DefinePK

Abstract

This study explores the academic and historical investigations conducted in the Indian subcontinent regarding the family of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ in the pre-Islamic era. The research highlights how Muslim scholars and historians from South Asia have examined and interpreted the lineage, socio-cultural background, and religious environment of the Prophet's ﷺ noble family before the advent of Islam. The study analyzes classical and modern Urdu, Persian, and Arabic texts written by Indian scholars and aims to uncover their methodologies, sources, and motivations behind these works. Through a critical and comparative approach, the study traces how the significance of the Prophet's ﷺ ancestry was established in different periods, particularly in response to religious, political, and cultural challenges faced by Muslims in the subcontinent. It also evaluates how these historical narratives contributed to shaping Muslim identity, spiritual consciousness, and reverence for the Prophet’s ﷺ household.
Furthermore, the research attempts to assess the authenticity and historiographical value of the literature produced in this region. By doing so, it contributes to a broader understanding of how regional scholarship played a role in preserving and propagating the history of the Prophet's ﷺ family, even from the pre-Islamic era. This analytical study sheds light on an under-explored yet significant domain in Islamic historiography, providing valuable insights for future academic discourse.