The orientalists have been studying the seerah of the prophet with a view to casting doubt and raising suspicions and discrediting the life and personality of the Prophet (saw). Their approach has evolved over the period of time. At times they have been vicious in their attacks as was the case in the 18th century which with time during the 19th and 20th century became seemingly sympathetic to his life.
This study by Dr Muhammad Mohar Ali critically analyses the works of three famous orientalists, William Muir, D.S Margoliouth and W. Montgomery Watt. Dr Ali refutes the charges levelled by them against the life and character of the Prophet (saw) with an erudition which the treatment of such a subject requires.
Table of Contents
Section 1: The sources and the Background
Chapter 1: the source of the Sirah
Chapter 2: The Background
Chapter 3: The Orientalists on some background Topics
Chapter 4: On the Materialistic Interpretation of The rise of Islam
Section 2: Birth, Boyhood and Youth
Chapter 5: Family Background, Birth and Childhood
Chapter 6: The orientalists on the Prophet's family
Chapter 7: Adolesence and Youth
Chapter 8: Adolesence and Youth: The Orientalistss' Views
Chapter 9: Watt's Theory about the Harb Al Fijar and Hilf al Fudul
Chapter 10: The allegation of ambition and preparation
Chapter 11: The theme of judaeo-Christian Influence
Chapter 12: The Alleged contemporary Errors in the Qur'an
Section 3: On the eve of the Call of Prophethood
Chapter 13: On the eve of the call: The Hanifs and the Affair of Uthman ibn Al-huwayrith
Chapter 14: The orientalist and the Hanifs: The Jeffery-Bell theory
Chapter 15: The orientalists and the Hanfis: Watts' views
Section 4: Receipt of Wahy and inception of the Mission
Chapter 16: Divine communication (
wahy
) and inception of the mission
Chapter 17: Wahy and the Orientalists: The views of Muir and Margoliouth
Chapter 18: Wahy and the Orientalists: Bell's views
Chapter 19: Wahy and the Orientalists: Watt's Treatment of the Al-Zuhri's report
Chapter 20: Wahy and the Orientalists: The Theory of Intellectual Locution
Section 5: The early phase of the Mission
Chapter 21: The Early phase of the mission
Chapter 22: Margolioth's theory of 'Islam and a secret society"
Chapter 23: The bell-Watt theory about the contents of early revelations
Chapter 24: The early phase of the mission and Watt's socio-economic interpretation
Section 6: The Makkan Opposition
Chapter 25: The makkahn Opposition: Nature, causes and immediate allegation
Chapter 26: Organized Oppostion: 1 - Objections, Argumentation and demand for Miracles
Chapter 27: Organized Opposition: 2- Dissuasion, Enticements, Violence and Persection
Chapter 28: The Migration to Abyssinia
Chapter 29: The spurious story of the 'Satanic verses'
Chapter 30: The climax of opposition and calamity
Chapter 31: The makkan opposition and the Orientalists: 1 - Watt's theory about the causes and beginning of opposition
Chapter 32: The Orientalists on the extent and nature of the opposition
Chapter 33: The unbeliever's objection vis-a-vis the Orientalists
Chapter 34: The Abyssinian Migration and the Orientalists
Section 7: The late Makkan Phase and Migration too Madina
Chapter 34: Looking beyond makkah for Support
Chapter 35: Al Isra and Al Miraj
Chapter 36: Preliminaries to the Migration
Chapter 37: The migration to Madina
Chapter 38: The Orientalists on the Migration to Madina