and matters of legal theory, marshaling proofs and vigorously defending his Shāfiʿī school in the most intricate rulings and sub-branches—almost as though he were writing exclusively for specialists in Qur’anic exegesis, jurisprudence, and ḥadīth! Yet, for all that, he is still writing history.

Among the distinctive features of Ḥāfiẓ Ibn Kathīr’s treatment of the Sīrah is that he appended two independent works: al-Shamāʾil and Dalāʾil al-Nubuwwah. He had also hinted at adding two further books—al-Khaṣāʾiṣ and al-Faḍāʾil—but never did so.

He wrote in the introduction:

“We shall recount his biography—peace and blessings be upon him—as it ought to be recounted, healing the hearts, quenching their thirst, and removing the sickness of the ailing.”(1)

The material of this section is distributed over four parts as follows:

2 – Section Two (The Prophetic Biography)
• Volume Three (3): Events of the ‘Fatrah’ period: the re-excavation of Zamzam, the vow of ʿAbd al-Muṭṭalib, and ʿAbd al-Muṭṭalib’s marriage of his son ʿAbd Allāh to Āminah. The Prophetic Biography: the birth [of the Prophet], the first year after the Hijrah, and the close of the expedition of ʿUbaydah ibn al-Ḥārith.

• Volume Four (4): The beginning of the second year after the Hijrah; the Book of Military Expeditions; and an account of the events that occurred in the ninth year of the Hijrah.

• Volume Five (5): The Book of the Delegations that came to the Messenger of Allah—peace and blessings be upon him—his Farewell Pilgrimage, his passing, his wives and children, his female servants, his attendants, the scribes of revelation, the Prophet’s relics, and a description of his horses and mounts.

• Volume Six (6): Appendices to the Sīrah: his noble traits—peace and blessings be upon him—and the proofs of his prophethood.

[3 – The History of Islam]
This comprises:
A – The Rightly Guided Caliphate and the Umayyad State (11–132 AH).
B – The Abbasid Caliphate (132–656 AH).