Muhammad: His Life Based on the Earliest Sources

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Summary: awesome book
Review: ...this is an excellent source for the life of the prophet of islam. lings' source documentation is superb as is his 'movie-like' story-telling style. however, with lings there is an obvious shi'i/sufi lean and therefore this book should not be used as the only source for the life of muhammad. i personally recommend another book to supplement lings' entitled "muhammad: prophet and statesman" by w. montgomery watt. he gives a more analytical approach to the life of the prophet and with both of these books you will have very well rounded and significant knowledge of muhammad and his message.

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Summary: Almost perfect biography of the Beloved Prophet in English.
Review: I read Martin Lings' wonderful biography of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam --may Allah bless him and give him peace) for the first time when I was a teenager from the local library; what attracted me then was the caption on the cover which said, "based on the earliest Islamic sources". I loved the book the very first time I read it and since then I have read it a few times and bought my own copy. It is a book I always recommend to anyone interested in Islam as I believe it is the best introduction one can have to Islam. After all, if one does not know the Messenger, how can one ever accept the Message?

This book is wonderfully written and although the English is slightly archaic, I think that in this instance it actually adds to the books qualities, as such noble language is totally concommitant with the grandeur and theme of the book. The quality of the language used is indeed one aspect of this book which sets it apart from other biographies of the Beloved of Allah (may Allah bless him and give him peace) written in English and for that alone it is superior to the others. As the facts of the Messenger's blessed life are known in great detail, it is obvious that any biography will cover the main events including the blessed birth, the childhood events, the meeting with Bahira the Monk, the outward proclamation of Prophethood at the age of 40 (note I did not write the acquisition of Prophethood--this is a subtle point worth noting especially for Muslims which I'll briefly mention here although it does not detract from the overall quality of the book: it is this: the orthodox classical Sunni belief about all Messengers and Prophets is that they are Prophets from the moment of their creation by Allah and they are Prophets when they are born and they know about their status but they only proclaim it to the world when they are ordered to by Allah. Thus, for example, Prophet Jesus (Sayyedina Isa alayhi salaam) was ordered to announce his Prophethood [nabuwwat] soon after his blessed, immaculate, birth whilst still an infant of a few days as the Qur'an tells us (surah Maryam)whereas Our Beloved Prophet was only ordered to proclaim his Prophethood at the age of 40.In Urdu this is called izhaar-e-nabuwwat. Most books written by Western authors do not go into such details of Muslim aqeedaH [doctrine] as it is not necessary for the general reader to know but given that this book by Martin Lings' is so widely read by Muslims and non-Muslims alike, I thought it would be worth mentioning), the time in Makkah, the emigration to Madina, the Miraj journey, the battles, the conquest of Makkah, the farewell pilgrimage etc. but it is the style in which this book covers them that is so captivating--one feels one is actually there! Subhan Allah! Glory to Allah!

In addition however Martin Lings' book covers the personal and spiritual aspects of the life of the Greatest Messenger in the most beautiful and moving way. Many passages in the book moved me to tears such as the one during the preparations for the Battle of the Trench when one of the Companions sees the Beloved of Allah in a red cloth wrapped around the waist and comments on how beautiful the Master of The Prophets alayhi salaato salaam looked!

Also, Martin Lings' book is filled with intimate incidents from the life of Allah's darling Messenger which show his perfect humanity, his humbleness, humility, greatness of character and, above all, spirituality as well as his day-to-day personal interactions with his family, companions and friends as well as the foes of the Messenger of Allah. Above all, the book is saturated with the Prophet's constant and uniquely intimate relationship with Allah and it really shines through almost on every page. This biography emphasises the spirituality of the Messenger (peace be upon him) and in this way one can catch glimpses of the teachings of sufism as well which formed the highest level of the Prophet's teachings.

As others have mentioned he does not comment on any of the hadiths or events which has both advantages and disadvantages in that it is possible that some people may misinterpret a saying and not understand it as it is meant to be understood or as it is understood by Muslims wordwide. However most of the hadith used are clear and unambiguous and so this problem only arises a couple of times. (And it is only for those totally new to Islam--those with a little background in sufism will not have this problem at all.)

