Seerah of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ

What is the Seerah of the Prophet?

The story of the Prophet ﷺ from his birth until his death.

The Seerah (السيرة النبوية, as-sira an-nabawiyya) is based on classical sources such as Ibn Hisham (d. 833), Ibn Ishaq (d. 767), at-Tabari (d. 923) and the hadith collections of al-Bukhari and Muslim.

The three main periods

Jahiliyya

The Mecca Period

The beginning of the message of Islam

The Medina Period

The establishment of Islam's Base

Key events

• The Carved Mountains
• The Origin of the House
• The People of the Book
• The Great Flood
• The Bringer of the Idols
• The Union of the Valley
• The Poets of 'Ukaz
• The Year of the Elephant
• The Birth of the Prophet ﷺ and the Years of Purity
• Hilf al-Fudul: The Pact of Virtue
• The Dispute and the Solution
• The First Words: "Iqra!"
• The Beginning of the Cultivation Phase
• Dar al-Arqam: The Hidden Centre
• The Warning on the Mountain
• The Period of Trials
• Quraysh Pressure Abu Talib
• The Migration to the Righteous King
• The Turning Point: The Conversion of the Two Giants
• The Offer of Quraysh to the Prophet ﷺ
• The Years of Hunger in the Valley
• The Year of Sorrow
• From Jerusalem to the Throne
• The Trial in Ta'if
• The Search for Support
• The Oath of the Twelve
• Mus'ab: The First Ambassador
• The Oath of Blood and Allegiance
• The Order to Depart
• The Plot in Dar al-Nadwa
• The Beginning of the Islamic Calendar (Hijra)
• The Reception of the Prophet ﷺ
• Building the State
• The Charter of Madinah
• The First Expeditions from Madinah
• The Battle of Badr
• The Aftermath of the Battle of Badr
• Fire Beneath the Ashes
• The Battle of Uhud
• The Years of Trial
• The Battle of the Trench
• The Turning Point
• The Treaty of Hudaybiyya
• Da'wah to the Kings
• The Prelude to the Conquest
• The Battle of Mu'tah
• The Conquest of Makkah
• The Battle of Hunayn
• The Expedition of Tabuk
• The Farewell Sermon

Frequently asked questions

What does the word 'Seerah' mean?

The word Seerah (Arabic: السيرة, sīra) literally means 'path of life' or 'biography'. In the Islamic tradition it refers specifically to as-Sīra an-Nabawiyya — the documented life of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ: his birth, revelation, preaching in Mecca, Hijra to Medina, battles, treaties and death in 632 CE.

How old was the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ when he died?

The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ died in 632 CE (11 AH) at the age of 63 in Medina, in the house of his wife Aisha ﵂. According to classical sources he lived 53 years in Mecca and 10 years in Medina after the Hijra. His grave lies inside Masjid an-Nabawi in Medina.

When did the Hijra take place?

The Hijra — the migration of the Prophet ﷺ from Mecca to Medina — took place in 622 CE. This event marks the start of the Islamic calendar (AH, Anno Hegirae). The journey took about two weeks and included three nights hiding in the cave of Thawr with Abu Bakr ﵁ to evade pursuers.

What are the most reliable sources on the Seerah?

The earliest primary sources are Sirat Rasul Allah by Ibn Ishaq (d. 767), preserved through Ibn Hishamʼs redaction (d. 833), and Tarikh ar-Rusul wa al-Muluk by at-Tabari (d. 923). The hadith collections Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim also contain historical reports with a very high standard of authenticity.

What is the difference between Seerah and Hadith?

Seerah is the biographical history of the Prophetʼs ﷺ life — narrative and chronological. Hadith are individual reports of his sayings, actions and tacit approvals, organised by topic and graded by authenticity (sahih, hasan, daʼif). Seerah draws on hadith but also includes broader historical reports.

Sources

• Ibn Hisham, As-Sira an-Nabawiyya (d. 833)
• Ibn Ishaq, Sirat Rasul Allah (d. 767)
• Muhammad at-Tabari, Tarikh ar-Rusul wa al-Muluk (d. 923)
• Sahih al-Bukhari
• Sahih Muslim
• Safi ar-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri, Ar-Raheeq al-Makhtum (The Sealed Nectar)