If the comparison is made at the level of the writers of the Prophet’s biography, we will emerge with a new color that serves the biography of the Prophet, may God bless him and grant him peace.
(Midjourney)
Humanity - in the world of writing - does not know a messenger or a person who has achieved an extensive share of writing, as the Prophet - Muhammad, may God bless him and grant him peace - has been interested in recording his biography and his Sunnah, since his honorable companions - may God be pleased with them - and the generations that followed them, and the service of his biography varied according to... The interest of every scholar or writer who has dealt with it.
There is no era without writings that deal with his biography - may God bless him and grant him peace - whether as a summary of its details, investigation and exploration of it, or through specific positions in it. This was issued by those who loved him - may God bless him and grant him peace - and those who hated him as well. His biography was the subject of everyone’s interest: Lovers, haters, and neutrals.
Two lines in the study of the Prophet’s biography
What is famous for dealing with his biography took place in two main lines: The first line: a line concerned with historical narration, as it deals with the biography from his birth - may God bless him and grant him peace - or before his birth, and the study of the atmosphere that preceded him, and what accompanied this birth, and until his death, and what followed it. Of events.
This line contains scientific lines as well, between those who collect everything that is reported, even if they do not scrutinize the chains of transmission, or those who collect and examine the chain of transmission, confirm what is authentic, and point out what is not authentic or weak, and there is another line within it, which is dealing with this biography, and then leaving it. With lessons, sermons and lessons, whether focusing on general lessons or specific ones.
As for the second line of study of the Prophet’s biography, it began from ancient times as well. It is a line concerned with studying a specific aspect of the Prophet’s biography - may God bless him and grant him peace - focusing on it. It began in the heritage with the books of the Prophet’s attributes - may God bless him and grant him peace - or his characteristics, such as the books of Al-Qadi Iyadh. Al-Maqrizi, and others.
In the modern era, this aspect has flourished in the study of his biography, and books have been devoted to specific topics in the biography, as we have seen, “The Genius of Muhammad” by Al-Aqqad, “The Humanities of Muhammad” by Khaled Muhammad Khaled, “The Prophet of Righteousness” by Al-Ebiari, “The Prophet of Humanity” by Ahmed Hussein, and “Muhammad is the Mercy of God to the Worlds” by Yusuf Al-Qaradawi, “Muhammad in his Private Life” by Nazmi Luqa, “The Leader Messenger” by Mahmoud Sheet Khattab, and “A Mercy to the Worlds” by Al-Mansouri Al-Hindi. We also found among Westerners several writings, ranging from fair to biased.
A new third line of study of biography
There remains a line that has not been touched upon much in dealing with the biography of the Prophet. Rather, I claim that it has been dealt with only a little by some writers, and it is an approach that is not only related to the biography itself, but rather related to it in terms of those who dealt with it as writers and authors in the biography of the Prophet, may God bless him and grant him peace.
It is what we can call: the comparative biography of the Prophet, that is: a comparison is made between each author’s treatment of a specific event in the biography, as each author deals with it in terms of his culture, his literary language, and his psychological and mental preparation for the biography, and he comes out with great innovations and luminaries, while these views and reflections are absent. When you read alone within the lines of a large book about the biography of the Prophet, may God bless him and grant him peace.
If the jurists have comparative jurisprudence, in which the jurisprudential statements and deductions, the motives and reasons, and the jurisprudential philosophy behind this statement, and what is built on it, are compared. Likewise, in the science of interpretation, there are comparisons between the sayings of the interpreters in their contemplations and creations of the Holy Qur’an, in one fixed text, which is the Holy Qur’an. If such studies were also carried out at the level of writers of the Prophet’s biography, we would come up with a new color that would serve the biography of the Prophet, may God bless him and grant him peace.
Writers and poets focus on the major events in the biography, such as birth, mission, migration, and major conquests, while many overlook small details in the biography, but they carry connotations and meanings of the utmost importance and scientific and faith feasibility.
Bayoumi model
I do not know anyone who made this effort, except for Dr. Muhammad Rajab Al-Bayoumi - may God have mercy on him - in a single article of his, and he did not write it out of a call for this type, but rather as an article in which he drew attention to an important angle in writing the biography. He wrote an article entitled: Among the masterpieces of the Prophet’s biography: The Messenger wept for his son, Abraham, and included him in his book: (In the Scales of Islam). He talks about the death of Abraham, the son of the Prophet - may God bless him and grant him peace - and he had a son from Maria the Copt, and he died young.
