Compiled in the fourteenth century AD by a prominent Syrian scholar, Al-Sira al-Nabawiyya by Ibn Kathir is a full examination, in chronological order, of the background, life and mission of the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him. Drawn from the earliest and most reliable Arabic sources, it offers, in this English translation, the fullest available account of the historical circumstances and personalities most important in the founding of Islam. Ibn Kathir’s work offers a fine example of Islamic scholarship; the quotations and anecdotes that constitute its core are evaluated in terms of the trustworthiness of their sources. Variant wordings that are related through differing lines of transmission are noted, and Ibn Kathir gives both his own assessments and those of the earliest Islamic authorities concerning the likely authenticity of these records. The comments and conversations, derived from ancient texts, that are quoted in this work constitute the basis of our knowledge of Islam during the lifetime of its founder.

Volume IV continues with the events of 9 AH and 10 AH, and presents the different accounts of the hajjat al-wada’ (the farewell pilgrimage) and the events surrounding the death of the Prophet Muhammad.