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Muhammad: His Life Based on the Earliest Sources Paperback – October 6, 2006

by Martin Lings (Author)

4.8 2,001 ratings

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A revised edition of the internationally acclaimed biography of the prophet

• Includes important additions about the prophet’s spread of Islam into Syria and its neighboring states

• Contains original English translations from 8th and 9th century biographies, presented in authoritative language

• Represents the final updates made on the text before the author’s death in 2005

Martin Lings’ biography of Muhammad is an internationally acclaimed, comprehensive, and authoritative account of the life of the prophet. Based on the sira, the eighth- and ninth-century Arabic biographies that recount numerous events in the prophet’s life, it contains original English translations of many important passages that reveal the words of men and women who heard Muhammad speak and witnessed the events of his life.

Scrupulous and exhaustive in its fidelity to its sources, Muhammad: His Life Based on the Earliest Sources is presented in a narrative style that is easily comprehensible, yet authentic and inspiring in its use of language, reflecting both the simplicity and grandeur of the story it tells. This revised edition includes new sections detailing the prophet’s expanding influence and his spreading of the message of Islam into Syria and its neighboring states. It represents the final updates made to the text before the author’s death in 2005. The book has been published in 12 languages and has received numerous awards, including acknowledgment as best biography of the prophet in English at the National Seerate Conference in Islamabad.

Print length

384 pages
Language

English
Publisher

Inner Traditions
Publication date

October 6, 2006
Dimensions

6 x 1.1 x 9 inches
ISBN-10

9781594771538
ISBN-13

978-1594771538
Lexile measure

1220L
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Editorial Reviews

Review

“This work is widely recognized as the most readable account of the life of the Prophet to date.” ― Times of London

"Lings provides a wealth of detail on the life of Muhammad, the time and place of many Koranic revelations, and the foundation of Islam, all based exclusively on 8th- and 9th-century Arabic biographical sources and collections of the sayings attributed to Muhammad. General readers will find a well-written, straightforward chronological narrative; Muslim readers will appreciate the favorable treatment of Muhammad; while specialists will find a faithful and convenient rendering of source material." ― Joseph Gardner, California State Univ. Lib., Northridge Library Journal

“For those interested in Islam . . . it is mesmerizing.” ― Parabola

From the Back Cover

RELIGION / ISLAM"This work is widely recognized as the most readable account of the life of the Prophet to date."--Times of London"For those interested in Islam in one way or another, it is mesmerizing."--ParabolaMartin Lings's biography of Muhammad is an internationally acclaimed, comprehensive, and authoritative account of the life of the Prophet. Based on the sira, the eighth- and ninth-century Arabic biographies that recount numerous events in the Prophet's life, it contains original English translations of many important passages that reveal the words of men and women who heard Muhammad speak and witnessed the events of his life.Scrupulous and exhaustive in its fidelity to its sources, Muhammad: His Life Based on the Earliest Sources is presented in a narrative style that is easily comprehensible, yet authentic and inspiring in its use of language, reflecting both the simplicity and grandeur of the story it tells. The book has been published in twelve languages and has received numerous awards, including acknowledgment as best biography of the Prophet in English at the National Seerat Conference in Islamabad. This revised edition, which represents the final updates made to the text before the author's death in 2005, incorporates important additions about the Prophet's expanding influence and his spreading of the message of Islam into Syria and its neighboring states.Martin Lings (1909-2005) was a renowned British scholar with degrees in English and Arabic from London University and Oxford University. At Oxford, he studied English under C. S. Lewis, who later became a close friend. Lings taught at several European universities and the University of Cairo and served as the keeper of Oriental manuscripts for the British Museum and the British Library. His friendship and similar beliefs with philosophers Rene Guenon and Frithjof Schuon inspired Lings to convert to Islam. He went on to become an influential member of Western Muslim society, participating in several international Islamic councils and conferences, including acting as consultant to the World of Islam Festival Trust. He is the author of twelve books on religion and spirituality.

