[SB] Sifat al Sofwah / صفة الصفوة

In ‘Early Sources for Prophet Muhammad’s Biography’, Dr. Muhammad Saeed Mitwally aims to prove that applying Western methods of critical analysis to the available Muslim sources can take us back to early, reliable information about the Prophet (sa).

Early Western biographies of the Prophet of Islam (sa) were largely based upon the Qur’an, as well as upon the late Muslim sources dating from the sixteenth century. After the publication of Goldziher’s Muhammedanische Studien in 1890, the reliability of Muslim sources became controversial. This stance was intensified by the publication of Schacht’s The Origins of Muhammadan Jurisprudence, in which he claimed that none of the Hadith literature is authentic. In this book, Dr. Muhammad Saeed Mitwally successfully challenges some of the problems raised by the pessimistic attitude.

Students of Hadith will find this study thought-provoking and informative.

An inspired life informs and inspires with its insights into the birth of the Islamic faith and the tribulation encountered by its Prophet Muhammd ( PBUH ) and his steadfast followers prior to the the acceptance and establishment of the religion.

The Author has provided a fascinating glimpse into the life of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), which clarifies his role of divine messenger and extols his attributes and personal qualities as a model muslim.

This book offers the sacred impetus and methods of teaching and learning derived from the statements and model of the Prophet Muhammad, God’s peace be upon him. It behooves Muslim educators and teachers to study these essential principles and explore how they may be translated into methodologies that apply in today’s world.

Collectively, the precepts and recommendations of the gracious Prophet SAW show how vital he viewed learning and teaching.

It is very important for anyone who wants to spread the message of Islam to study the life of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and discover how he undertook the mission of da‘wah, or calling to Islam. This book is a blueprint for da‘wah. From studying his biography we learn the lessons of patience and perseverance in the face of adversity and opposition, and the readiness to sacrifice everything for the cause of Islam. In this book, Dr. as-Sibâ‘ie shows us how the Prophet’s approach was gentle yet determined and clear-cut, with no compromise on basic issues. The author takes the most important events of the Messenger’s life, summarizes them in order to offer a brief overview, then outlines the lessons that we learn from these events. This is an excellent introduction both to the principles of da‘wah and to the seerah, the study of the life of the Prophet (blessings and peace be upon him). It should be on the bookshelf of every Muslim who wants to call others to Allah. The Life of Prophet Muhammad: Highlights and Lessons has been translated into English by Nasiruddin al-Khattab.