Book: Siyar A'lam An-Nubala by Ad-Dhahabi - سير أعلام النبلاء ـ الإمام الذهبي

Biographies by Al-Dhahabi

Al-Dhahabi compiled the biographies of some of these eminent figures according to their worth and fame among scholars, or their status and standing among people of his time [1].

Al-Dhahabi dedicated the first and second volumes to the biography of the Prophet and the biographies of the Rightly Guided Caliphs. He did not rewrite them but referred to his book History of Islam for these accounts, recommending they be included with the book Lives of Noble Figures.

This great book authored by the esteemed Al-Hafiz Al-Dhahabi, and with which he concluded his life's work, truly deserves the honor and respect of all impartial scholars across various fields of knowledge and science. May God grant him the greatest reward and blessings for his contributions to knowledge and the scholarly community.

A nation that harbors such an enormous assembly of scholars, historians, and poets is truly deserving of admiration and reverence. It is a great nation that has produced scholars who illuminated the path for humanity with their knowledge. It is unsurprising that these scholars are a source of pride for Arabs and Muslims throughout different ages and eras.

In light of the esteemed position that this book has attained within the Islamic library, an extensive introduction has been placed at the forefront of this great book to elucidate:

Introduction

1. The upbringing of Al-Dhahabi and his political, religious, and scholarly environment.
2. His journeys in pursuit of knowledge.
3. His teachers.
4. His students.
5. His scholarly status and the opinions of scholars about him.
6. Some of Al-Hafiz's views on creed, jurisprudence, and hadith.
7. His writings and scholarly contributions.
8. His methodology in his book.