مولد النبي ﷺ ورضاعته وطفولته من خلال كتاب التاريخ الكبير للإمام البخاري

The Birth, Suckling, and Childhood of the Prophet ﷺ through the Book Al-Tarikh al-Kabir by Imam al-Bukhari

Abstract

This research study presents a comprehensive analytical examination of the birth, suckling, and childhood of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ as documented in Imam al-Bukhari's foundational biographical work, Al-Tarikh al-Kabir (The Great History). Imam al-Bukhari (810–870 CE), renowned as the most distinguished hadith scholar in Sunni Islam, compiled Al-Tarikh al-Kabir during his stay in Medina at the young age of eighteen, making it one of the earliest and most significant biographical dictionaries of narrators and historical figures in Islamic literature. The study explores how this monumental work documents the early life stages of the Prophet, including the divine selection of his noble lineage, the miraculous signs accompanying his birth, the details of his suckling period with Thuwaybah and Halimah al-Sa'diyyah, and the formative events of his childhood under the guardianship of his grandfather 'Abd al-Muttalib and later his uncle Abū Tālib. Through a close reading of the narrations preserved in Al-Tarikh al-Kabir and comparing them with other authentic sources such as Sahih al-Bukhari and classical sirah literature, the research identifies unique details and perspectives found specifically in this early historical work. The study demonstrates that Al-Tarikh al-Kabir serves not only as a biographical source but also as a critical tool for understanding the isnad (chain of transmission) system and the early development of Islamic historiography. The research concludes that this foundational work by Imam al-Bukhari remains indispensable for a comprehensive understanding of the Prophet's early life.