This valuable work on the life of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace and Blessings of Allah upon him) by Imam Ibn Kathir  hardly stands in need of any introduction.

He was Hafidh Abul Fida Ismail ibn Abi Hafs Shihabuddin Omar ibn Kathir ibn Daw ibn Kathir in Zar` the Quraishite – originally from Busra (Syria) – and raised in Damascus. He followed the Shafi`ee school of thought. Ibn Kathir was born in the year 701 AH in an area called Majdal, near Busra, west of Damascus. His father died when he was only four years old and was taken in by his brother and moved to Damascus in 706. Here, he learned from great scholars such as Ibn Asakir, Ishaq ibn Yahya al-Amudi and the great Ibn Taymiyyah who was extremely close to him. He also studied under various other sheikhs who gave him permission in fiqh and Hadith. He made many academic contributions to Islamic sciences. The following are amongst his most prominent:

1. Tafseer of the Qur’an
2. Al-Bidayah wan-Nihayah: a history of Muslims from Adam until Ibn Kathir’s time
3. At-Takmeel: a book on the science of Asmaaul Rijal (profiles of transmitters of Hadith)
4. Jami`ul Masaneed: a book that collects the Hadith from ten major books of Hadith
5. The classes of Shafi`ee scholars: a list of scholars following the Imam
6. Extraction of the traditions of Tanbeeh (a Shafi`ee book of jurisprudence)
7. The commentary on al-Bukhari (which he did not finish)
8. The book of laws (again, he did not complete it)
9. The summary to the science of Hadith; a synopsis to the introduction of Ibn Saah’s work
10. Extraction of the traditions to the summary of Ibn Hajib
11. Musnad of the two sheikhs (Abu Bakr and Umar)
12. Biography of the Prophet, sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam
13. The epistle of Jihad

Al-Hafiz Ibn hajar Al-Asqalani said,”Ibn Kathir lost his sight just before his life ended. He died in Damascus in 774A.H. May Allah grant him Mercy and make him amongst the residents of Jannah (Heavenly Garden)