This two-part treatise is a translation of Shaykh Muḥammad ibnʿAlawī al-Mālikī’s Ta’rīkh al-ḥawādith wa al-aḥwāl al-nabawiyyah [The history of the Prophetic events and states], a comprehensive summary of some of the most authoritative and voluminous works written on the Prophetic biography. The first part deals with various aspects of the Prophet’s life (may Allah bless him and give him peace), such as his early years before receiving revelation, members of his family, his servants, miracles, signs of his prophethood, the weapons he used in battle, the beasts he rode, the clothes he wore and so forth. The second part is a chronological summary of the most important events to have taken place in his life.
Shaykh Muḥammad ibnʿAlawī al-Mālikī, a direct descendant of the Prophet (may Allah bless him and give him peace), was born in Mecca in 1365/1944, and a world-renowned scholar who spent his life teaching and writing. He held many prestigious positions, including religious instructor and imam at the Ḥaram Mosque after his father, professor at the Faculty of Sharia, King ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz University, Mecca, 1390–1399 AH, and an active member of the World Islamic League. He died in Mecca in 1425/2004.