When was the Sirah of the Prophet 1st written?

The Sirah (biography) of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) was not initially written as a single comprehensive book during his lifetime. Rather, it was compiled gradually over time after his passing. The earliest known written compilation of the Sirah is believed to be the works of Ibn Ishaq, who wrote his biography of the Prophet around 100 to 150 years after the Prophet's death. However, Ibn Ishaq's original work is not extant today. Instead, we have an abridged version of his work by Ibn Hisham, known as "Sirat Ibn Hisham."

It is important to note that during the time of the Prophet, the primary means of transmitting information was through oral tradition. The Prophet's companions (Sahaba) directly witnessed and learned from him, and they, in turn, passed on these teachings and stories to future generations. These oral traditions were eventually recorded in written form to preserve and transmit the Sirah of the Prophet to succeeding generations.

Various scholars have contributed to the development of the Sirah literature over the centuries, including Imam Muslim, Imam Bukhari, Al-Tabari, Ibn Kathir, and many others. These scholars meticulously studied and verified the narrations to compile reliable and comprehensive accounts of the Prophet's life.