About The Book

Offering a comprehensive narrative of one of the most fascinating life stories of human history, The Sultan of Hearts is an authoritative work on the life of Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ). The book relies firmly on canonical Hadith collections and Sirah literature, and is rich with references to many contemporary biographical works such as Al-Maktabatu's-Sirah, Al-Maktabatu'l-Alfiyah, and Al-Maktabatu'sh-Shamilah.

The Sultan of Hearts presents the life of the Prophet and the events that unfolded during his mission by contextualizing them with Qur'anic revelations. Analyzing “reasons of revelation” (Asbab al-Nuzul), a method in Tafsir studies, authors portray how every revealed verse of God's word transformed his society and they reconstruct the biography based on this interaction between the scripture and the events. The book lays bare the role of the Qur'an in the education of the large congregation of the Companions, and with it reveals the kind of teaching and drill that the Messenger of Allah exercised in his close circle.

The developments that preceded and followed the statements of the beloved Prophet are reported extensively in order to point to both the educational aspects of the Qur'an and the role of our noble Prophet in transforming people's lives. There are also detailed accounts of the spiritual and psychological states of many individuals from those who believed the Prophet and those who did not.

About The Author

Resit Haylamaz is the editor in chief of Kaynak Publishing in Istanbul, Turkey. He has many publications on the lives of the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) and his leading companions. His two-volume book is the best-selling biography of Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) in his native Turkish. He lives in Istanbul, Turkey.

Born and raised in Turkey, Fatih Harpci graduated from Marmara University in Istanbul. He received his PhD degree from the Department of Religion at Temple University in Philadelphia, PA. He lives in Niagara Falls, NY.

Introduction: 

Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him.
Devoted worshiper, loving father, caring husband,
The model of love, the embodiment of mercy, the pride of humanity,
The beloved of hearts, the educator of minds,
The trainer of souls, the ruler of spirits,
The cause of existence, the reason for creation,
The most illustrious fruit of the Tree of Creation…

Table of Contents: 

