The Qur’ānic Formation of the Prophetic Sīrah and Its Interpretive Expressions: An Analytical Study of Fiqh al-Sīrah in the Light of Urdu Tafāsīr

سیرتِ نبوی ﷺ کی قرآنی تشکیل اور تفسیری تعبیرات: اردو تفاسیر کی روشنی میں فقہ السیرۃ کا تجزیاتی مطالعہ

Abstract

The Qur’ān presents the life and conduct of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ as a living model of guidance rather than merely a record of historical events. Its diverse accounts of his mission, character, worship, conduct, social relations, leadership, patience, struggle, justice, and dealings with individuals and communities provide essential foundations for understanding the Sīrah as a source of guidance. This study examines these Qur’ānic dimensions of the Prophetic Sīrah and investigates how they have been interpreted and developed within Urdu exegetical literature from the perspective of Fiqh al-Sīrah. It begins by clarifying the concept of Fiqh al-Sīrah and identifying the major Qur’ānic themes through which the Prophetic model is articulated. It then examines the treatment of these themes in Urdu Tafāsīr, focusing on their ethical, spiritual, legal, social, educational, reformative, and practical dimensions. The analysis demonstrates that the Qur’ānic portrayal of the Prophetic Sīrah extends beyond the narration of individual events, it establishes principles for moral character, spiritual development, interpersonal conduct, social responsibility, justice, leadership, and practical engagement with the challenges of life. Urdu exegetes further illuminate these dimensions by connecting Qur’ānic guidance with the Prophetic response to diverse personal and collective circumstances. The study concludes that an integrated reading of the Qur’ān and its Urdu exegetical interpretations reveals Fiqh al-Sīrah as a comprehensive framework for understanding Prophetic guidance and translating its principles into individual and collective life.