Abul Hasan Ali Nadwi's life and approach to sirah

This study aims to examine the methodology of Sirah writing and the philosophy of history of Abu'l-Hasan Ali al-Nadwi (d. 1999), one of the leading scholars and thinkers of the 20th-century Islamic world, focusing on his work titled al-Sirah al-Nabawiyyah. After discussing Nadwi's life, scholarly personality, and works, the content, sources, and style of the aforementioned work are analyzed in detail. The research utilizes qualitative methods—specifically document analysis and descriptive analysis—and compares Nadwi's approach with classical and contemporary Sirah literature. In light of these comparisons, it is observed that Nadwi's approach occupies a unique position, distinguishing itself from Hamidullah's documentary school, Maududi's political school, and Mustafa Asım Köksal's encyclopedic school. While analyzing the geography where Islam emerged, the author draws attention to the "mental pollution" of the civilizations of that period; he justifies the selection of the Arabian Peninsula through the qualities of "mental virginity" and the ummi (unlettered) nature of the region's people. These comparative analyses demonstrate that Nadwi does not merely list events when dealing with Islamic history; he also examines the mental structure of the geography where revelation descended and the target audience—the Arab society—from a sociological perspective. Based on the relationship between geography and human character, he explains within a framework of causality why Islam emerged in that region and how an ummi society gained the merit to carry this universal message. As a result of the research, it has been determined that Nadwi followed a "Rabbanî" (God-centric/Devotional) method in Sirah writing. This concept, used as a specific term in the author's world of thought, signifies that knowledge and historical narrative cease to be merely intellectual activities and transform into a vehicle for da'wah (invitation) that centers on the pleasure of Allah and leads the interlocutor toward spiritual maturity. Through this method, the author presents history not as a chronological pile of information, but as a model for the spiritual reconstruction of humanity. In this context, the author focuses on the morality and human aspects of the Prophet (pbuh) rather than miracles, portraying him not as an unreachable myth but as an imitable role model; he interprets Hudaybiyyah as the victory of reason over emotions and Uhud as a process of divine (Rabbanî) discipline. His redefinition of the concept of Jahiliyyah as a universal crisis of values rather than a mere historical period, and his grounding of the Prophet's (pbuh) struggle on the foundation of building faith and morality—rather than a demand for political power—are the most distinct features that separate him from his contemporaries. This study clearly reveals that the work combines rational evidence with an emotional narrative that nourishes the heart, serving as a text of da'wah that addresses the spiritual void of modern man. Keywords: Islamic History, Sirah Writing, Abu'l-Hasan al-Nadwi, al-Sirah al-Nabawiyyah, Jahiliyyah, Historical Methodology.