Where do I begin with this review? The minute I held my copy in my hands, I felt my senses take over. Using captivating storytelling to present an overview of the key events in the life of the Messenger ﷺ , The Simple Seerah is a unique series that makes the biography of the Messenger ﷺ more accessible and easy to understand. Although the series was produced with children in mind, it appeals to a wide audience, including teenagers and those who may not have studied the Seerah before. I would liken this book's style to Shaykha Fatima Barkatullah's book on Khadijah (ra); in fact, the two would make excellent companion books!

The first book in this series recounts the main events of the life of the Prophet ﷺ; beginning just before his blessed birth and ending with the migration to Medina (then Yathrib). Key events during this time include: marriage to Khadijah (ra), the first revelation from Allah (SWT), the encounter with Jibreel (as), early migration of the companions to Abyssinia, the Year of Sadness, trials at Ta’if, and al-Isra wal-Mi’raj. This series tells the story of Islam from the beginning; how an entire city tried to kill one man simply because he spoke the truth about God, calling for justice and the fair treatment of women and the poor. It is a tale of searching for truth, forming meaningful bonds beyond status or personal interest, and overcoming obstacles for the sake of the Almighty. Usually when I try to reach Seerah books I get overwhelmed by the chunk of historic information of the Arab world, culture and societal norms prior to the birth of the Prophet. Thinking from the perspective of a young person over the age of 10, I believe this is one of the reason why young people (and adults) aren’t able to engage with mainstream Seerah books. This book is aproachable - it speaks in a language and style that we are familiar with, and we don’t need to have extensive knowledge to be able to grasp the contents! A good read for anyone who wants to learn about the seerah in an accessible, engaging and easy to imagine in the mind's eye way.This is a great way to get younger generations reading something as intricate as the seerah, in a simple, yet engaging manner. Most seerah books are written at a very academic level, so this is a refreshing change, and one that is needed to engage younger generations. The chapters are just the right length to keep the reader engaged. The writing could have possibly been a bit bigger, but this may just be me showing my age! The Simple Seerah: Part One" by @asim_khan21c & Toyris Miah is, hands down, one of the best (if not only!) seerah resources aimed at middle grade readers. The secret to its success lies in how the life of RasulAllah (sallAllahu 'alayhi wa sallam) - from birth until the hijrah - is related in a vibrant storytelling style. This book tells the story of Islam from the beginning; how an entire city tried to kill one man simply because he spoke the truth about God, calling for justice and the fair treatment of women and the poor. It is a tale of searching for truth, forming meaningful bonds beyond status or personal interest, and overcoming obstacles for the sake of the Almighty.

While there are many resources available for English-speakers to learn about the Prophet ﷺ, much of the literature can be dense with information and facts. This can be disengaging for a younger or non-academic crowd who are often only engaged when information is conveyed in a more compelling, straightforward manner. A very good introduction to the Seerah. After watching some informative films, series and lectures, I really wanted to get into its reading materials. I wanted to start of with the Sealed Nectar but decided to go with this book as it is a little lighter and can potentially prepare you for the other more renowned works. Not to mention it had the endorsement of Mufti Menk. It is in that regard, that this book did a really great job and is a really good starting point for children. Hence why, owning a physical copy of this book for your household is a must. For that and also the author explicitly has asked to not make PDF copies for distribution, which we as muslims should honour. It’s quite incredible when you think about it, that this book and many others like it are all written about a man who did not know how to read or write. The Prophet Muhammad is the most influential and loved human being to have ever walked the face of this earth. The things that he said and did over fourteen hundred years ago still impact the lives of billions around the world today. This book managed to fill in all the voids the other Seerah books had. However, once finishing parts 1 and 2 of this book, I think Muslims would enjoy "The Sealed Nectar" far more as they would already have a base understanding of the seerah. With a rush of cool air, distant lands rolled by in a mesmerising display. They sped past Yathrib and beyond Khaybar. With each leap, the pain and difficulty from the Year of Sadness became more distant as they speared through the night towards Jerusalem, the same direction the Prophet and his followers turned to while praying.”This book really did meet it's objective. It was fun to read and really did increase me in my understanding of the Seerah. Relying upon classical sources of seerah such as Ibn Is'haq's Sirat RasulAllah, Ibn Sa'd's Tabaqaat, atTabari's Tareekh, & Ibn Kathir's AsSeerah anNabawiyyah, the authors have woven together the many historical narrations about RasulAllah's biography in an easy to understand manner that vividly brings every chapter to life. I really enjoyed the glimpses we got of certain events from the perspectives of specific Companions - it made the seerah that much more exciting and accessible. I was excited to be one of the volunteers reading advanced copies of this book before it was released, before having the opportunity to discuss themes and the structure of the book with Ustadh Asim Khan. Having studied the seerah at a young age I wanted a refresher as an adult. I came across the simple seerah and I’m so glad I did, at first I was sceptical that it would be aimed at children but it was perfectly pitched to be accessible for all ages. Other seerah books I’ve come across tend to be quite technical and highly detailed, but this was just perfect as an enjoyable reading experience whilst also teaching and describing important parts of history. It’s amazing that this is written in a form of narrative. Having recently been to perform umrah I could imagine all the scenes that were being described and felt like I was waking the streets of madina amongst the companions. The writing is so beautiful and makes for an enjoyable read with stunning descriptions of the mountains of Makkah as well as the intricate robes worn by the tribal leaders. Part 2 is just as amazing. Today in the 21st century, the message of the Prophet continues to challenge the status quo in societies around the world on issues such as individualism, materialism, and atheism. As followers of the Prophet Muhammad, we should embrace this aspect of our religion, for its very nature is to strike a clear distinction between truth and falsehood, between purity and filth—regardless of what people think.”

Muhammed ﷺ loved his people and desired a bright future for them, a future of peace, justice, and true faith in Allah. In the comforting confines of the cave, he sat in silence, eyes closed and heart searching." That is why this book is the best starting point ever, not only is it entertaining and sets up characters and scenes in a similar ways to classic novels, it is also lays a great foundation in learning the seerah. The Simple Seerah: The Story of Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.),Part One by Asim Khan & Toyris Miah Foreword by MuftiMenk ISBN: 9781739909505 Most chapters end with a short lesson that reinforces the key message the chapter. This is a useful addition that encourages the reader to be firm in his or her faith and showcases the sacrifices and difficulties that come with being a believer. I have read books such as "The Sealed Nectar" and "When The Moon Split". But I would have to say this tops them all.

Shipping

Working days are Monday-Friday (excluding Bank Holidays). Many couriers also deliver on Saturdays. UK Personally, I'm glad to see that the creative storytelling style is becoming popularized - up until now, it was often severely frowned upon as taking too many liberties with the seerah. I hope we see more like this from Muslim authors & publishers inshaAllah!