Dr. Ali Muhammad as-Sallabi, a prolific writer, is famous for his detailed books of history and biography that bring the past to life for modern readers.
Dr. as-Sallabi was born in Benghazi, Libya in 1383 H/1963 CE, and earned a bachelor鈥檚 degree at the Islamic University of Madinah, graduating first in his class. He completed his master鈥檚 and doctorate degrees at Omdurman Islamic University in Sudan. He has also studied the entire Qur鈥檃n and various Islamic sciences with respected scholars in Madinah and other parts of Saudi Arabia, as well as in Libya and Yemen.
'Aishah listened carefully, trying to catch the final words of the Prophet as he died; and she heard him say, "O Allah, forgive me, have mercy on me, and admit me into the company of the most exalted companionship on high."
Dr Ali Muhammad Sallabi鈥檚 work is gem. It is an extension of the idea of his PhD thesis 鈥淭he Noble Quran Lessons on how to Establish a Stable and Strong Muslim country and the Effect of those lessons on the History of Muslim Nation鈥�. Hence, his books look at the lives of righteous ones primarily from a political angle. You will find in it much material for leadership/political roles. And less details with respect to domestic affairs and social affairs.
Ali put 15 years of his life in writing this Book. With the aim to Love the Prophet through knowing him. Relying on classical and contemporary works, books of seerah, history, fiqh, hadeeth, quran and combining and compiling all of them. Hence, the book is heavily referenced.
The style is a mix of academic and narrative/storytelling. Each chapter ends with a portion on Lessons and Morals where author derives practical learnings for us to apply in our lives. It stands apart from other works due to its broad scope. The academic nature may bore you at some point, but the narrations will caress and squeeze your heart till it pour out tears from your eyes.
You will witness your Prophet (saw) sitting among companions, reporting live, detailed events of Mo鈥檛ah. Informing them about the death of Zaid ibn Haaritha, Ja鈥檉ar ibn Abi Talib, Abdullah ibn Rawaha. His eyes swollen with tears, whilst informing that Khalid has taken the banner at Motah and victory would be soon achieved at hands of Khalid.
You will witness your Prophet kneeling down for Saffiyyah, so she can mount the camel.
You will witness the change of facial features and expression of his, his face turning red with anger, yet the lips closed and silent, when something happens that is wrong.
You will witness him harshly questioning his people, his expressions shifting, that Why Do They Not Respect & Obey Prophets appointed Leaders.
You will witness him reciting the poetry of Abdullah ibn Rawaha while digging trenches amongst the companions, to shake away the pangs of hunger.
You will witness him laughing amongst the companions.
You will witness him crying like a child, for you and me, in a tent, at Badr.
You will witness slaughtering 63 camels with his own hands at Hajj, at age of 63!
You will slightly taste, just a drop, of love, of mercy, of majesty, of grandeur, of courage, of justice, of truth.
THIS IS THE MOST DETAILED SEERAH IV鈥橢 FOUND YET IN ENGLISH, 2025 pages! It keep you captured till the last page. This book fulfills the purpose of a seerah book, unlike other popular ones like Martin Lings & Sealed Nectar.
Tell them, (O Prophet): "If your fathers and your sons and your brothers and your wives and your tribe and the riches you have acquired and the commerce of which you fear a slackening, and the dwellings that you love, if they are dearer to you than Allah and His Messenger and striving hard in His cause, then wait until Allah brings about His decree. Allah does not guide the evil-doing folk."
By far, the best Seerah book in English. It is the most comprehensive and well structured Seerah that I've read and he does a really good job of pointing out the lessons to be learned from each event in the seerah. The really cool thing is that the author basically wrote this after compiling a whole bunch of other classical and contemporary Seerah books. I Highly recommend that everyone goes out and gets this, at least for the purpose of it being a reference.
Compared to the book the Sealed Nectar this book by Ali Muhammad As-Salaabi is rich in details and the author provides a lot of explanation that leaves no room for ambiguity.
As often as a the Prophet鈥檚 biography is made, this book also mentioned of events and the religious, political, social and economical circumstance of the whole of Arabia that linked it to the forefathers of the Prophet (saw) until they end up inhabiting in the land of Mecca.
As aforementioned, what I like about this book is that it provides detailed explanation of an event of the historical event that provides context to the Prophet鈥檚 life. It also provides morals and lessons in this event that prompted me to reflect on it sending me to a realization that I have not achieved when I read the Sealed Nectar.