CONTENTS
PREFACE xiii
INTRODUCTION xv
THE VOICE THAT ECHOES IN THE VALLEY OF BAKKA 1
Prophet Ibrahim’s Prayers 2
Building a New Civilization 3
THE SHARED REQUEST OF ALL PROPHETS 8
THE VOICE THAT ECHOED ON THE TONGUES OF SCHOLARS 13
Yemen 13
Damascus 20
Hijaz 23
THE LINEAGE THAT GOES BACK TO PROPHET IBRAHIM 34
Abdul Muttalib 34
Zamzam 35
The Ten Sons of Abdul Muttalib and His Efforts to Keep His Vow 38
The Blessed Home 41
THE INCIDENT OF THE ELEPHANT 42
THE HAPPY BIRTH 47
The News Coming from Everywhere 50
A New Star 50
The Panic in the Land of the Persians 52
THE YEARS WITH THE WET NURSES 54
The Incident of Opening up the Chest 57
THE DEATH OF AMINA 59
THE PROTECTION OF GRANDFATHER ABDUL MUTTALIB 61
THE PROTECTION OF UNCLE ABU TALIB. 66
The Damascus Trip and Priest Bahira 67
Divine Guidance in His Protection 71
The Gift of Rain That Came with Him 74
Fijar Battles 75
Hilf al-Fudul (The Alliance of the Virtuous) ..................................................... 76 
Second Journey to Damascus ............................................................................ 78 v
FIRST MEETING WITH KHADIJA 80
The Oath in the Marketplace. 81
Priest Nastura 82
The Same Cloud 83
The Report of the Journey 84
The Comments of Waraqa ibn Nawfal 84
The Road to Marriage 85
A Friend Who Understands 86
The Marriage 88
Other Inhabitants of the Home of Happiness 91
A House Full of Peace 92
The Fruits of This House 93
REPAIRING OF THE KA’BA AND THE JUDGE. 94
Honoring One’s Word 96
THE SETTING BEFORE HIS ARRIVAL 98
The Echo in the Ka’ba and Waraqa’s Interpretation 98
The Dream in Damascus and What the Priest Said. 100
TOWARDS THE UNION WITH THE BELOVED 103
Looking for Solitude 103
Dreams Coming True 104
Creation Was Saluting Him 105
Khadija’s Worry and Efforts 106
The Voice of Gabriel 106
THE UNION 108
Turning Towards Mecca 110
The Guidance of Waraqa 112
A Pause of Forty Days 113
No Offence and No Resentment 117
The Late Night Prayer 119
THE LEADING ONES. 123
Ablution and the Prayers 123
The Big Decision of Little Ali 124
Servanthood and Peace 125
The Arrival of Zayd ibn Haritha 127
The Submission of Abu Bakr 127
Zubayr ibn Awwam 131
The Idols in the Ka’ba 132
THOSE WHO CAME LATER AND THE YEARS OF HARDSHIP 135
Abu Dharr’s Arrival and the First Bitter Experience 138
Running towards Peace 141
vi A Shepherd Who Kept His Promise and the Miracle of Milk 143
The Race towards Peace Continues 145
Bilal al-Habashi 148
Habbab’s Account 150
The Hope That Finds Expression in Dreams 153
THE START OF OPEN CALL TO THE MESSAGE 157
The Growing Circle of “Communication” 162
The Period of Opening Up 166
The Efforts to Prevent People from Encountering Islam 168
Growing of the Campaigns against the Messenger 171
REVELATION THAT BECOMES ONE WITH THE PEOPLE 175
Faith in Allah and the Reality of Divinity 175
Life after Death 178
Divine Destiny, Providence, Power and Will 182
Education of Resistance 184
Power Lies Not in the Number of Followers, but in Truth 186
TRYING TO PERSUADE ABU TALIB 188
The Pressures on the Sons in Law 190
No Results without Sweat 191
Imputations concerning the Prophet’s Lineage in the Future 192
Bad Neighbors and the Circle of Threat 193
SCENES OF VIOLENCE 199
The Sad State of the Weak and the Unfortunate 201
AT THE HOME OF IBN ARQAM 204
Ammar ibn Yasir and Suhayb ibn Sinan 205
Mus’ab ibn Umayr 206
The Attempt of Abu Bakr 208
Hamza Embracing Islam 212
Utba’s Plan 215
The Proposition of the Delegate 218
Another Proposition 223
The Opinions of the Enemies of the Messenger of Allah 224
Requests for Exclusivity 228
A PAST ACCOUNT 230
THE VERSES OF COMMUNICATION 232
THE COMING OF UMAR AND LEAVING IBN ARQAM’S HOUSE 234
Hira Visit 241
THE MIGRATION TO ETHIOPIA 242
The First Hijra................................................................................................ 242 
Return 244
vii
The Situation of Mus’ab ibn Umayr 245
The Coming of Abdullah ibn Suhayl 247
Second Hijra 249
The Letter to Najashi and His Reply. 250
The Effort of Abu Talib 252
The Envoys and Najashi 253
Jafar ibn Abi Talib Takes Word 255
Happy News from Abyssinia 259
REVELATION CONTINUES… 262
The Miracle of Splitting the Moon 262
The Revelation of Chapter Abasa 263
GENERAL BOYCOTT 266
THE YEAR OF SADNESS 273
The Last Recourse to Abu Talib 273
