Prophet Muhammad

It is pleasant to note that there is a growing body of literature on the Sirah in English. The latest addition is a translation of a Turkish book in two volumes, spanning over 1000 pages, written by well-established writers. Resit Haylamaz is the editor-in chief of Kaynak Publishing Group in Istanbul who has written several books on the Prophet’s life and his Companions while Fatih Harpci is an academic who got his doctorate from the Department of Religion at Temple University in Philadelphia. The Sultan of Hearts is about the exemplary life of the Prophet (peace be upon him), focusing on his mission, character and qualities through the eyes of his family and close Companions. Thus the book draws an intimate portrait of a gentle husband, a loving father and a faithful friend, while on the other hand it also recounts his military expeditions as a brave leader and military commander. However, far from emphasizing his wars, which regrettably many books on Sirah do, the authors’ focus is instead on the Prophet’s humanity and humility. They have tried to cover comprehensively the Prophet’s biography and painstakingly recorded every minor detail. Each incident is narrated in the form of a story, and this informal approach keeps the readers glued to the book and makes a very lively reading.