Table Of ContentThe Center for Muslim Contribution to Civilization
OF THE
Ibn Mathir
Translated by Professor Trevor Le Gassick
Reviewed by Dr Ahmed Fareed
G a r n e t
P U B L I I H I N G
fibhhed by
Garner Publishing Limired
8 Southern Court
South Streer
Reading
RG14QS
UK
Copyright 0 1998 The Cenrer for Muslim Conuibution to Civilization
Ail rights reserved
No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by
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srorage and retrieval systems, wirhour permission in writing
from the publisher, arcepr by a reviover who may quote
brief passages in a review
Finr Edition 1998
First Paperback Edition 2000
Reprinted 2002,2004,2006
Brirish Library Catdoguhg-in-Publication Daca
A caialogue record for chis book is available from che British Library
CONTENTS
Foreword ix
About this Series xi
...
Center for Muslim Contribution to Civilization: Board of Trustees xlll
Center for Muslim Contribution to Civilization: Board and Advisors xiv
Introduction by Ahmed Fareed xv
Translator's Preface xxiv
Volume I 1
The Story of Saba'. 4
The Story of Rabi'a b. Nasr b. Abii Haritha b. 'Amr b. 'Amir. 9
The Story of Tubba' Aba Karib Tubbim As'ad, king of Yemen, with the people
of Medina; how he wished to raid the Holy Sanctuary at Mecca. Then he
dignified and venerated it and covered it with cloth; thus be was the frst to do so. 12
Usurpation of the throne of Yemen by LaklmrFa Dhri Shanntir. 17
AN ACCOUNTO F HOW RULE IN YEMENP ASSED FROM HIMYARA ND WAS
TRANSFERRED TO THE BLACK ABYSSINIANS. 18
AN ACCOUNTO F HOW ABRAHAA L-ASHRAMRE BELLED AGAINST, FOUGHT,
AND KILLED ARYAT,A ND SO ASSUMED POWER OVER YEMEN.
AN ACCOUNTO F THE REVERSION OF THE KINGSHIP FROM THE ABYSSINIANS
TO SAYFB . DHU YAZANT HE HIMYARITEJ,U ST AS THE TWO SOOTHSAYERS HAD
PREDICTED TO RABI'A 8. NASR,T HE LAKHMITE.
AN ACCOUNTO F HOW PERSIANR ULE IN YEMENE NDED.
The Story of al-Satiriin, King of al-Hadr.
AN ACCOUNTO F THE SONS OF ISHMAELW HO WERE THE ARABSO F HIJAZ, AND
OF THE EVENTS OF THEJXHILIYYA PERIOD UP TO THE TIME OF THE MISSION.
The Story of Khuza'a and an account of 'Amr h. Luhayy and the worship of
idols in Arab lands.
AN ACCOUNTO F 'ADNAN, FOREBEAORF THE ARABSO F THE HIJAZ FROM
WHOM THE LINE GOES DOWN TO THE PROPHET( SAAS). 50
AN ACCOUNTO F THE GENEALOGICAL ORIGINS OF THE ARABSO F HIJAZ UP TO
(ADNAN. 57
vi THE LIFE OF THE PROPHET MUHAMMAD
AN ACCOUNTO F QURAYRESGHAR DING THEIR GENEALOGY, ETYMOLOGY,
AND MERIT. THEYAR E THE TRIBE OF AL-NADBR. KINANA.
AN ACCOUNTO F QUSABY. KYIL ABA ND OF HIS PART IN REGAINING
GUARDIANSHIP OVER THE KAcBA FOR QURAYSH BY TAKING IT FROM
KHUZACAH. OW QURAYGASTHHE RED TOGETHER AT THE HOLY PLACE
WHICH GODS ECURED FOR THE WORSHIPPERS, AFTER HAVING LIVED
SCATTERED AND FRAGMENTED IN THE MOUNTAINS AND HOLLOWS.
AN ACCOUNTO F A VARIETY OF EVENTS THAT OCCURRED IN THE JAHILIYYA.
SECTION: INFORMATION ABOUT A GROUP OF MEN FAMOUS IN THE
JAHILIYYA.
AN ACCOUNTO F KHALID B. SINAN THE CABSITE WHO LWED IN THE
INTER-PROPHET PERIOD AND WHO SOME ALLEGE WAS A PROPHET. BUT GOD
KNOWS BEST.