Al-Bayoumi observed this position in the writings of some contemporary writers and thinkers who were concerned with writing the biography of the Prophet, so he chose four of their elders, namely: Abbas Al-Aqqad, Taha Hussein, Ahmed Hassan Al-Zayat, and Muhammad Hussein Heikal.
Although the incident does not take up more than half a page in biographical books, or at most a page, the talent of these writers resulted in extremely valuable writings, which varied in approach based on the diversity of the writer. Al-Aqqad tends in his style to the discourse of reason first, then conscience, and Taha Hussein. He tends to address the conscience first, then the mind. As for Al-Zayat, he was inspired by the event as a sermon and a lesson for him, due to the loss of one of his sons. He was inspired by the position of the Prophet - may God bless him and grant him peace - what helps him, and what helps every person who has lost one of his sons. As for Heikal, he tended to His style is to narrate and analyze in a flowing literary language.
Evidence of truth and prophecy
If Al-Bayoumi - may God have mercy on him - expanded the circle of consideration and comparison among the writers of his time, in their treatment of this event as a model, he would have found in an Egyptian Coptic writer, Dr. Nazmi Luqa, a treatment different from the four he cited, in addition to what they undoubtedly proposed, but it is the view of a man who is not Muslim to Muhammad - may God bless him and grant him peace - Luke was inspired by the incident of the death of the son of the Prophet - may God bless him and grant him peace - and a cosmic event occurred in that, when the sun was eclipsed, and people said: It was eclipsed because of the death of Abraham, and he - may God’s prayers and peace be upon him - said: “The The sun and the moon are two of the signs of God, and they do not eclipse or cause anyone to die.” Luke picked up this sentence to say: This phrase is evidence of the truth of Muhammad’s prophecy. If he were a claimant to prophethood, he would have seized the opportunity to sanctify his family and children, and remained silent about these words, which is the behavior of pretenders. But he was a prophet, so he rejected that, corrected it, and returned the entire matter to God - Glory be to Him - within the framework of His cosmic phenomenon.
Other models support the proposition
If we leave the model presented by Al-Bayoumi, and go to other models, we will find examples beyond limitation, which show that every jurist or writer looked at the prophetic event from an angle other than what the other looked at, and comparing and combining these views gives a clear and complete picture of prophecy.
Among this is what we saw from the contemplation of an eminent jurist and eminent thinker, the first: Yusuf al-Qaradawi, and the second: Khaled Muhammad Khaled, when each of them looked at a hadith said by the Messenger of God - may God bless him and grant him peace - which reads: “Whoever kills a gecko with the first blow, I will record for him a hundred One good deed, and in the second less than that, and in the third less than that.” So why was the first strike worth a hundred good deeds, and what is less than that, what is less than that? Al-Qaradawi explains this with the view of the jurist and says: The good deeds in their degrees from a hundred to what is less, are a reward for good aim;
Because it is required for a Muslim, so that when he faces his enemies, he has the skill.
While Khaled Muhammad Khaled says: The reward for good deeds here is a call for mercy. If it is necessary to kill the gecko, save it from life quickly, as multiple strikes make it feel pain.
If we look - for example - at the farewell sermon that the Prophet - may God bless him and grant him peace - delivered during the Farewell Hajj, and we look at what the writers of the Prophet’s biography said, we will find that each one of them gave it a different title, according to what he saw as a central issue in it, or a fundamental topic related to it. With it, and in each of them’s treatment of its texts, and the teachings it contains.
If we go to Al-Ghazali in (Jurisprudence of Sirah) or Al-Bouti in (Jurisprudence of Sirah), or the books that dealt with human rights in Islam, and took the farewell sermon as a basis and starting point, we will come across reflections and creations that, when placed side by side, will be like the beads of a pearl necklace. They are scattered, despite their importance in their scientific context, but collecting them in each single event brings together the creations and manifestations of these minds and pens in one topic or place.
This new style in dealing with the Prophet’s biography, with what we have called: Comparative Prophetic Biography, if the name is permissible and correct, serves the biography in capturing the pearls hidden in the depths of the books, especially in the minor or less-known events in the biography.
Writers and poets focus on the major events in the biography, such as birth, mission, migration, and major conquests, while many overlook small details in the biography, but they carry connotations and meanings of utmost importance and scientific and faith feasibility.
The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the editorial position of Al Jazeera.