H.A.R Gibb An Interpretation of Islamic History (original) (raw)

Ibn Ḥabīb' s Kitāb al-MuḤabbar and its Place in Early Islamic Historical Writing

Journal of Islamic Studies, Vol. 29, Issue 3, 1 September 392–416, 2018

The article explores the significance of Ibn Ḥabīb’s Kitāb al-muḥabbar in understanding the evolution of early Islamic historical thought in general and the emergence of Islamic universal histories in particular. The study demonstrates that prophetic narratives serve as the point of departure of early Islamic universal historical thought. Ibn Ḥabīb arranges prophetic narratives chronologically and applies organizational strategies to create thematic and sequential interconnections between Islamic representations and biblical-Jewish histories. Muḥammad’s prophethood (nubuwwa), therefore, serves as the main thematic and chronological axis around which Ibn Habib’s arrangements of prophetic history revolve. The study also shows that Ibn Habib’s portrayals of prophetic history give insights into the transition in early Islamic historical portrayals and interests from local Islamic-Arab needs to broader universal settings. This process seems to have begun with efforts to place Arab-genea...

THE CONTRIBUTION OF SAHABAS TO ISLAMIC HISTORIOGRAPHY

The Contributions of Sahabahsto the Development of Islamic Historiography , 2023

Historiography has been one of the primary sources of undertakings throughout the period of human existence. Even before the advent of Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W) there are records of past nations in revealed religious books as well as writing of scholars of ancient civilizations. The purpose of writing history by the Sahaba and subsequent Muslim scholars is to preserved records and account of happenings during the revelations of the glorious Qur'an and events of their time. The paper therefore attempts to trace the contribution of Sahaba to the development of Historiography and the legacy left for the scholars to follow. The paper also highlights its evolution throughout the different ages of Islamic Civilization.

"Historiography." The Oxford Encyclopedia of Islam and Politics

2014

The political history of early Islam has often informed subsequent theological and sectarian disputes. The critical evaluation of the relationship between history, historical writing, and politics investigates also claims of identity, legitimacy, authenticity, and relations of power. In this synoptic essay, I begin by examining some of the trends of classical and medieval Islamic historiography, followed by a brief discussion of modern scholarship on early Islamic history, after which I conclude with methodological remarks on historiography by turning to the relationship between Islam and politics in modern contexts. Muslims historians produced voluminous works that should be counted among the textual sources through which cultural literacy was articulated and disseminated. In fact history was a popular topic animating scholarly conversations in premodern Islam: "Historical events and anecdotes were frequently the topic of conversations and dictation in circles of learned men" (Robinson, 2003, p. 116). In this way historical writing "was richly compensated for its theoretical inferiority by the domination it exercised over the minds of the young and the thinking of men of political influence and general culture. And the Muslim historians had the right to feel and, as a rule, did feel confident about the value of their work" (Rosenthal, 1968, p. 53). For early Muslim historians, the writing of history was "a kind of narrative practice" (Robinson, 2003, p. 6) in which they invoked the paradigm of world history.

Towards Understanding the Muslim Historiography and Muslim Historians

Journal of Islamic Thought and Civilization

Islam is a revealed religion and its principles are universal and permanent. These principles provide guidance and fashion life at all ages and all times. Islamic history and historiography is the science which informs us about our heritage, makes us conscious of links with the past, makes us aware of our origin, and provides us with a sense of direction for the future. The present paper highlights the very concept of history in Islam. It also highlights the history-consciousness of the Muslims by highlighting their contributions to historiography.