سیرتِ نبوی کے مآ خذ پر جدید اردو تحقیقات --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Recent Research on Urdu Sources of al-Sirah al-Nabawiyyah

Abstract

Recent Research on Urdu Sources of al-Sirah al-Nabawiyyah

Serious scientific and academic research on Sirah subjects in Urdu began in the twentieth century. This also initiated the trend of directly exploring the primary sources. The writers on Sirah were obliged to clearly define the sources of their studies and explain their authenticity and reliability. They also thought it necessary to define the limits of their reliance on these works in order to earn the trust of their readers. There appeared two types of such critical studies: (1) Complete monographs on issue relating Sirah, and introductions, prefaces or survey of related debates. (2) Independent research articles, essays and lectures. Maulana Shibli (1857-1914), is undoubtedly the pioneer in writing the former type of critical studies. His long introduction to his work on Sirat al-Nabi is a milestone in the history of Sirah writing. His disciple Sayyid Sulaiman Nadvi (1884-1953) improved upon this thoroughly researched introduction.

After Shibli several Sirah writers who presented their studies on this subject include Maulana ‘Abd al-Rauf Danapuri (Asabb al-Siyar), Maulana Mu╒ammad Idris Kandhlavi (Sirat al-Mustafa), and Dr Muhammad Hamidullah (Mu╒ammad Rasul Allah, ed. Sirah Ibn Ishaq). Among independent articles we find a wide range of writings. Generally, these works focus on one biographer of the Prophet discussing his writings and information. Several writers have done similar analyses of more than one biographer. Urdu translations of biographies written in European languages, particularly in English, have provided Urdu readers valuable information about the sources of Sirah. Some scholars have contributed significant critical studies on the chronology of the historiography of Sirah.

Modern trends in scholarly lectures and Speeches on Sirah have invited scholars to critical studies and analyses of the Sirah sources. An example of this trend is the fifth address in Mahmood Ahmad Ghazi’s Muba╛arat-i Sirat. His alluded views in this lecture urged several research scholars to study the biographical sources more critically. Some have initiated commentaries on these original sources.

The consensus among the writers on Sirah clearly demarcates the following three as the most indispensable primary sources of Sirah: The Qur’an, Hadith, especially the principal collections, and the ancient and early Sirah writings.