About the Author

Martin Lings (1909-2005) was a renowned British scholar with degrees in English and Arabic from London University and Oxford University. At Oxford, he studied English under C. S. Lewis, who later became a close friend. Lings taught at several European universities and the University of Cairo and served as the keeper of Oriental manuscripts for the British Museum and the British Library. His friendship and similar beliefs with philosophers René Guénon and Frithjof Schuon inspired Lings to convert to Islam. He went on to become an influential member of Western Muslim society, participating in several international Islamic councils and conferences, including acting as consultant to the World of Islam Festival Trust. He is the author of twelve books on religion and spirituality.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

from Chapter 15

The First Revelations

It was not long after this outward sign of his authority and his mission that he began to experience powerful inward signs, in addition to those of which he had already been conscious. When asked about these he spoke of “true visions” which came to him in his sleep and he said that they were “like the breaking of the light of dawn.” The immediate result of these visions was that solitude became dear to him, and he would go for spiritual retreats to a cave in Mount Hirā’ not far from the outskirts of Mecca. There was nothing in this that would have struck Quraysh as particularly strange, for retreat had been a traditional practice amongst the descendants of Ishmael, and in each generation there had been one or two who would withdraw to a solitary place from time to time so that they might have a period that was uncontaminated by the world of men. In accordance with this age-old practice, Muhammad would take with him provisions and consecrate a certain number of nights to the worship of God.

Then he would return to his family, and sometimes on his return he took more provisions and went again to the mountain. During these few years it often happened that after he had left the town and was approaching his hermitage he would hear clearly the words “Peace be on thee, O Messenger of God,” and he would turn and look for the speaker but no one was in sight, and it was as if the words had come from a tree or a stone. Ramadan was the traditional month of retreat, and it was one night towards the end of Ramadan, in his fortieth year, when he was alone in the cave, that there came to him an Angel in the form of a man. The Angel said to him: “Recite!” and he said: “I am not a reciter,” whereupon, as he himself told it, “the Angel took me and whelmed me in his embrace until he had reached the limit of mine endurance. Then he released me and said: ‘Recite!’ I said: ‘I am not a reciter,’ and again he took me and whelmed me in his embrace, and again when he had reached the limit of mine endurance he released me and said: ‘Recite!’, and again I said ‘I am not a reciter.’ Then a third time he whelmed me as before, then released me and said:

‘Recite in the name of thy Lord who created!
He createth man from a clot of blood.
Recite; and thy Lord is the Most Bountiful,
He who hath taught by the pen,
taught man what he knew not.’”

He recited these words after the Angel, who thereupon left him, and he said: “It was as though the words were written on my heart.”’ But he feared that this might mean he had become a jinn-inspired poet or a man possessed. So he fled from the cave, and when he was halfway down the slope of the mountain he heard a voice above him saying: “O Muhammad, thou art the Messenger of God, and I am Gabriel.” He raised his eyes heavenwards and there was his visitant, still recognizable but now clearly an Angel, filling the whole horizon, and again he said: “O Muhammad, thou art the Messenger of God, and I am Gabriel.” The Prophet stood gazing at the Angel; then he turned away from him, but whichever way he looked the Angel was always there, astride the horizon, whether it was to the north, to the south, to the east or to the west. Finally the Angel turned away, and the Prophet descended the slope and went to his house.

“Cover me! Cover me!” he said to Khadījah as with still quaking heart he laid himself on his couch. Alarmed, yet not daring to question him, she quickly brought a cloak and spread it over him. But when the intensity of his awe had abated he told her what he had seen and heard; and having spoken to him words of reassurance, she went to tell her cousin Waraqah, who was now an old man, and blind. “Holy! Holy!,” he said. “By Him in whose hand is the soul of Waraqah, there hath come unto Muhammad the greatest Nāmūs, even he that would come unto Moses. Verily Muhammad is the Prophet of this people. Bid him rest assured.” So Khadījah went home and repeated these words to the Prophet, who now returned in peace of mind to the cave, that he might fulfill the number of days he had dedicated to God for his retreat. When this was completed, he went straight to the Ka’bah, according to his wont, and performed the rite of the rounds, after which he greeted the old and the blind Waraqah whom he had noticed amongst those who were sitting in the Mosque; and Waraqah said to him: “Tell me, O son of my brother, what thou hast seen and heard.” The Prophet told him, and the old man said again what he had said to Khadījah. But this time he added: “Thou wilt be called a liar, and ill-treated, and they will cast thee out and make war upon thee; and if I live to see that day, God knoweth I will help His cause.” Then he leaned towards him and kissed his forehead, and the Prophet returned to his home.

