Dalail al-Nubuwwa (al-Isfahani)

Dalail al-Nubuwwa (Arabic: دلائل النبوة) is an 11th-century work on the biography of the Prophet Muhammad by Abu Nu'aym al-Isfahani. Comprising thirty-one chapters, the book draws on the Qur'an, hadith, earlier biographical works, and Arabic prose and poetry.

The book was composed based on reports transmitted in gatherings of the Ahl al-Hadith (traditionists).^[1][2] It cites 565 musnad (fully transmitted) hadiths and occasionally includes rare (gharib) hadiths.^[1] Dalail al-Nubuwwa was first published at the Matba Nizamiya in Hyderabad in 1320 AH, though this edition had some shortcomings. Later verified editions were published by Muhammad Rawwas Qalahji and Abd al-Barr Abbas in 1406 AH and 1419 AH.^[1] An edition was also published in Aleppo in 1397 AH / 1977 CE.^[3] Sources used in the book include Ibn Ishaq's Al-Sirah al-Nabawiyyah and al-Waqidi's al-Maghazi. According to the İslâm Ansiklopedisi, the reports in the work require critical examination regarding their authenticity.^[3] Taj al-Din Azhari noted that the book introduced a new style in the writing of biography. It has been cited in later works on the Prophets life.^[4]

The work compiles reports concerning the Prophets prophethood that were scattered in various sources and is divided into three sections.^[3] The first section addresses matters related to the Prophet before his birth, including his names, lineage, family, references in the Qur'an to his status, anticipations by earlier prophets, qualities mentioned in previous scriptures, his parents marriage, and events reported during his gestation.^[3] The second section covers the Prophets life from birth until his assignment to prophethood, including the Elephant Event in the year of his birth, supernatural occurrences observed by his mother Amina and wet nurse Halima, recognition of his trustworthiness by the Quraysh, the seal of prophethood on his back, and protection from the influences of Jahiliyyah.^[3] The third section records reported miracles from the Prophets assignment to prophethood until his death, including the reception of revelation and the Angel of Revelation, miracles during the Hijrah, reports of speaking animals, trees moving to and from the Prophet, water flowing from his fingers, multiplication of food, events during battles, prophecies of the unseen, and reported miraculous acts among companions. The concluding chapters compare the Prophet with previous prophets and discuss material miracles reported in addition to the Qur'an.^[3]

In transmitting narrations, Abu Nuaym aimed to avoid both excessive detail and over-abbreviation, maintaining clarity and completeness.^[4] The book uses two main styles.^[5] The general style incorporates Qur'anic verses, hadiths, poetry, and events from the Prophets life. The special style focuses on isnad (chains of transmission) and the method of deriving hadiths. Narrations sometimes appear through multiple routes or specify several sheikhs.^[5] Hadiths are examined through their chains and are mostly obtained directly from sheikhs. In some instances, phrases such as "akhbartu" or "wa hadaltu" are used without naming transmitters. Similar narrations are indicated with phrases like "bimithlihi" or "binnahwihi". The place of direct hearing is noted when relevant, and differences between narrations are clarified explicitly.^[5]

• List of Sunni books
• List of hadith books
• List of biographies of Muhammad

• Koertner, Mareike (2018). "Dalāil al-Nubuwwa Literature as Part of the Medieval Scholarly Discourse on Prophecy". Der Islam (in German). 95 (1): 91–109. doi:10.1515/islam-2018-0004. ISSN 1613-0928.