Muhammad: His Life Based on the Earliest Sources - Hardcover

Lings, Martin

4.58

12,613 ratings by Goodreads

9780042970424: Muhammad: His Life Based on the Earliest Sources

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0042970423 ISBN 13: 9780042970424

Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers Ltd, 1983

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Widely recognised as the best biography of the Prophet Muhammad in English, Dr. Martin Lings' award winning book is now available on audio as an abridged 6-hour spoken word album (on 5 CDs), read by well-known narrator Sean Barrett (famous for his TV documentary voice-overs, the BBC World Service and many other spoken word titles). This excellent audiobook is the first of its kind and has been selected by a number of organisations as a worthy introduction to the life of Prophet Muhammad including Muslim Welfare House, London and the Muslim Council of Britain.

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Review:

Those acquainted with the book will wonder why it has taken so long for a story so graphically told, characters so roundly formed, written in language so accessible to all, to be transferred into an audio book. We have to thank Meem Audio and Sean Barrett for their endeavours and accomplishment of this. Lings' sources have been the words of men and women who heard Muhammad (may God's peace and blessings be upon him) speak and witnessed his life. He translated these works from the original Arabic, many for the first time, using his unusual gift for narrative in a style, which is fresh and direct. The reading by Sean Barrett, although it loses some of the intricate detail, as one would expect from an abridged version, is fluent, lucid and retains one's attention throughout. He begins with the story of Abraham, quoting from the Book of Genesis, and follows the fortunes of Hagar, his second wife, from the expulsion from Canaan with her son Ishmael, to the finding of Zamzam and the establishment of the holy centre in the Valley of Becca (later to become known the world over as Mecca). We are given a brief chronology of the noble ancestry of Muhammad (may God's peace and blessings be upon him), taken through his childhood to the eminent position he held as 'Al Amin' (the Trustworthy), in Meccan society before receiving Prophethood. The trials and tribulations of the early Meccan period followed by the triumphs of the first Islamic state in Medina are told in a manner, which engage the emotions of the listener. The work ends recounting the death of the 'beloved of God' in Medina. Sean Barrett reads with good pronunciation of Arabic. The tone and tempo vary appropriately with the different events being told, giving a sense of urgency at times such as battles and comfortable wellbeing at others. The story is easy to follow partly because of Barrett's clear voice but mostly because of the simplicity of the narrative. --MCBDirect March 2004

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.

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