Product details

ASIN ‏ : ‎ 1594771537
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Inner Traditions; Revised edition (October 6, 2006)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 384 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 9781594771538
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1594771538
Lexile measure ‏ : ‎ 1220L
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.04 pounds
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6 x 1.1 x 9 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #24,953 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #3 in Muhammed in Islam
- #3 in History of Islam
- #81 in Religious Leader Biographies

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TamH

Highly Accurate

Reviewed in the United States on November 13, 2010

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For anyone who would like to know more about the life of Prophet Muhammad, this is the book for you. As someone who had read and heard the arabic sources, i can comfortably say that this book is highly accurate and matched most what i already used to know about the life of the Prophet Muhammad. The author just studied and translated all the earliest reliable resources without trying to impose his point of view or give his opinion. He did occasionally leave some commentary here and there to explain some of the pertinent cultural habits or speech of the arabs who lived at that time. The author is not apologetic in any way nor does he try to distort or change the events to make it more appealing to the non-muslims reader. The author's honesty is evident by the fact that he mentioned in great details, and without modifications, all the "sensitive" or "controversial" issues such as the marriages of the Prophet or the wars and fighting that took place. So for any anti-muslim reader or writer, this is the book for you too. Finally, i wish if the author mentioned in more details the Last Sermon of the Prophet during the last pilgrimage. it was really a nice and eloquent speech and would only add one more page to the book. Anyway it can be found on the net just search for it. He also did not mention some of the famous last words of the Prophet before his death, specially when emphasizing about praying and the treatment of women: "By Allah ! the prayer ! the prayer ! and he kept on repeating those words until he said: O people, fear Allah in dealing with women, fear Allah in dealing with women, O people, I ask you to be good to your women".
nb: Although this book is considered the most reliable source about the life of Prophet Muhammad, it still surprises me that it had less than 70 reviews, while the book of Robert Spencer, who is neither a schoolar of Islam, nor a speaker of arabic language, got 354 reviews till now..i have no answer for that.

38 people found this helpful

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Amazon Customer

Comprehensive, traditional account

Reviewed in the United States on August 11, 2023

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If you want to hear the traditional Islamic narrative of the life of the Prophet Muhammad, this book delivers. It synthesizes the Classical Arabic sources into a well-organized and extremely detailed account.

Despite the good organization of the narrative, the sheer amount of detail can make this a slow read. If you want a breezy narrative, this book isn't for you. If you want the whole story as traditionally believed by Muslims, with all of the details placed in their context, this is for you.

5 people found this helpful

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poppi trotman

great serivce!

Reviewed in the United States on January 13, 2024

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There wasn't anything about this product or service anything that i disliked. Great seller

Reviewed in the United States on December 6, 2023

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I bought it for my 11 years old this book and he absolutely loved it.

Reviewed in the United States on August 4, 2023

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I loved every second readinf this book! It is so emotionally moving and the senses you feel are indescribable! If you are a muslim you will feel so close to islam while reading this! And if you are non muslim you will learn so much! I recommend it to anyone who wants to learn more about islam.

3 people found this helpful

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Yusuf

Fraying

Reviewed in the United States on April 10, 2024

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I would have given five stars, but the page holder string frayed pretty easily.

Reviewed in the United States on September 1, 2023

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I just received Muhammad, his life based on earliest sources and I’m so excited to read it.
I’ve heard only positive feedback regarding the book, I also want to add the book is in great condition.

One person found this helpful

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Kamran Pasha

One of the BEST books about the Prophet. Period.

