The Book of the Birth of the Messenger of God(peace be upon him) by Al-Hanbali (785: AH) Study of the Methodology and Resources

Abstract

Historical efforts to document the Prophet's biography have been extensive and varied throughout the years, covering all its aspects. However, some works have been overlooked by readers and academics due to the obscurity of their authors or because they were only published once. Consequently, reliance has been placed on the well-known biographies, such as those by Ibn Ishaq and Ibn Hisham. Methodological studies have thus played a crucial role in shedding light on these forgotten works and understanding their contents. One such work is the subject of our research: "The Birth of the Messenger of God (Peace Be Upon Him)" by Al-Hanbali (d. 785 AH). Our study focuses on its methodology and sources. The book is significant and comprehensive, despite its brevity, as it documents many accounts from before and after the blessed mission, including the events that accompanied it. Therefore, we chose this topic to learn about the author and his book, his sources, and to compare and analyze his accounts, as well as to understand his style of attribution and documentation, relying on early biographical and historical works from before the author's era. We hope this will be a useful academic and objective study.