An Introduction to the Qur’ānic Sīrah
With a Focus on Ibn Hishām
This study examines Ibn Hishām’s al-Sīrah al-Nabawiyyah within the
framework of the “Qur’ānic Sīrah,” analyzing the relationship between
the Qur’ān’s account of the Prophet Muhammad’s life and the classical
sīrah tradition. The primary aim of the research is to reveal how Ibn
Hishām interprets the Qur’ānic narrative concerning the Prophet, how
he supports it with historical material, and which criteria he employs in
compiling transmitted reports. Throughout the study, the works of early
sīrah scholars-especially those of Ibn Isḥāq and other transmitters-are
compared with Ibn Hishām’s text. Through this comparison, the study
seeks to determine how Ibn Hishām filtered, reorganized, and elaborated
upon earlier material. Additionally, the structure, thematic organization,
and historiographical aspects of al-Sīrah al-Nabawiyyah are examined,
and its relationship to relevant Qur’ānic verses is analyzed. The
research emphasizes the importance of historical background-such as
the context of revelation (asbāb al-nuzūl), socio-political circumstances,
and cultural environment-for a proper understanding of Qur’ānic material
related to the Prophet’s life. In this regard, the social and historical
conditions of the Prophet’s era are investigated. This analysis demonstrates
that Qur’ānic verses related to sīrah cannot be fully understood
in terms of chronology, thematic integrity, or meaning without their
historical context. In light of these evaluations, the study concludes that
Ibn Hishām’s approach to sīrah is not limited to merely compiling reports;
rather, it reflects an attempt to reinforce the historical narrative
of the Qur’ān and construct a coherent sīrah narrative in harmony with
it. Thus, al-Sīrah al-Nabawiyyah emerges as a selective and interpretive
work designed to strengthen the Qur’ānic conception of the Prophet’s
biography. Ultimately, this thesis contributes to Qur’ān-centered sīrah
studies by highlighting the textual and holistic relationship between
early sīrah tradition and the Qur’ānic narrative.
Keywords: Qur’ānic Sīrah; Ibn Hishām; al-Sīrah al-Nabawiyyah; Early
Islamic Historiography; Asbāb al-Nuzūl