Maghazi - Musa ibn Uqbah - Seerah - Life of Prophet Muhammad

This text is the first English translation of The Maghāzī of Sayyidunā Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم by the eminent Tabi'i scholar Musa ibn 'Uqbah, the earliest biography of the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم currently known to exist. Renowned in his own time as a muhaddith and historian, Mūsā ibn ʿUqbah ranks as one of the first individuals to compile reports specifically related to the sīrah, the biography of the Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم. More significant, however, is the fact that his Maghāzī (Expeditions) was acclaimed by his contemporaries, such as Imam Malik ibn Anas, as the most authentic work of its genre. In the years that followed, The Maghāzī of Sayyidunā Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم served as an authoritative source for many later works on the life of Allah's Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم. A sub-genre within the field of Prophetic studies, the maghāzī literature covers the battles and military expeditions of the Prophetic era, and by extension, the biography of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم as well. The maghāzī literature is thus both historical and religious in its scope. What sets The Maghāzī of Sayyidunā Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم apart, even among the works of maghāzī and sīrah, is the fact that its author was a muhaddith first and foremost, and as such, adhered to strict requirements for documentation of both narrators and narrations in his works. The result is that his Maghāzī is a work of history that is documented almost to the same standards as a work of hadith. Until recently, no copies of The Maghāzī of Sayyidunā Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم had been seen for over 400 years, and most scholars believed the text to be lost forever. Thus the good fortune of its reappearance cannot be overstated. The discovery of its manuscripts in the archives of the National Library of Tunisia is a significant event, the like of which the Ummah may not see again for many years, if ever. Ninety-one folios were found, which together contain approximately three-quarters of the original text. We hope that the remaining parts may be found soon. foreword.......................................................................xi publisher’s message................................................. xxi samples from manuscripts..................................xxvii translator’s introduction ................................xxxi the maghāzī................................................................... 1 THE TURNING OF THE QIBLAH TOWARDS THE KAʿBAH ....... 2 THE BATTLE OF BADR ...................................................... 3 THE BATTLE OF UḤUD ................................................... 8 0 THE BATTLE OF THE TRENCH ....................................... 103 THE BATTLE OF THE BANŪ QURAYẒAH .......................... 112 THE EXPEDITION OF ḤUDAYBIYYAH ............................. 119 THE STORY OF ABŪ BAṢĪR IBN USAYD IBN JĀRIYAH AL-THAQAFĪ ............................................................... 129 THE BATTLE OF KHAYBAR ............................................ 132 THE STORY OF ṢAFIYYAH BINT ḤUYAYY IBN AKHṬAB ..... 136 THE ʿ UMRAH OF THE MESSENGER OF ALLAH  .............. 145 THE BATTLE OF MU’ TAH .............................................. 148 THE LIBERATION OF MECCA ......................................... 150 THE BATTLE OF ḤUNAYN .............................................. 165 T H E E X P E D I T I O N T O A L - Ṭ Ā’ I F ...................................... 169 THE ʿ UMRAH FROM AL-JIʿ RĀNAH .................................. 172 THE HAJJ THAT ABŪ BAKR LED THE PEOPLE IN WHEN THE MESSENGER OF ALLAH صلى الله عليه وسلم SENT HIM ............. 173 THE EXPEDITION OF TABŪK ......................................... 179 THE FAREWELL HAJJ .................................................... 188