Presentation

This volume deals with the last two and a half years of the Prophet’s life. In addition to the three major expeditions to Hunanyn, Ta’if, and Tabuk, it describes in detail the circumstances surrounding the illness from which he died and the subsequent crisis of leadership faced by the nascent Muslim community. The author depicts with admirable fairness all the various opinions and divisions that existed within the community. He also presents a vivid picture of the Prophet’s physical appearance, his personal life, and his marriages. Among other topics discussed in this volume are all the deputations that came to Medina; a summary of all the expeditions and raiding parties; and his scribes, freedmen, horses, camels, goats, swords, coats of mail, and so on. It also covers the apostasy of Musaylimah, Aswad, and Tulhahah and the Prophet’s attempts to deal with them.

The translation not only preserves the original lively flavor of al-Tabari but also, in its annotations, draws extensively on both parallel Arabic sources and the intensive research of recent years. Readers who seek a deeper understanding of the Prophet’s personality and of the reasons for antagonisms engendered among various factions will find this volume most informative.

Table des matières

• Preface
• Translator’s Foreword
• The Events of the Year 8 (cont’d) (629/630)
• An Account of the Messenger of God’s Expedition against the Hawazin and the Battle of Hunayn
• [The Siege of al-Ta’if]
• [The Division of the Booty Captured at Hunayn and Gifts of Conciliation]
• The Events of the Year 9 (630/635)
• An Account of the Military Expedition to Tabuk
• [An Account of the People Who Accepted Islam]
• The Events of the Year 10 (635/632)
• The Deputation of the Banu Amir b. Sasaah -* Disagreement about the Number of the Armies and the Raiding Parties (Saraya) Sent by the Messenger of God -* Report about the Messenger of God's Pilgrimages -* Report about the Messenger of God's Wives, Those Who Survived Him, Those Who Left Him, the Reason for Which They Left, and Those Who Died before Him -* The Reason Why the Messenger of God Asked for the Hands of BothA’ishah and Sawdah in Marriage and the Received Reports as to with Whom He First Contracted the Marriage
• An Account of Those Women to Whom the Prophet Proposed But Did Not Marry
• An Account of the Messenger of God’s Slave Concubines
• The Events of the Year 10 (cont’d) (631/632)
• An Account of the Messenger of God’s Freedmen
• An Account of the Messenger of God’s Scribes
• The Names of the Messenger of God’s Horses
• The Names of the Messenger of God’s Mules
• The Names of the Messenger of God’s Camels
• The Names of the Messenger of God’s Milch Camels
• The Names of the Messenger of God’s Milch Sheep (Mana’ih)
• The Names of the Messenger of God’s Swords
• The Names of the Messenger of God’s Bows and Lances
• The Names of the Messenger of God’s Coats of Mail
• The Names of the Messenger of God’s Shields
• The Messenger of God’s Names
• The Messenger of God’s Characteristics
• The Seal of Prophethood Which He Had
• His Bravery and Generosity
• The Description of His Hair and Whether He Used to Dye It or Not
• Report about the Beginning of the Messenger of God’s Illness in Which He Died, and What He Did Just Prior to It When He Was Bewailed [for His Approaching Death]
• The Events of the Year 11 (632/633)
• An Account of the Day on Which the Messenger of God Died and His Age
• An Account of the Saqifah
• The Disagreements about His Age When He Died
• The Day and the Month in Which the Messenger of God died
• Bibliography of Cited Works
• Index
• Index of Qur’anic Verses

(Source : SUNY)