What I also love about this biography is how it showcases how the Prophet dealt with people of diversity. People who have different race and belief. It somehow vindicates the Prophet against the mockery of the Islamophobes and the Muslim extremists who claims to be following the ways of the Prophet yet, ironically, they are disobeying him in reality. He is far from what this despicable beings are ascribing to him. He is the epitome of justice, equity and kindness.
This book does not just prove his entitlement as the 鈥渞ahmatul lil 鈥榓almaeen鈥� a mercy to all being but it also shows his sterness when it comes to protecting what he was sent for, meaning the message, and those who follow it. He (saw) was a person of mercy but he could also be severe in protecting his nation and his religion just like any other leader would do even in this modern age.
But still Orientalists will still find difficulty in comprehending the decisions of the Prophet especially after they have made their conquest of Mecca. We really cannot back project our standard of morality today to the past because it is injustice to do so. Even I myself has some unanswered question but I am aware that this book would not suffice to understand the life of the Prophet (saw).
I really encourage that whoever will read this, should still need to ask our Ulama regarding our questions or confusions on some events that occured on the Prophet鈥檚 life. And ask those who are authorized to explain otherwise we will just be adding more to this confusions if there is any, which is perfectly normal to the lay person who might have read it.
This is a thick book as it is compose of three volumes all in all so it really takes a lot of time to finish it. However, it鈥檚 worth it to have some glimpse of how the Prophet (saw) have lived and died in this world. A king would have left castles and riches to be inherited by his family, but the Prophet (saw) who ruled the entire Arabia died with nothing but a mule, his weapon and an armor that was mortgaged to a Jew so he could feed his family. He is indeed a Messenger of Allah.
Di antara banyak buku di Palasari, buku Sirah adalah salah satu yang wajib dimiliki, dibaca, dikaji. Kenapa? Karena kisah yang terkandung di dalamnya bukan semata kisah: ada sunnah yang mesti diikuti, ada ajaran yang harus dilaksanakan, ada pesan risalah yang mesti terus disampaikan, ada semangat jihad yang harus digelorakan, ada jaminan ketidaksesatan yang harus kita wariskan.
Nah,buku ini mendapat tempat tersendiri di antara buku-buku Sirah yang sudah saya baca sebelumnya. Meski ini buku terjemahan, namun kualitas bahasanya mudah dicerna, dipahami, dan juga diambil pelajaran atas beberapa kejadian.
Satu hal yang sampai saat ini saya ingat dari buku ini adalah bahwa ada penekanan berlakunya sunnatullah (pola/ketetapan Allah) dalam menjalankan dakwah Islamiyah. Menjalankan dan menyampaikan dakwah--dan mengamalkan Al-Islam, adalah proses yang bertahap: mulai dari diri, keluarga, komunitas, masyarakat, negara. Apa yang didakwahkan juga holistik: aqidah yang kokoh, ibadah yang benar dan akhlak yang mulia.
Penulis buku ini menyampaikan banyak pesan perjuangan Islam, di sela-sela kisah yang diceritakannya.
Buku ini memiliki prestis: sangat membanggakan bagi yang memiliki dan memajang di rak bukunya: tebel banget sih... Jadi keliatan kalo pemiliknya seneng baca buku serius... Ah, abaikan. Kalimat terakhir ini tidak penting :)
Prof. Shalabi dengan apik menuliskan sejarah al-Mushtafa SAW dari sebelum kelahiran hingga wafatnya beliau SAW. Prof. Shalabi meramu penggalan episode-episode kehidupan Rasulullah SAW tsb dengan detail dan pada bagian akhir masing2 episode selalu diselipkan ibrah dan hikmah yang bisa dipetik oleh kita para pembaca. Prof. Shalabi menggunakan sekitar 358 sumber pustaka untuk meracik karyanya ini, baik itu dari ulama terdahulu hingga ulama yang terbaru. Sehingga ada bagian2 yang tak kita temukan dalam buku2 sirah ternama ada dituliskan di buku ini.
Bagi yang sudah menyelami kehidupan Rasulullah SAW lewat buku2 sirah ternama karya Ibnu Hisyam, Syaikh al-Mubarakfuri, Syaikh al-Buthi, Syaikh as-Sibai, Syaikh Muhammad al-Ghazali dll tak ada salahnya kembali terjun menyelami buku yang lumayan tebal ini, agar bisa menemukan mutiara hikmah lain yang barangkali tak ditemukan di buku2 lainnya. Insya Allah...