Abu Talib’s Last Advice 275
Last Hope 277
The Sad Farewell 277
Farewell to Khadija 279
The Scene That Even Touched Abu Lahab 281
A PAINFUL PERIOD 283
Rukana and Two Miracles 283
Abu Bakr’s Attempt at Hijra 285
News from the Land of Byzantine 288
Marriage with Our Mother Sawda 290
A Collection of Debt 293
Twenty People Coming from Abyssinia 295
JOURNEY TO TAIF 297
The Refuge in Taif and a Manifestation 299
The Bunch of Grapes and Addas 301
Setting off for Mecca and the Submission of the Jinn 302
MECCA AGAIN 305
Turning to Nearby Tribes 307
ISRA AND MIRAJ 313
Isra 314
Miraj 315
Paradise 317
Hell 319
Sidratu’l-Muntaha 321
viii
The Order without Mediation: Daily Prayers 322
Reflections upon Return 323
The Testimony of Two Caravans 324
The Quraysh and Their Endless Requests: Description of the Masjid al-Aqsa.. 326 The Difference of Abu Bakr 327
Determining the Times of Prayer 329
AQABA ALLEGIANCES 331
The First Aqaba 331
Embers in Medina 332
The Invitation from Medina 337
The Voice in Mina and Allah’s Messenger’s Attitude 342
THE PERMISSION FOR HIJRA AND THE PANIC OF THE QURAYSH ... 344 Important Advice 346
The Pangs of Hijra 347
Abu Salama and His Family 347
Suhayb ibn Sinan 349
The Hijra of Umar 350
Ayyash ibn Abi Rabia 351
The Decision at the Daru’n-Nadwa (the Council Hall) 354
THE HOLY MIGRATION 357
The Precautions concerning the Hijra 358
Turning towards Thawr 363
Abu Bakr’s Sensitivity in the Cave 364
Looking at Mecca for the Last Time 367
The Reaction of Abu Quhafa 368
Suraqa’s Pursuit 369
The Wonders on the Road of Hijra 373
Miracle of the Milk 374
Umm Mabad 374
Burayda ibn Husayb 377
The Sensibility of Abu Aws 379
The Excitement of the First Meeting 379
The Break in Quba 380
The First Sermon 382
The Coming of Abdullah ibn Salam 384
Two Jewish Brothers and Two Impressions 386
Salman al-Farisi 387
PERMANENT HOME: MEDINA 390
The First Residence 391
Moving Upstairs ............................................................................................. 395 
The Ties of Brotherhood ............................................................................... 397 ix
The Difference of the Ansar 401
The Construction of the Masjid an-Nabawi 402
The Voice from the Pulpit 404
The First Call for Prayer 405
Ashab as-Suffa 407
Encompassing Mercy and the Open Doors of Forgiveness 409
The Death of As’ad ibn Zurara and Buds of Dissension 411
The Conversation at the Graveyard 412
An Atmosphere of Jealousy 413
Divine Direction in Method 415
The Medina Charter 418
The First Agreement between Aws and Khazraj 420
The Second Treaty with the Jewish People 421
Bringing Back Members of the Family 422
The Boy That Came from Quba 423
Marriage with Our Mother Aisha 424
The Medina Plague 425
Abdullah ibn Salam’s Enthusiasm for Tabligh 428
Religious Bigotry 431
Addressing the People of the Book 435
BUILDING A NEW CIVILIZATION 437
A NEW ERA 441
The Atmosphere in Mecca 441
Measure for Safety 442
The Permission for War 444
Forming the Security Forces 445
Campaigns and Battles 445
The Campaign of Abdullah ibn Jahsh 448
The Change of Qibla—the Direction of Prayer 451
The Obligation of Fast and Zakah (Alms) 454
TOWARDS BADR 456
The Pursued Caravan 456
The Sadness of Those Turned Away 457
Setting off from Medina 459
Abu Sufyan’s Insight and Quraysh’s Attitude 462
Atiqa bint Abdul Muttalib’s Dream 463
The Meccan Army 465
Leaving Mecca 468
Abu Sufyan’s Call to Return 469
Critical Moment of Decision 470
x Badr 473
Choice of Place 474
Rain and Sakina (Peace) 476
Cautioning the Companions 479
Khutba (Sermon) 480
The Atmosphere at the Polytheist Front 481
Efforts of Our Noble Prophet 485
The Dimension of Prayer 485
The First Spark 488
The Battle 489
War 491
Abu’l-Bakhtari 492
The End of Abu Jahl 493
Servanthood during War 497
The Angels at Badr 498
The Martyrs 500
Addressing the Dead 501
The Uniqueness of Our Prophet 502
The Good News Comes to Medina 504
Leaving Badr, and the Spoils of War 505
Treatment of the Captives and Consultation 508
The Treatment of the Prisoners 511
Divine Directive concerning the Prisoners 513
The Death of Our Mother Ruqayyah 514
The Bitter News That Reached Mecca 516
The Death of Abu Lahab 517
Mecca in Mourning 518
The News of Victory from the Land of the Rum 519
INDEX 521