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Darussalam is proud to present the abridged English translation of the classic work: Al-Bidayah wan Nihayah, focusing exclusively on the life of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). This volume contains a detail account of the life and times of the Messenger of Allah taken from a number of historical and traditional sources. The book reports the events of his blessed life, his battles, military campaigns, the delegations that met him, and sheds light upon the unique exemplary qualities, virtues and signs of his Messengership that make him a guide and role-model for all of humanity until the end of time.

A1-Bidayah wan Nihayah (The Beginning and The End) by the renowned scholar Abu Al-Fida ‘Imad ad-Deen lsma’eel bin ‘Umar ibn Katheer, is considered one of the most authoritative sources on Islamic history.

This book, authored by Luqman Nagy, is an introduction to the history and legacy of the great translation movement that began at the Bayt al-Hikmah in ninth century Abbasid Baghdad and culminated centuries later in Spain, with teams of Muslim, Christian and Jewish scholars translating works of Greek and Islamic science from Arabic into Latin. These translations became the first scientific textbooks to be used at many European universities. This wealth of knowledge that was made available in Latin helped initiate the Renaissance, or ‘rebirth’ of learning in the West.

Mercy is clemency and forbearance; mercy is the disposition to forgive or show compassion; mercy means a favor or a blessing; mercy further denotes the qualities of kindness, sympathy, generosity, and beneficence. Suffice is to say that all of these qualities were present in abundance in the character of the Prophet Muhammad (May Allah have his peace and blessings on him).

He was a mercy not just to believers, but to disbelievers as well, for he would invite them to come out of darkness and into the light of true guidance. He is a favor and blessing for mankind, not just the Arabs, the people among whom he was sent, but for people of all races and colors. His staunchest enemies became his closest followers when the cloud of blind prejudice was removed from their sight and when they were able, for the very first time, to see with clarity the true nature of the Prophet’s character.

This book deals with many of the qualities that the Prophet possessed that made him the mercy to everyone. It starts with His perfect lineage, His noble upbringing, and his fully dedicated worship. This book then gives many of the qualities of the Prophet including his generosity, humbleness, bravery, patience, and leadership to name a few. Each chapter includes examples from the life of the Prophet on how he was the perfect living example of that quality. The book ends with the perfection of life of the Prophet with his farewell sermon and even his noble death where he demonstrated some of those qualities as well.

This book, written by Luqman Nagy, highlights the life and times of ‘Umar ibn ‘Abdul-‘Azeez, a truly exceptional Muslim ruler who, during his twenty-nine months in office, governed the Ummah totally in accordance with the Qur’an and the Sunnah. His sincere devotion to the religion of Islam enabled ‘Umar ibn ‘Abdul-‘Azeez to bring prosperity and contentment not only to the Ummah but to all those residing within the Umayyad state.