The aim of this Seerah book is to relate the life of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) in a storytelling fashion for the younger audience, to build a world that a reader can immerse themselves in and to connect with the Prophet (s) and the sahabah with greater depth.
A few months back, I was listening to the Ilmfeed podcast episode where Asim Khan was on as a guest. In it he explains what motivated him to begin this project. He asks a simple question - why aren’t our children as obsessed with the story of their Prophet (pbuh) like they are with other fictional characters such as Harry Potter? The answer was simple, apart from an interesting plotline, the story telling of J K Rowling gives life to her characters and the world they live in to the point that readers cant help but connect.
The story of the Prophet (pbuh) has all the aspects of a blockbuster movie - an orphan thrown out of his city only to return victorious. But most English seerah books are written in a textbook style, offering facts and details instead of a story. So although children can quote the age the Prophet (pbuh) passed away, or the day he conquered Makkah, there is little that is felt.
When I saw this book in a store I went to recently, I couldn’t resist buying it. My intention for buying it was to be able to read it to recommend it to our local masajid so they could pick it up for the children. I never really read it for myself per se. Although I hadn’t read the seerah in a storytelling fashion previously, I considered myself lucky to have always been taught it in a more wholesome sense.
But this book, once again, made me realise the power of storytelling. (Swipe to see some excerpts)
It’s one thing to know what happened, yet its another to experience it. All the scenes in the book are well-known scenes. In fact, Ustadh Asim sticks to narrating only events backed up by the authoritative classical sources of the Seerah to maintain its authenticity. Yet, the building of the world, the fleshing out of the characters gives one an emotional attachment to the seerah and to the Prophet (pbuh), that textbook-learning cannot give.
I was no longer reading the incident of the taunting of the Quraysh by the Ka’bah. But instead, I was there feeling the heat of the Makkan sun on my back, seeing the subtle shift in the expression on our Prophet (pbuh)’s beloved face as he continued to walk around the Ka’bah in his worship.
Frankly speaking, I felt there were certain incidents that could have been delved into even more detail. The plan for this seerah is for it to be in 2 parts, the Makkan and Madinan era. However, I am completely down for a 7 part series of the seerah (the true HP style). One filled with rich world-building and character arcs.
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So although I may have picked it up to benefit others, I think I may have benefitted myself the most!
And saying that, I can’t help but recommend everyone to pick this up, first for yourself and then your families. You will only close this book with a greater love for our Prophet (pbuh).
