پنڈت سندر لال بحیثیت سیرت نگار:ایک تحقیقی وتنقیدی جائزہ

Pandit Sundar Lal as a Biographer: A Research and Critical Review

Abstract

Allah Almighty made the last Prophet of the line of prophethood, Hazrat Muhammad (peace be upon him), a perfect example for the guidance of mankind until the Day of Judgment and has preserved and safeguarded his message. His personality represents the pinnacle of human greatness. Even during his blessed life, biographers began writing about his stature and biography, and this tradition has continued from the early days of Islam to the present. The tradition of writing about his biography has, over different periods, taken the form of books, essays, articles, etc., concerning events in his blessed life, his teachings, lifestyle, and various aspects of Islam. The life and teachings of the Prophet (peace be upon him) constitute a comprehensive and universal subject whose vastness is such that neither Muslims nor non-Muslims, thinkers, or scholars, despite making efforts according to their capacity, have been able to fully encompass it.           

Apart from Muslim scholars in the subcontinent, non-Muslim scholars have also written extensively on this subject. Among them, some non-Muslim scholars, out of envy for the Prophet ﷺ, wrote disparagingly about his teachings, the noble life of the Prophet, Islam, and Islamic civilization, spreading venomous criticism, while others, influenced by his teachings, took a moderate path of love for him and addressed various aspects of the Prophet’s noble life and teachings in an impartial manner. Particularly, in the early 20th century, Western authors and orientalists, in the name of research, created doubt and ambiguity in Islamic sciences and arts. Gradually, this led to a peak of questions and objections regarding Islam, the life of the Prophet ﷺ, and his message, so that Muslims, becoming suspicious of Islamic sciences, arts, civilization, beliefs, and laws, began to show interest in Western civilization and culture and adopted it.

Scholars, both Muslim and non-Muslim, have written numerous books, articles, and essays on the life and character of the Prophet ﷺ, his status and rank, his message and teachings, his lifestyle, significant events, and various aspects of Islam. Some have also paid tribute to him ﷺ through their poetry. Similarly, in the Urdu writings of non-Muslim authors, novelists, and fiction writers, there are also references to Islamic teachings and civilization.

In the Indian subcontinent, a famous name among Hindu intellectuals is 'Pandit Sundar Lal.' Through his articles, lectures, and books, he contributed to social services, wrote about Islamic civilization, and was at the forefront of interfaith harmony.