AN ACCOUNTO F HKTIM AL-TA'i, A GOOD AND GENEROUS MAN OF THE
32HILIYYA PERIOD.
AN ACCOUNTO F IMRUA' L-QAYS B. HUJR AL-KINDi, AUTHOR OF ONE OF
THE ML~~ALLAQAOTD ES.
Some infomation about Umayya 6. Abu al-Salt al-Thoqafi; he was ape-Islamic
poet who lined on to the tim of Islam.
Bahiril tlrc Mod.
AN ACCOUNTO F SOME OF THE EVENTS THAT OCCURRED IN THE TIME OF
THE FATRA, INCLUDING THE BUILDING OF THE KA'BA.
AN ACCOUNTO F THE RE-DIGGING OF THE WELL ZAMZAM BY 'ABD
AL-MUTTALBI.B H ASHIMI,T S WHEREABOUTS HAVING BEEN LOST FROM
THE PERIOD WHENJURHUM FILLED AND LEVELLED IT, UP TO HIS OWN
TIME.
AN ACCOUNTO F 'ABI) AL-MUTTALIBV'OSW TO SACRIFICE ONE OF HIS
SONS.
AN ACCOUNTO F <ABD AL-MUITALIBM'SA RRIAGE OF HIS SON CABD ALLAH
TO AMINAB INT WAHBA L-ZUHRIYYA.
THE BOOK OF THE LIFE OF THE MESSENGER OF GOD (SAAS). 130
AN ACCOUNTO F HIS LIFE STORY, HIS BATTLES AND RAIDS, THE
DELEGATIONS TO HIM, AND HIS NATURAL QUALITIES, HIS VIRTUES, AND
THE FEATURES DISTINGUISHING HIM. 130
Chapter: An Account of his noble ancesty and the excellence ofhis high lineage. 130
Chapter on the Birth of the Messenger of God (+WAS). 141
A Desnipnon ofhis noble birth (SAAS). 145
SECTION: ON THE SIGNS THAT OCCURRED ON THE NIGHT OF THE BIRTH
OF THE PROPHET (SAAS). 151
AN ACCOUNTO F THE SHAKING OF THE PALACE, AND OF THE FALLING OF
THE BALCONIES, THE EXTINGUISHING OF THE FIRES, THE VISIONS OF THE
MAGIANSU PREME PRIEST, AND OTHER SUCH SIGNS. 153
AN ACCOUNTO F THE REARING AND SUCKLING OF THE PROPHET (SAAS). 160
AN ACCOUNTO F THE SUCKLING OF THE PROPHE(TS AAS) BY HALFMA,
DAUGHTER OF ABU DHA'AYOBF THE SA'DT RIBE, AND OF THE SIGNS OF THE
PROPHETHOOD AND OF BLESSEDNESS APPARENT ON HIM. 161
SECTION: THE JOURNEY OF THE PROPHET (SAAS), WITH HIS UNCLE ABU
TALIB AWAY TO SYRIA AND ON WHAT TRANSPIRED WITH THE MONK BAHIRA. 174
The Story of Bars. 179
SECTION: ON THE EARLY UPBRINGING AND RAISING OF THE MESSENGER
OF GOD (SAAS) AND HOW GOD CARED FOR HIM AND PROTECTED HIM;
HOW HE HAD BEEN AN ORPHAN AND GOD GAVE HIM A HOME, AND
DESTITUTE AND GOD ENRICHED HIM. 180
AN ACCOUN~O. F HOW THE PROPHE(TS AAS) WITNESSED THE WAR KNOWN
AS AL-PITAR, THE SACRILEGIOUS WAR. 183
(m)
Chapter: How the Messenger of God witnessed thepact of al-fudiil. 185
SECTION: ON THE MARRIAGE OF THE PROPHET (SAAS) TO KHADiJA,
DAUGHTER OF KHUWAYLID B. ASAD B. 'ABD AL-~UZZKB . QUSAYY. 189
SECTION: ON QURAYSH HAVING REBUILT THE KA'BA FIVE YEARS BEFORE
THE COMING OF THE PROPHETHOOD. 195
THE BOOK OF THE APOSTLESHIP OF THE MESSENGER OF
GOD (SAAS) AND AN ACCOUNT OF SOME OF THE PREDICTIVE
SIGNS THEREOF. 207
AN ACCOUNTO F CERTAIN STRANGE EVENTS RELATING THERETO. 223
The Story of <Amb . Murra al-Juhani. 227
The Story of Sayf b. Dhn Yazan the Himyarite and his foretelling the coming
of the ummi Prophet. 241
...
