Stories of the prophets

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What the genre covers

The accounts of the earlier prophets, from creation to the period immediately preceding the sira: Noah, Abraham, Joseph, Moses, Solomon, Jesus. The works on this shelf follow chronological order and rest on the verses, the hadiths, and for the details, on older narratives. That last layer is exactly where the quality of an edition is decided.

The works on this shelf

Qisas al-anbiya by Ibn Kathir: the standard of the genre, drawn from Al-Bidaya wa an-nihaya, with a sifting of the reports. In one or two volumes depending on the edition.
The contemporary compilations, taking up the material with a clear plan and accessible vocabulary.
The illustrated editions for children, vowelled, often as series with one prophet per volume.
The monographs on a single account, most often Joseph or Moses.
The studies on the israiliyyat, explaining how to tell what is established from what was borrowed.

The question of the israiliyyat

The genre borrowed abundantly from narratives transmitted by the People of the Book, to fill in details the texts do not give. These additions are not always flagged, and an edition without notes presents them on the same footing as the rest. Ibn Kathir discusses them, and that is what gives his work its value on this shelf. We state the takhrij on every product page.

What to check

The takhrij, for the reason above. The intended age and the vowelling on editions for children. The volume count, since children's series are also sold singly. And the binding on a book children handle. These points are on each product page.

Related shelves

For the Prophet of Islam, Sira: the classical sources and Sira in one volume. For the commentary on the verses where these accounts appear, Complete and encyclopaedic tafsir. For reading with children, Raising children. Overview: History.

Order and shipping

Real stock displayed, dispatch within 24 to 48 working hours, delivery to France, Europe and the rest of the world. Tell us the reader's age: the adult and children's editions have nothing in common on this shelf.

Which work should an adult choose?

Qisas al-anbiya by Ibn Kathir, drawn from Al-Bidaya wa an-nihaya: it is the standard of the genre, and above all the author discusses the reports he cites instead of lining them up. The contemporary compilations are easier in language but rarely as explicit about where each detail comes from.

What are the israiliyyat and why are they a problem?

They are the narratives transmitted by the People of the Book, taken up abundantly in this genre to fill in details the texts do not give. The problem is not that they exist but that they go unflagged: an edition without notes presents them on the same footing as the rest. Ibn Kathir discusses them, and that is his value.

Are there series for children?

Yes, vowelled and illustrated, often with one prophet per volume. They are sold as a complete series or singly, so check the volume count on the product page before ordering. The indicative age and the vowelling are stated too, and the binding matters on a book children handle.

Does this shelf include the life of the Prophet of Islam?

No, that has shelves of its own, because the sources and the volume of material are nothing alike. Here, the earlier prophets, from creation to the period immediately preceding the sira. For the sira itself, see the three shelves devoted to it.

Are there works on a single account?

Yes, especially on Joseph and on Moses, the two accounts most developed in the Quranic text and therefore the most commented on. These monographs go further than the general compilations on their subject, and stay short. For the commentary on the verses themselves, see the tafsir section.