I could write pages for this book but I will end here by saying that it is one of the few books I would consider a "must buy". It is the (almost) perfect introduction to the amazing life of Allah's final and most beloved Messenger and the best written. Once you have read this you can then graduate to more specialist texts such as the Shifa' of Qadi Ayad al Maliki which is *the* definitive classical book about the Prophet's character and qualities of perfection (and it is now available in an excellent English edition too by Aisha Bewley) or the Sira of Ibn Hisham (very detailed but not as readable English translation by A. Guillame) or the myriad other biographies available in the islamic languages such as Arabic and Urdu.

It might be worth noting that Martin Ling's great work has won many prizes from all over the Muslim world for being the best biography of the Beloved Prophet in English including from Egypt and the government of Pakistan.

The life of Allah's Beloved is, in reality, like an endless ocean from which everyone can take whatever he wants and it will not diminish and only Allah Most High truly knows the exalted status of His Prophet, but books like this one make it possible for us mere mortals to catch a glimpse of that Prophetic majesty and to bask in his exaltedness.

I challenge anyone to read this book through to the end and not fall in love with the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him).

May Allah reward him.

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Summary: Be careful
Review: Its important to recognize that all Mr Lings did here was take some manuscripts about Prophet Muhammad from the 800s and 900s and form a synthesis of them. The result is a book that happens to be beautifully written- but not strictly historical (to say the least). There are no scholarly discussions or examinations of differing viewpoints here. The author's role is that of a traditional storyteller, not a discerning historian. This fact is reflected rather sadly in the comments of some non-Muslim reviewers who have been misled by the author's approach. A biography of Muhammad should be based primarily on the authentic hadith collections (such as Bukhari) and secondarily from folklore. For more accurate biographies I would suggest readers start with Yahiya Emerick's recent book which is short but detailed and based on authentic sources. Good luck!

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Summary: Look no further for information on Muhammad
Review: Martin Lings must have a degree is story telling, because he sure does have a knack for it. It is absolutely impossible to put this book down once you pick it up. Not only is the story fascinating, but the way in which it is presented leaves the reader begging for more--a sequel even.

This is by far the best book in the english language, based on original sources, about the life of Muhammad.

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Summary: The art of record keeping at its best!
Review: The book, Muhammad, by Martin Lings is a lucid and awe inspiring insight into a culture, a people, their lifestyle, their growth and the development of the religion of Islam. This it does by tracing the life of one whose actions are so well intentioned, so meaningful, so thoughful. Their culture, their scribes, their oral traditions, their love for poetry, remind one of the more studied and familiar Shakespearian tradition, only this is non fiction. The book relates the trails and travails of the clans and tribal etiquette, from his grandfather's parents, their marriages, their journeys, their businesses, in a manner that their lives jump out at you.

Islam is the religion that he brought, those opposed to Islam should read this book so that that their opinions may be reworked to appreciate the reality of the man called Muhammad. saw. The Prophet May Allah be pleased with him, brought peace, negotiation, justice, a mandate for education, respect for women, love , brotherhood, and the deepest appreciation for our common humanity, all of which the book chronicles so well. His wars, were never senseless slaughter of women and children, he did not enforce his Islam, but allowed others to worship as they pleased. He was a strategic thinker, a planner and a slave of Allah. He loved people as his brothers, he was gentle with his wives, he leglislated with equity. He never professed greatness, he was such a simple man, unassuming, and he suffered like all of God's Prophets. However, he outshun them all. First because so much detail has been preserved as recorded by Lings, about his life, his family, their acceptance of Islam as a religion. Second, because when he died he was the most beloved by all the community, he was respected by world leaders of that day. Even his bitter enemies of the Qureysh had come to love and revere him and third, his Books, the Qur'an and the Hadith have been painstakingly preserved. May Allah bless him and his family and his companions, and their companions who sought nearness to God.
Thank You. Raziah Ahmed, Trinidad WI.

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Summary: Great for my report!
Review: This book helped me SO MUCH on my school report of Muhammad. The facts were what I needed, and simple enough for me to understand. I can feel an A comming on!

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Summary: writing at its best!
Review: this is by far the best bio i have ever read on the prophet of islam (pbuh). lings brings ancient arabia to life with vivid details and colorful characterizations--all based on factual evidence and hadiths. he gives importance to women as well. aisha is a fascinating woman. and until i read this book, i had never heard about the prophet's daughters, other than fatima. an absolute must-read!

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Summary: One of the BEST books about the Prophet. Period.
Review: 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...?