Slides from Dr Elmira Akhmetova, Department of History and Civilization ,IIUM

1. MUSLIM
HISTORIOGRAPHY
HIST 3750
DR ELMIRA AKHMETOVA
DEPT OF HISTORY AND CIVILISATION
IIUM

2. What is Historiography?

3. What is Historiography?
?
?
?

4. What is Historiography?
The field of study
of the methodology of historians in developing history as an academic discipline
Covers how historians have studied that particular topic using particular sources, techniques,
and theoretical approaches
‘HISTORIOGRAPHY’ –
Technical meaning?

5. Historiography covers …
SOURCE
METHODOLOGYTECHNIQUE

6. Historiography is…
“The writing of history”
The writing of history based on the critical examination of sources, the selection of
particulars from the authentic materials, and the synthesis of particulars into a narrative
that will stand the test of critical methods
“The principles, theory, and history of historical writing”
“Study of the discipline and practice of history”
“History of history”
Critical approach is demanded”

7. History of Historiography
“Islam is the only major religion of the history of mankind which was born and
flourished under the light of history, and Muslims are a people with a strong sense of
history, yet, ironically enough, the Islamic history is perhaps the most confused, much-
discussed and less-understood among the histories of world religious communities.”
Nisar Ahmed Faruqi, Early Muslim Historiography, p. xix

8. Muslim or Islamic Historiography
‫التأريخ‬ ‫علم‬
1. Arab historians compiled more historical works than were collectively
compiled in any other languages at that time.
Margoliouth – 590 books in the 1st millennium
2. These works are of various types (tribal history, city history, universal)
3. date-mark and chronology practice
4. historical consciousness
5. Isnad system (law of witness)

9. Tarikh …
From the root ‘arkh’,
Means recording according to time of an event
Event was used to differentiate time in pre-Islamic Arabia
Tarikh is “knowledge pertaining to a country, customs and manners of a people, remains of the
people of yore, as well as account of the actions of those alive.”
Al-Kafiji (d. 879 H): “branch of knowledge dealing with the chronology of events”
In modern scholarship:
MAN + TIME + SPACE = HISTORY

10. Why Arabs paid so much attention to
History?
1. being proud of their ancestors –oral tradition, genealogy to prove their nobility
2. The Qur’an
3. Muhammad SAW was an ideal person, an example
4. Muslim rulers wanted to be the best, so they wanted to learn from other great rulers who
lived in history
Ayyam al-Arab (battle-days narrations, tribal military tales) – poetry
Qisas – folklore literature, tribal legends
Israiliyat – Biblical Myths
Rawi – later.. Professional rawis

11. The Concept of History
Purpose of writing – ibadah
The will of Allah, Sunnah of Allah
History is the history of tawhid – continuity of Prophethood
Islam is a history-conscious religion
History-consciousness of Muslims was a part of their faith,
No interest in jahiliyyah period
Arab historiography continued flourishing in its own native spirit and form, free from foreign influence, until the
end of 2nd century
Hisham al-Kalbi was the 1st person who used Christian archives
Last days of Ummayad rule, scholars began translating Persian historical books (Khudai Nama) – far reaching
effect – full of mythology, exaggerations
Need for methodology …

12. Methodology
Need for methodology – emerged
Was introduced: khabar with isnad – a report authenticated through a unbroken chain of
authority (of transmitters) - to identify false
Taqi al-din Maqrizi (766-845) in Kitab al-Mawariz wa I’tibar bi Dhikr al-Khitat wal-Athar” said,
“knowledge is of two categories: ma’qul (rational) and manqul (traditional or revealed). A man
ought to acquire a fair amount of both of them; then he should devote his time exclusively to
the study of history and should ponder over its exhortations.. How shameful it would be if a man
claims to have knowledge and wisdom but on being asked about those Prophets of Allah, faith in
whom is obligatory, he should simply repeat their names without knowing details of their lives
and personalities. Similarly, how disgraceful it is that one should teach in a Madrasah or issue
religious decrees in settling legal disputes without knowing the sublime character of the Holy
Prophet (SAW), his intrinsic qualities and virtues…”