Reviewed in the United States on August 11, 2003

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When I first read this wonderful book by Martin Lings, I felt something I've never experienced before in biographies of early Islam -- a sense that I was actually there, experiencing the drama, tragedy and triumph of the early Muslim community. Lings is an incredibly gifted storyteller who makes you feel like you are an active witness to events unfolding right now, rather than reading 1400-year old stories.
Some reviewers have criticized this book because it tells the story of the Prophet's life story without "critical" analysis. What these reviewers are really complaining about is that the book does not start off under the presumption that the Prophet was false in his claim to be the Messenger of God. This is a book that presents the earliest accounts of the Prophet's life, which were passed along by devout Muslims who believed in his Divine inspiration. These early accounts DO contain stories of remarkable miracles and list countless examples of the Prophet's piety and idealism. And, of course, if the Prophet was who he claimed to be, these stories are perfectly plausible as historical events.
But if you are a non-Muslim bent on denigrating the Prophet, you have to presume that these stories are myths and hagiographies, because they do not fit into your predetermined worldview. So anyone who accepts them either is an apologist or deluded, and any book presenting these accounts without rejecting them as human inventions must be "uncritical." The truth is that you will approach the Prophet exactly the way you have already decided you want to -- as a believer or an unbeliever regarding his fundamental mission.
But as you read this wonderful tale of a remarkable man who single-handedly changed human history, you must ask yourself -- what if, as one billion human beings already know in their hearts, the story is actually true...?

40 people found this helpful

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Victoria

Arrived in great condition + incredible work

Reviewed in Canada on March 24, 2024

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The book arrived in excellent condition. No complaints! The work is incredible, an excellent introduction to those curious about Islam.

Bagorski

Good overview - easy to understand

Reviewed in Germany on April 10, 2024

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This book gives a good overview of the life of Prophet (pbu) - my kids are reading it now and it is relatively easy to understand 👍🏻

One person found this helpful

Ghaffari

Best Seerah book

Reviewed in Sweden on November 24, 2023

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Based on original historical sources, the book tells a narrative like a novel.
This is perhaps the best ever Seerah book in English.

Aurélie

Un Indispensable

Reviewed in France on December 13, 2022

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Matloub Husayn-Ali-Khan

The best biography of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH-SAW) in English!

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 7, 2022

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In recent weeks, made the point of reading this very important Seerah/Biography of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH-SAW) by Martin Lings entitled: Muhammad his life based on earliest sources after being reminded when the late Queen Elizabeth II passed away on 8th September 2022 and her immediate successor monarch - eldest in seniority former Prince Charles now known as King Charles III - who highly recommended this book due to his historic views on ‘building Bridges between Islam and the west’.

As it is now the third Islamic month of Rabi-ul-Awal 1441 - according to the Islamic lunar calendar it is also the month of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH-SAW) was born and passed away on the 12th Rabi-ul-Awal and this is known as Mawlid An Nabi. Overall, the book by Lings is very easy to read and is brilliantly written, very informative and accessible.The book covers many significant moments in the life of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH-SAW) in simple short paragraphs.There are many details and events that are mentioned in this book which personally speaking was not aware of and maybe due to it being based on the earliest sources written in 1983 which earned him acclaim in the Muslim world and prizes from the governments of Pakistan and Egypt.His work was hailed as the "best biography of the prophet in English" at the National Seerat Conference in Islamabad.Clearly, this Seerah/biography by Lings gives a very good account of the noble prophet Muhammad (PBUH-SAW) and portrays him as a living, talking and walking Qur’an during his life on this earth and a mercy to the worlds and everything that is in it.

There a couple of other Seerah/biography books on the life of prophet Muhammad (PBUH-SAW) including Betty Kelen: Muhammad the Messenger of God was not just a primer for famialirising yourself with Islam but it has a much deeper insight into the politics of Arabia at the time, than it appears. Highly recommend people to read this book by Betty Kelen as an independent account from a non-Muslim. As well as Sheikh Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarkpuri book entitled: Ar-Raheeq Al-Makhtum (The Sealed Nectar) - First Prize Winner book in Saudi Arabia in1979.This was also excellent biography of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) which is a very detailed book that gives a very comprehensive account of the prophet's life and times within a wider historical context of events that unfolded on the Arabian peninsula at the time.

In short, the book by Martin Lings is very easy to read and is brilliantly written, very informative and accessible and is highly recommended and a must buy!

17 people found this helpful

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