What is Seerah?

Taken from the introductory class to the lecture series entitled “Seerah:Lessons and Morals” delivered by Abu Ammar Yasir Qadhi5 at Masjid At Taqwa6 in Houston, TX in the Summer of 2005

Bismillahir Rahman Ar Raheem

Before we go any further in this topic of seerah we have to take a very important thing into consideration. The importance of this is related to us in the following hadith of the Prophet (Sal Allahu Alayhi Wa Sallam)1:

The Prophet(Sal Allahu Alayhi Wa Sallam) said, “Do you know who the most miserly and stingy person?” The Sahaaba replied saying, “Allah and his Prophet know best.” So The Prophet(Sal Allahu Alayhi Wa Sallam) replied, “The most stingy and the most miserly person is the one whom when my name is mentioned does not send the salawat(Saying May Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him2) upon me.”3

This tells us that it is a duty upon us to send peace and blessing upon the Prophet (Sal Allahu Alayhi Wa Sallam) if we want to refrain from being the most stingy and miserly of people. By doing this we have nothing to lose, but by not doing it we will be the most miserly and stingy of people. Nobody likes to be referred to as that and especially through the lips of the Prophet (Sal Allahu Alayhi Wa Sallam). So when ever we mention the Prophet (Sal Allahu Alayhi Wa Sallam) by his name or refer to him we should make it a habit to follow it up by sending peace and blessings upon him.

And Allah Knows Best

What is Seerah4?

Taken from the introductory class to the lecture series entitled “Seerah:Lessons and Morals” delivered by Abu Ammar Yasir Qadhi5 at Masjid At Taqwa6 in Houston, TX in the Summer of 2005

In the Arabic language the word seerah comes from saara yaseeru. Linguistically it means to travel or to be on a journey. When we’re talking about someone’s seerah we’re talking about that person’s journey through life. You are talking about the person’s birth, the events surrounding it, his life and his death, and you are also studying the manners and characteristics of that person. In modern times we still call it seerah, like a resume is called a seerah or seerah dhaatihi in the Arabic language.

In Islamic sciences or the Sharee’ah7, seerah means the study of the life of the Prophet Mohammed (Sal Allahu Alayhi Wa Sallam), the last and final prophet and the messenger of Allah. It is the study of his life and all that is related to him. The information related to him would be like the events and aspects surrounding his biography. This would include knowledge of events that preceded his birth, his interactions and dealings with his companions, his family, the people around him, and also the events that occurred shortly after his death. No book of seerah stops at the death of the Prophet (Sal Allahu Alayhi Wa Sallam), it goes a little further in time or a few events further. And any seerah book usually talks about the Prophet (Sal Allahu Alayhi Wa Sallam)’s birth, his parents, his lineage, his tribe, and people that lived before him and the major events that took place around his (Sal Allahu Alayhi Wa Sallam) birth. Usually when a book on someone’s biography is written it is imperative that a little information about the people that the subject interacted and dealth with. The seerah of the Prophet (Sal Allahu Alayhi Wa Sallam) is no exception, it includes knowing about his companions, the disbelievers, the hypocrites, and the People of the Book tha the interacted with.

May Allah’s Peace and Blessings be upon the Prophet (Sal Allahu Alayhi Wa Sallam), his family, his companions, and those who follow his path until the Day of Judgment.

Footnotes

1. Translates into “May Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him”

2. In Arabic “Sal Allahu Alayhi Wa Sallam”

3. Need Reference??

4. Also transliterated as Sira, Seera, or Sirah

5. Biography Click Here!

6. Masjid At Taqwa, formerly known as Synott Masjid. Located in Southwest Houston, TX. View it here or here.