VUI THE LIFE OF THE PROPHET MUHAMMAD
Chapter on the cries of the spirirs, consisting ofwhat words of inspiration the spirits
gave to the tongues ofsoothsayers, and which were to be heard by the idols. 245
Chapter on the manner of the beginning of the revelation to the Messenger of God
(MAS) and an account of the first revelation to himf rom the glorious QuQul~an. 278
A Discussion of the age of the Prophet (&US) at the time ofhis receiving the mission
and the dute thereof: 281
SECTION: ON PREVENTING THE DEMONS AND EVIL SPIRITS FROM
EAVESDROPPING WHEN THE QUR'AN WAS REVEALED, SO THAT NONE OF THEM
WOULD ACQUIRE ANY OF IT, EVEN SO MUCH AS A SYLLABLE, AND DELIVER IT
THROUGH THE SPEECH OF HIS HUMAN ASSOCIATES, WHICH WOULD HAVE
LED TO COMPLICATIONS AND CONFUSION OF THE TRUTH. 301
SECTION: ON THE MANNER IN WHICH THE REVELATION CAME TO THE
MESSENGER OF GOD (SAAS). 306
SECTION: CONCERNING THE FIRST PERSONS TO ACCEPT ISLAM; ALSO
REFERENCE TO THOSE OF THE COMPANIONS AND OTHERS WHO WERE EARLY
IN BECOMING MUSLIMS. 311
AN ACCOUNTO F HOW HAMZASO, N OF 'ABD AL-MUTTALIGBO, DB E PLEASED
WITH HIM, THE UNCLE OF THE PROPHE(TS AAS), ACCEPTED ISLAM. 323
AN ACCOUNTO F THE ACCEPTANCE OF ISLAMBY DIMAD. 328
Chapter: God's command to his Messenger ( W S )t o announce his missionpublicly. 330
The Story bf al-~r%shtih, e man from Irah. 340
SECTION: ON THE UNITING OF THE QURAYSH CHIEFS AGAINST THE MESSENGER
OF GOD (SAAS) AND HIS COMPANIONS, AND THEIR MEETING WITH HIS UNCLE
ABO TAL1B WHO WAS PROTECTING AND AIDING HIM; THEIR PRESSURE UPON
ABO TALIB TO DELIVER HIM TO THEM, AND HOW HE RESISTED THEM IN THAT
OBJECTIVE, THROUGH THE AID AND STRENGTH OF GOD. 343
SECTION: CONCERNING THEIR USE OF EXCESSIVE VIOLENCE AGAINST
INDIVIDUAL, POWERLESS MUSLIMS. 346
SECTION: CONCERNING THE OBJECTIONS PRESENTED BY THE POLYTHEISTS TO
THE MESSENGER OF GOD (SAAS); HOW THEY TROUBLED HIM WITH THEIR
ASKING OF HIM VARIOUS KINDS OF SIGNS AND MIRACLES, AND HOW THIS
WAS DUE TO THEIR OBSTINACY RATHER THAN TO T ~ I SREE KING GUIDANCE. 346
Chapter: The argumentation of the polytheists against the Messenger of God (W)
and the cogent arguments that refuted them; how within themselves they recognized
the truth, even though they expressed disagreement out ofstubbonness, envy, malice
and denial. 361
Glossary
Index
In the Name o f God,t he Benefcenr, the Merciful
FOREWORD
THEi nterrelationship and interaction of human cultures and civilizations has
made the contrihutions of each the common heritage of men in all ages and all
places. Early Muslim scholars were able to communicate with their Western
counterparts through contacts made during the Crusades; at Muslim universities
and centres of learning in Muslim Spain (al-Andalus, or Andalusia) and Sicily to
which many European students went for education; and at the universities and
centres of learning in Europe itself (such as Salerno, Padua, Montpellier, Paris,
and Oxford), where Islamic works were taught in Latin translations. Among the
Muslim scholars well-known in the centres of learning throughout the world
were al-F&i (Rhazes), Ibn Sin2 (Avicenna), Ibn Rushd (Averroes), a1 Khwiuizmi
and Ibn Khaldm. Muslim scholars such as these and others produced original
works in many fields. Many of them possessed encyclopaedic knowledge and
distinguished themselves in many disparate fields of knowledge.
