Lings produced and staged Shakespearean plays which were always a fascination for him. I also felt sometimes a bit more context was needed for these battles. [4], Before Lings died in 2005, a newly revised edition of the book with 22 additional pages was published, which included final updates made on the text and incorporated into its contents, containing extra details pertaining to Muhammad's endeavors as well as accounts covering the spread of Islam into Syria and its neighboring states surrounding the Arabian Peninsula. The book also includes excerpts from original English translations of speeches by men and women who lived close to Muhammad, heard him speak, witnessed his actions, witnessed the way he interacted with situations and witnessed events he encountered throughout various stages of his life. Thouroughly recommended reading, especially for those who want to know more about geniune Islam without having it fed to them by our biased media. David Heska Wanbli Weiden knew just what he’d be doing as the August launch of his debut novel, Winter Counts, was approaching. There are only five chapters in the audio version, whereas there are 85 chapters in the written version. Based in the earliest classical sources, yet written in beautiful and fluid English. The allegation that Badr War was resulted from the intention of Muhammad to rob the Quraish trade convoy led by Abu Sufyan - this is totally baseless.3. By: Denis Oran, The Epic Story of the Shia-Sunni Split in Islam, By: From the best-selling author of Islam: A Short History comes an important addition to the Eminent Lives book series. Great insight into a spiritual man, listened a few times now and the story gets better every time. M. A. S. Abdel Haleem - translator. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of, Published A Sufi Saint of the Twentieth Century book. The Qur'an was revealed to Prophet Muhammad, more than 1400 years ago. This is regarded as the best biography of the great Muslim Prophet Muhammad (upon whom be peace) in the English . An excellent and inspiring account of the life of the Prophet, particularly helpful for non Muslims. the best epic biography i've ever read but there's no word can descibe how great Muhammad is,,. From another perspective it shows how much nothing has changed. Jonathan A.C. Brown, Narrated by: By: Martin Lings did a great job of helping readers to understand this complex person. Every book has its objective, and the objective of the Quran is to make man aware of the Creation plan of God. Highly recommend it to anyone interested to read the book but finds reading rather daunting! while reading it, i felt so close to him. The book was published in multiple languages including English, consists of 384 pages and is available in Paperback format. He married with the wife of Zaid Bin Harsa because he was impressed with the beauty of the wife this influenced Zaid to divorce her. Abdul Khalifah. In The abridged version does not do justice to the book - it leaves out too much. The author wanted to be known by his adopted Mu. Is it a religion of peace or war? [4], Lings uses a more archaic style of English to depict conversations and translations of the Qur'an, which helps slows down the rapid flow of the narration. To combat these myths and better understand the complex Islamic tradition, Dr. Martyn Oliver, a senior professorial lecturer at American University, presents 12 in-depth lectures to provide you with a multifaceted approach to Muhammad, Islam, and the revelation known today as the Qur'an. From his birth and early life to his first marriage and the vision in the cave of the angel Gabrial, who ordered him to "recite," the Koran, this enthralling life is the best work on the subject so far. By: It can be a delicate matter reviewing books that involve sacred texts and holy people. The audio version is NOT the full text, but an abridgment. [7], The Spectator described the book as "an enthralling story that combines impeccable scholarship with a rare sense of the sacred worthy of his subject." Lesley Hazleton. [2], It is a narrative of the history of Arabia and the birth and the life of Muhammad. There are historical events recorded though, such as the mention of the Abyssinians and their relationship to Mecca. Paul Boehmer, By: “Islam” or “submission to God” is simply a return to the true nature of who we are. A great gift you could give to anyone who is not aware of the life of the prophet. Reza Aslan, Narrated by: The revelation of denouncing Zaid Bin Harsa from the name of Muhammad as his son to pave the way to marry his ex-wife.There are many other accounts where writer clearly fell short of giving essential details, the Quraish boycott, preaching in Taif and Battle of Hunain is among some of them.I would highly recommend to read The Sealed Nectar instead of the biography by Martin Lings. I thoroughly enjoyed listening to this, so much so that I had to buy the actual book too (which contains a few extra details)! It reminds me a bit of something like the life of St Columba to compare to a christian hagiography. Such a simple straightforward biography of Prophet Muhammad saw. Abdullah