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Sirat Rasul Allah-Ibn Ishaq (The Life
of Muhammad)
Ibn Ishaq -(Muhammad ibn Ishaq (d.
767 or 761)) The earliest
Islamic historian whose work still survives. He
collected oral traditions that formed the
basis of an important extant biography of the Prophet. Although is
original
books have been lost his work survived through that of his editors,
such as Ibn Hisham
and Ibn Jarir al-Tabari.
This is a translation by Alfred
Guillaume who has attempted
to compile the original text of Ibn Ishaq by combining his work
referenced in
several sources. This is mainly from Ibn
Hisham but with additions from other sources. Ibn Hisham work was well
known
for having redacted large sections of Ibn Ishaq when it was felt it was
controversial
or did not comply with orthodox doctrine.
If you research Ibn Ishaq you will
find that many Muslim scholars
both past and present have dismissed his work as
“week” some have even claimed
he lied! This accusation has never been proven and is disputed my many
scholars. If you read his work you will see that he goes to great
lengths to
state his sources. Where he is not sure of the source or there is
contradiction
he states this. Also one must remember this is the earliest surviving
source
and is the work of a historian recording what is being relayed to him
by
others.
Alfred Guillaume has also
come in for criticism
from many for the translation of Ibn Hisham. He is accused of being a
non Muslim
and as such approaching the work with a bias. This however can be said
of any
person who translates a earlier work. The reader is how ever advised
that Alfred
Guillaume work is the only English translation of this important
historical
text. Alfred Guillaume takes great care to reference all sections that
are not
from the original work and his comments and additions a clearly
indicated so
the reader can tell them apart from the source material.