In view of this, the Center for Muslim Contribution to Civilization was estab-
lished in order to acquaint non-Muslims with the contributions Islam has given
to human civilization as a whole. The Great Books of Islamic Civilization Project
attempts to cover the first 800 years of Islam, or what may be called Islam's
Classical Period. This project aims at making available in English a wide selection
of works representative of Islamic civilization in all its diversity. It is made up
of translations of original Arabic works that were produced in the formative
centuries of Islam, and is meant to serve the needs of a potentially large reader-
ship. Not only the specialist and scholar, hut the non-specialist with an interest
in Islam and its cultural heritage will he able to benefit from the series.
Together, the works should serve as a rich source for the study of the early periods
of Islamic thought.
In selecting the books for the series, the Center took into account all major
areas of Islamic intellectual pursuit that could be represented. Thus the series
includes works not only on better-known subjects such as law, theology,
jurisprudence, history and politics, but also on subjects such as literature, medi-
cine, astronomy, optics and geography. The specific criteria used to select
individual books were these: that a hook should give a faithful and comprehensive
account of its field; and that it should be an authoritative source. The reader
thus has at his disposal virtually a whole library of informative and enlightening
works.
Each book in the series has been translated by a qualified scholar and reviewed
by another expert. While the style of one translation will naturally differ from
x THE LIFE OF THE PROPHET MUHAMMAD
another, the translators have endeavoured, to the extent it was possible, to make
the works accessible to the common reader. As a rule, the use of foomotes has
been kept to a minimum, though a more extensive use of them was necessitated
in some cases.
This series is presented in the hope that it will contribute to a greater under-
standing in the West of the cultural and intellectual heritage of Islam and will
therefore provide an important means towards greater understanding of today's
world.
May God Help Us!
Muhammad bin Hamad Al-Thani
Chairman of the Board of Trustees
ABOUT TIHIS SERIES
THISse ries of Arabic works, made available in English translation, represents an
outstanding selection of important Islamic studies in a variety of fields of knowl-
edge. The works selected for inclusion in this series meet specific criteria. They
are recognized by Muslim scholars as being early and important in their fields, as
works whose importance is broadly recognized by international scholars, and as
having had a genuinely significant impact on the development of human culhire.
Readers will therefore see that this series includes a variety of works in the
purely Islamic sciences, such as Qur'an, hadith, theology, prophetic traditions
(sunna), and jurisprudence Viyh). Also represented will he hooks by Muslim
scientists on medicine, astronomy, geography, physics, chemistry, horticulture,
and other fields.
The work of translating these texts has been entrusted to a group of profes-
sors in the Islamic and Western worlds who are recognized authorities in their
fields. It has been deemed appropriate, in order to ensure accuracy and fluency,
that two persons, one with Arabic as his mother tongue and another with
English as his mother tongue, should participate together in the translation and
revision of each text.
This series is distinguished from other similar intercultural projects by its
distinctive objectives and methodology. These works will fill a genuine gap in
the library of human thought. They will prove extremely useful to all those with
an interest in Islamic culture, its interaction with Western thought, and its
impact on culture throughout the world. They will, it is hoped, fulfil an important
r61e in enhancing world understanding at a time when there is such evident and
urgent need for the development of peaceful coexistence.
This series is published by the Center for Muslim Contribution to
Civilization, which serves as a research centre under the patronage of H.H.
Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani, Amir of Qatar. It is directed by a Board of
Trustees chaired by H.E. Sheikh Muhammad bin Hamad al-Thani, the former
Minister of Education of Qatar. The ~oarhis comprised of a group of
prominent scholars. These include H.E. Dr Ahul-Wafa al-Taftazani*, Deputy
Rector of Cairo University, and Dr Yusuf al-Qaradhaw Director of the Sira
and Sunna Research Center. At its inception the Center was directed by the late
Dr Mohammad Ihrahim Kazim, former Rector of Qatar University, who estah-
lished its initial objectives.
The Center was until recently directed by Dr Kamal Nagi, the Foreign Cultural
Relations Advisor of the Ministry of Education of Qatar. He was assisted by a
* Died 1994, may All& have mercy on him
