Zia-un-Nabi; Life of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) (English, 7 volume complete set)

This book is the English translation of the celebrated and award-winning prophetic biography, Zia-un-Nabi: Life of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), or Sirat Diya’ al-Nabi, authored in the Urdu Language by the late Diya’ al-Ummat (Luminary of the Community), Justice Shaykh Muhammad Karam Shah al-Azhari. The 7-volume book is a work of major historical research and literary significance, with the author’s objective being to connect the hearts of the readers with the sublime and relevant personality of the Prophet of Islam. Since 1993, over twelve editions of the original Urdu work have been published and over 40,000 copies sold worldwide.

The book comprises 7 volumes. Volume 1 includes an analysis of the religious, political, moral and social situation of empires and nations up to that era including discussions on Persia, Greece, Roman Empire, Egypt, India, China and the Arab world. In addition, the ancestry of the Prophet of Islam and his mention in previous scriptures is assessed including a discussion on the Gospel of Barnabas. Volume 2 begins with the biography of the Prophet of Islam from birth, and the biography ends with his death towards the ending of Volume 4, with a discussion on the succession of Abu Bakr al-Siddiq (ra). Volume 5 examines the character, personality and traits of the Prophet of Islam with discussion surrounding his miracles and particulars (Shama’il). Volumes 6 and 7 discuss Orientalism and the non-Muslim scholarship of Islam examining the historical record and development of Orientalism and Western study of Islam, as well as responses to the major criticisms levelled against the Qur’an, the Hadith tradition and the prophetic life.

The translator of this particular edition, Muhammad Qayyum Awan, writes: “The special feature of this biography of the Beloved Prophet (pbuh) is that the author has gathered, after sifting through all the original sources of Islamic history, the facts that reflect the real and the most enchanting picture of the Noble Prophet (pbuh) in all aspects of his life. Thus he succeeds in proving that the Beloved Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) was the deliverer of humanity.  He, with his cogent reasoning and solid arguments, washes away dusts of suspicion and shadows of doubt that Western scholars, by their prejudice, vanity and so-called impartiality, cast over the matchless personality of the Beloved Prophet of God (pbuh).”