The land was split into many parts. The most important and famous being:
- Hejaz/Hijaz
- Najd
- Tihama
- Yamama
- 'Asir
- Hadhrmaut
- Rub'ul Khaali
- Najran
- Yeman
- Uman
- Bahrain
Can you spot them all? [Enlarge images by clicking on them to view them properly.]
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Introduction to Seerah
Before we study anything in life,
we must ask ourselves 9 questions:
What is the definition of the subject?
Seerah comes from the Arabic word
‘Sayr’ which means to walk. ‘Seerah’ is the way someone walks. This means the
way they live their life; their biography. Seeratun-Nabi means the biography of
Nabi Muhammad صلي
الله عليه وسلّم. It is shortened to Seerah as
this is the most important biography!
The traditional name for this
subject is ‘Maghaazi’. This means battles, as it covers the major struggles and
battles in Nabi صلي
الله عليه وسلّم’s life. This name was used
during the time of the Sahaaba and Tab’ieen. Another name is ‘Shamaail’ which means
description. This covers the physical description of Nabi صلي الله عليه وسلّم and his habits.
What is the subject material?
The subject covers the life of
Nabi صلي الله عليه وسلّم, both before and after Prophethood. In order to fully study the
Seerah, it is also important to study the lives of those who he interacted with
and the history of the people and time he was sent in. Therefore, we study not
only the life of Nabi صلي
الله عليه وسلّم but also the lives of his companions and enemies.
Who is the founder and what is the history of the subject?
The founder of this blessed
science is Allah Ta’ala himself! In the Qur’aan Kareem, He Almighty, mentions
events from Nabi صلي
الله عليه وسلّم’s life numerous times. As
Nabi صلي الله عليه وسلّم and his companions lived their lives, verses were revealed to guide and
console them.
The companions of the Prophet صلي الله عليه وسلّم were the human founders of this science. They reported everything they
heard him say and everything they knew about him.
Their methods of transmission
were two:
1. Oral/Spoken
2. Written
In the early stages of Islam,
transmission of knowledge was mainly oral. This is because the Arabs had a
phenomenal memory and had no need to keep a recorded copy, but also because
most of them did not know how to read or write.
However, some literate Sahaaba
had compiled books of Hadith that they heard from Nabi صلي الله عليه وسلّم. Also, the Tabi’een started recording in written form whatever
they learnt from the Sahaaba. In this way, we have millions of Hadith from the
Prophet صلي
الله عليه وسلّم recorded in the Books of Hadith as they passed from
teacher to student and so forth.
What are the sources of the subject?
The life of the Prophet was
taught as a separate subject from the time of the companions. Imam Zaynul
Aabideen [great grandson of Nabi] mentions, ‘we were taught Maghazi like we
were taught the Holy Qur’aan’.
As for the earliest written book
on Seerah:
Hadith of the Prophet صلي الله عليه وسلّم were recorded in book form but in the early stages most Hadith
compilations contained Hadith pertaining to various topics. There were,
however, certain Sahaaba like Sayyidina Sahl ibn Abī Ḥathma who recorded Maghazi separately.
There were Tabi’een like Imam
Muhammad Zuhri [Passed away: 124 AH] who actively collected and compiled
Hadith pertaining to Seerah.
His student Imam Muhammad
ibn Ishaaq [Passed away: between 150–159 AH] is known to be the
first person who recorded Seerah in a book form. His book may not have been the
first book on Seerah but it received acceptance and fame in the Muslim
community and is the foundational and most important Seerah biography. May
Allah Ta’ala reward him abundantly.
Though his book does not survive
in its original form, the edited version survives. Imam Abu Muhammad Abdul
Malik ibn Hishaam [218AH] edited the book and removed some unreliable
transmissions. This is the most famous Seerah biography.
Other early famous Seerah are
those of Muhammad Al-Waqidi [207AH] and Imam Muhammad Ibn Jarir Tabari
[310AH].
Note how these Seerah scholars have Muhammad in their names. SubhaanAllah.
What is the ruling regarding studying it?
Studying Seerah is Fardh
Kifaayah. This means that it is not compulsory for every individual to study it
but a group in a Muslim community must study it, otherwise the whole community
will be sinful. However, it is mandoob/mustahab and encouraged to study it, and
will aid in the completion of Imaan and love of Nabi صلي الله عليه وسلّم.
Why are we studying it?
Nabi صلي الله عليه وسلّم said, “Actions are only according to intentions, and to
each is only what he intended”.
Seerah is studied by the enemies
of the Prophet صلي
الله عليه وسلّم and his lovers too. Yet, one is punished for trying
to find faults in Nabi صلي
الله عليه وسلّم’s life whilst the other is
rewarded with Jannah for learning about the Prophet صلي الله عليه وسلّم. It is therefore, important to clear our intentions before studying.
The first and foremost reason we are studying it is to please Allah Ta’ala. How pleased He must be when His beloved is mentioned! The more intentions we make, the greater reward we will attain.
The first and foremost reason we are studying it is to please Allah Ta’ala. How pleased He must be when His beloved is mentioned! The more intentions we make, the greater reward we will attain.
To inculcate love of Nabi صلي الله عليه وسلّم in our hearts
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To learn the Qur’aan and Hadith
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The gain the companionship of Nabi صلي الله عليه وسلّم in Jannah
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To appreciate our religion
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To learn patience
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To learn gratitude
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To learn humility
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To improve Akhlaaq
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To gain knowledge
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To spread knowledge
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To pass time wisely
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To gain solace
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To understand the times
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To purify the heart
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To learn Arabic
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To soften the heart
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To learn correct ‘Aqeedah
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To recite Durood Shareef
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learn through others’ mistakes
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To gain intersession of Nabi
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To see Nabi صلي الله عليه in dreams
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To follow the Sunnah
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To increase in Imaan
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To increase in intelligence
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How should one study it?
It is common to study Seerah by
going through a chosen text book. The students are given a certain amount of
pages to read before the lesson. The teacher then teaches the material in the
allocated pages during the lesson. There is question time after the lesson.
Students are given tasks and research to do for homework, other than reading.
There are 3 stages to studying:
1.
Mutaali’ah =
Pre-study
2.
Dars =
Lesson
3.
I’adah =
Revision
What are its benefits?
There is nothing but benefit in
studying the subject. Its benefits are innumerable; the greatest one is success
in both worlds. If one truly studies it with Ikhlaas [sincerity], one’s life
will change for the better. Many are blessed with the vision of the Prophet صلي الله عليه وسلّم in their dreams, after studying his Seerah.
How can it be applied in our lives?
The Prophet صلي الله عليه وسلّم’s life should not be studied merely as a point of interest.
Rather, in every event from his life, morals can be deduced. It is our goal is
to act upon these morals. When we study in the Seerah that something was liked
or recommended by Nabi صلي
الله عليه وسلّم, we should rush to perform
it. When we study in the Seerah that something was hated or warned by Nabi صلي الله عليه وسلّم, we should rush to avoid it.