Yusuf Ali. Like Abraham, Moses and Jesus before him, the Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.) Martin Lings was born in England and spent his higher studies in the US. The First Muslim, Lesley Hazleton brings him vibrantly to life. This book took me on a journey, I really wanted to go on. The Sunna includes the Hadith (Mohammed’s traditions) and the Sira (Mohammed’s biography). The thing with the Muslims writer in general is that when they start writing about the life and deeds of the Prophet they are so much in awe of the personality that they can barely portray him as a normal human being. Its an excellent book for Muslims, but i wouldn't say its a good introductory book for non-muslims who know very little about Islam or have misconceptions, as i found this book didn't give much focus on the teachings of Islam but tends to focus more on the battles which took place to defend the muslims against attacking armies. By: Goodreads helps you keep track of books you want to read. The Book also describes Prophet's earlier times as an orphan under his Uncle's protection. By: I saw men's faces full of wonderment, and the Prophet said: 'Do ye wonder at this bird? By: Past all the religious externalities that have accumulated over centuries, Submission is nothing more than unity with the only reality there is or ever was. Often, much of what is misunderstood about Islam is the result of a lack of information - and some dangerous and prolific myths. Islam once gave birth to a great civilization that respected religious diversity, freedom of conscience, and scientific thought, and Islamic knowledge contributed to the birth of humanism in the Renaissance. They somehow always end up creating an image which is so close to the divinity. What made the experience of listening to Muhammad the most enjoyable? He converted to Islam and adopted Abubakar Sirajuddin as his new name. The author Martin Lings was a Muslim convert and Arabic speaker who spent formative years in Cairo and earned a Ph.D. on Sufism at SOAS University of London in 1959. The easiest way to learn about Islam is through the traditions of Mohammed called the Hadith. Recommended! Misquoting Muhammad takes listeners back in time through Islamic civilization and traces how and why such controversies developed, offering an inside view into how key and controversial aspects of Islam took shape. They were developed, like in other world religions, over centuries by the clerical class of Muslim scholars. It treats the life of Muhammed based on the Hadiths and the Siras, mainly Ibn Ishaq's life of Muhammed( published by Oxford university press). And Muslims faced it when ISIS revived sex slavery, justifying it with verses from the Quran and the practice of Muhammad. He is the best narrator I have ever heard. This is praise indeed, but indisputable for it is the combination of Lings' impressive command of the English Language-sublime, lofty, eloquent; his meticulous research and his honest, truthful, unclouded look at the life of one of the greatest personalities in our history, if the the greatest. Highly recommended! Karen Armstrong. Before the appearance of this book, Western languages lacked almost entirely a comprehensive and authentic account of the life of the Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W)... Now, Lings...has produced a superb narrative that, in its sobriety and dignity of style and its scrupulous and exhaustive fidelity to authentic and reliable sources constitutes a major addition to Islamic literature in English. The Islamic Quarterly called the book "a true work of art, as enthralling as the best novels with the difference that this is not fiction but fact. Martin Lings’ biography of Muhammad is an internationally acclaimed, comprehensive, and authoritative account of the life of the prophet. [3] The book reads more like a novel[6] and was written in a style, which is easily readable,[2] comprehensible and it uses language, which reflects both simplicity and grandeur. Darussalam Publishers, It was an amazing read. I understand that this is considered the best book on this subject in English, and the storytelling is good. Bilal Abdul Kareem, A New Translation by M. A. S. Abdel Haleem, By: I loved it, and reread it often. Named by A former Roman Catholic nun and winner of a Muslim Public Affairs Council Media Award, Karen Armstrong shows how Muhammad's life can teach us a great deal about our world. It's almost as if he added in some elements of fiction (or at least speculation) to fill in the gaps. Martin Lings cleverly describes the social, economic and political aspects of Makkah in the pre-islamic times before narrating the life of Prophet Muhammed(PBUH).It really helps the reader to understand the people of its age. We’d love your help. The advertisement does not notify the reader of this -- meaning that it is deliberately deceptive. Abridged version probably doesnot do justice, as lots of important reasons for events are left out and the reader who is not aware of some specific events is left wondering and confused that why such an event happened? 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.