13. Methodology ..
Reasons for main interest in critical history:
1. Importance of history, sirah, early Islam – should be authentic
2. fiqh issues with spread of Islam
Ahl Hadith (who did not want to use qiyas as a source of fiqh), continued searching for hadith to interpret new
happenings – great service to historiography
- made distinction between hadith, sirah and maghazi
So, early hadith and historical literature used same methodology, the same sources – khabar and isnad
Later, they developed separately
Akhbar became secular in approach and wider in scope, chronological in order
From local to universal outlook –ummah concept
Political aims in history – tribal, genealogy (Umayyads)

14. Historical Material During Jahiliyyah (Pre-Islamic
Arabia)
These sources were neglected by Arab historiography
Orientalists paid attention
“Most reliable contemporary source of history coming down to us from that period directly.” (Faruqi, 16)
2 types:
1. Non-Arab inscriptions like Babylonian or Assyrian writings ( pre-Islamic life, conditions)
2. Arab
NON-ARAB SOURCES
Personal events and achievements of a tribal chief
Like accounts about building of Dam in Marib by Sabaeans of Southern Arabia between two mountains in 800 BC.
Wall 150 feet high and 50 feet wide – took long time and covered time of several rulers
- Sabaeans built huge buildings, dams and roads, luxurious gardens –mentioned by Al-Hamdani

15. Pre-Islamic Sources
Calendar Systems were based on events, year of elephants for example
-battle-days (ayyam) as their calendar
Dating is an important
The present hijri calendar was adopted in 17 or 18 Hijri Years during the time of Umar RA
JEWISH SOURCES
The Torah – to fill gap
Torah is the collection of various scriptures related to Hebrew Prophets
To Musa AS, five books revealed and known as Pentateuch (Genesis (creation), Exodus (Musa and Pharaoh stories),
Leviticus (Jewish Shari’ah), Numbers (wars, events), and Deuteronomy (discourses of Musa AS)
Nebhiim (The Prophets): Former Prophets and Later Prophets
Kethubim (Books) of Solomon, Daniel and others
Targhum – Aramaic translation and interpretation of Torah and Nebhiim

16. Pre-Islamic Sources
The Talmud
Talmud Palestinian – written and compiled in Palestine
Two parts: 1. Mishnah- knowledge
(second law) – oral law; has carry chains of
Authority
Was collected by Judah Hanasi (190-200BC)
2. Gemara (completion) its exegesis:
Palestinian and Babylonian
Was used for tafsir and historical accounts

17. Pre-Islamic Sources
Greek Works
Many information about pre-Islamic Arab history, names of tribes, their territories
Herodotus (480-425 BC) – visited Egypt
Strabo (64BC-19CE) – 17 volume book – 16th contains chapters about Arabs
But early Arab historians did not know these sources
Alexander the Great conquered Egypt and Persia
Some travellers also visited
CAN WE RELY ON THESE SOURCES??

18. Pre-Islamic Sources
Christian Sources
The New Testament – to Isa AS
Altered and compiled much later
Exegesis of these stories
Seerah and Qisas Anbiyah writers used
these sources
Other Christian Sources like stories

19. Pre-Islamic Sources of Arab Origin
Battle-Day Narratives (Ayyam Al-Arab)
Orally circulated narratives of the battle of the Arabs
Deal with wars, deities, religious and social conditions; rich in genealogical information, tribal issues,
morality, glorious deeds
Collective property of a tribe
Deep impact on tribal society
Written in prose and poetry; some parts were used in Ibn Ishaq and Ibn Hisham
Critique: one-sided, no historical-consciousness, exaggerations; it is just a folk-tales
Impact of Ayyam Tales on Futuh, maghazi
Maghazi also use poetry, same style and topics, and minute detail of wars but many differences in
methodology, intention and critical evaluation

20. Pre-Islamic Arab Sources
Arabic poetry - Diwan al-’Arab
‘Poetry is the Archives of the Arab’ – saying (Ibn Abbas)
Significant position in the field of historiography
Important source of cultural and intellectual activities
Early narrators of hadith were good in poetry as well
Hammad al-Rawiya
Every important poet had his own rawi who memorize verses and transmit it to others
Hammad al-Rawiya was the first man who devoted himself to the collection of the Jahiliyyah poetry
(during the time of Yazid ibn Abd Malik)
He was patronized by Umayyad rulers
He recited 2900 long odes of Jahiliyyah and al-Walid awarded him one lakh dirhams