What is the best book, I mean, that a student of knowledge should acquire regarding the Prophetic biography?

The Shaykh: Yes.

The questioner : Peace be upon you and Allah's mercy.

The Shaykh : And upon you be peace, and the mercy of Allah and His blessings.

The questioner : How are you this evening?

The Shaykh : We are well, and the kingdom belongs to Allah, and all praise is due to Allah.

The questioner : All praise is due to Allah. Do you have space?

The Shaykh : For you?

The questioner : For six.

The Shaykh : Then one is enough for you; that is the most important one for you right now.

The questioner : The question is: What is the best book, I mean, that a student of knowledge should acquire regarding the Prophetic biography?

The Shaykh : The truth is that, unfortunately, to this day, there is no book in the Islamic library that is suitable to be the answer to that question. However, there is no doubt that there is a difference between one work on the biography and another. There is the Prophetic biography that was extracted and separated from the book of history by al-Hafiz Ibn Kathir, titled al-Bidaya wa al-Nihaya. It was printed separately from the history, I think in three volumes. This is the best that has been written on the biography, because it deals with distinguishing what is authentic from what is not authentic regarding the Prophetic biography. This is generally the case, not as an absolute rule.

The questioner : Yes, repeat the title for me so I can write it down.

The Shaykh : The Prophetic biography by al-Hafiz Ibn Kathir.

The questioner : Yes, of course. Is there a verified edition of this, or is the verification by Ibn Kathir himself?

The Shaykh : I do not know. The verifiers today, I mean, are a name without a body.

The questioner : May Allah reward you with good.

The Shaykh: And you as well, if Allah wills.
Yes.