The book has been written for enthusiastic young people, not for a university scholarship, so references are confined to texts and variants. My large and comprehensive book on the Sirah will meet their needs for theological arguments and contemporary studies.

By the power of Almighty Allah, this present work comes between the Sirah written for adults and the books published for children. It can be studied by adolescents or read by non-academics, in their madrasahs, libraries, and homes. It will also be useful to non-Muslims and can be translated into other languages. It contains the core and summary of the Sirah, the wonders and facts of various events, the background to the Islamic call, and the conquests and victories associated with it. Above all, this book will provide the student with a welcome environment in which he or she will find guidance that lasts a lifetime. It provides the light to illuminate the pathway, the spiritual weapons needed for defense against secularism and satanic influences, and the message to carry into the future.

Finally, I praise Aliah for the successful conclusion of this work. I thank Him for His gifts and blessings, and I ask Him to accept my efforts. I pray that this book will help the Muslim youth of today to overcome the thorny thickets that obstruct their path. Allah is the One who guides to the right path whomever He wants.

Abul Hasan Ali Nadwi