Muhammad : his life based on the earliest sources / Martin Lings.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

An objective biography of the Prophet, drawn from primary Arabic sources of the 8th and 9th centuries, including passages never before translated. It owes its freshness and directness of approach to the words of the men and women who heard Muhammad speak and witnessed the events of his life.--From publisher description.

A note on the pronunciation of Arabic names -- Map of Arabia -- Quraysh of the Hollow (genealogical tree) -- Key to references -- The house of God -- A great loss -- Quraysh of the Hollow -- The recovery of a loss -- The vow to sacrifice a son -- The need for a prophet -- The year of the elephant -- The desert -- Two bereavements -- Bahirá the monk -- A pact of chivalry -- Questions of marriage -- The household -- The rebuilding of the Ka'bah -- The first Revelations -- Worship -- "Warn Thy Family" -- Quraysh take action -- Aws and Khazraj -- Abu Jahl and Hamzah -- Quraysh make offers and demands -- Leaders of Quraysh --Wonderment and hope -- Family divisions -- The hour -- Three questions -- Abyssinia -- 'Umar -- The ban and its annulment -- Paradise and eternity -- The year of sadness -- "The light of thy countenance" -- After the year of sadness -- Yathrib responsive -- Many emigrations -- A conspiracy -- The Hijrah -- The entry into Medina -- Harmony and discord -- The new household -- The threshold of war -- The march to Badr -- The battle of Badr -- The return of the vanquished -- The captives -- Bani Qaynuqa' -- Deaths and marriages -- The people of the Bench -- Desultory warfare -- Preparations for battle -- The march to Uòhud -- The battle of Uòhud -- Revenge -- The burial of the martyrs -- After Uhud -- Victims of revenge -- Bani Nadir -- Peace and war -- The trench -- The siege -- Bani Qurayzah -- After the siege -- The hypocrites -- The necklace -- The lie -- The dilemma of Quraysh -- "A clear victory" -- After Hudaybiyah -- Khaybar -- "Whom Lovest Thou Most?" -- After Khaybar -- The lesser pilgrimage and its aftermath -- Syria -- A breach of the armistice -- The conquest of Mecca -- The battle of Hunayn and the siege of Ta'if -- Reconciliations -- After the victory -- Tabuk -- After Tabuk -- The degrees -- The future -- The farewell pilgrimage -- The choice -- The succession and the burial.