The Islamic View of History
فَاقْصُصِ الْقَصَصَ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَتَفَكَّرُون َ(الأعراف:176)
So relate the stories that perhaps they will give thought. (Quran 7:176)
Islam has placed a great emphasis on the importance of history for centuries; from the first stories revealed in the Quran, to the famous chroniclers who recorded the events of their time and of times before.
But what purpose does history serve the Muslim world? What are we to gain from the Quranic stories? How is history being treated and used? And where do we go from here?
Quran and History
From the story of Adam and Hawaa (Eve), to the Chapter of Yusuf (Joseph) and the stories of Musa (Moses) and the bani Israel (the Israelites), approximately a third of the Quran speaks of events that occurred before Muhammad.
And in several verses, the Quran explicitly mentions the purpose behind mentioning these stories:
So relate the stories that perhaps they will give thought. (7:176)
There was certainly in their stories a lesson for those of understanding. (12:111)
So We made it an example to their own time and to their posterity, and a lesson to those who fear Allah. (2:66)
All that we relate to you of the stories of the messengers,- with it We make firm your heart: in them there comes to you the Truth, as well as an exhortation and a message of remembrance to those who believe. (11:120)
The stories are not meant for record-keeping, but for actual benefit.
There are stories meant for reflection and pondering. Others are meant to teach and highlight moral and Divine lessons. And some are meant to bring peace, calm, and certainty to believers.
The Science of Hadith and the Art of Record-Keeping
All of Islam is based on two sources: The Quran and the Prophetic Traditions: The Hadith.
The great scholars of Hadith of the 3rd century Hijri (9th century CE) understood the burden and severity of the task they undertook in ensuring the authenticity of every word they collected as humanly possible. After all, they relayed the Hadith, “Whoever lies about me deliberately, let him take his seat in Hell.”
These scholars traveled far and wide to the centers of learning in the Islamic world in their time, visiting countries such as Iraq, Syria, Egypt, and Yemen, studying the behavior and nature of the people they collected the Hadith from, and learning those narrators’ own travels and stories to ensure who actually met whom to confirm the authenticity of the chain of narrators of these Prophetic Traditions.
These methods would become the Science of Hadith, and would form foundations for historians and chroniclers throughout the rest of Islamic history.
The Chroniclers
Muslim historians have existed since the death of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). A few names are easily recognized, though sometimes not for their work in history itself.
Ibn Kathir, for example, who wrote the fourteen-volume chronicle al-Bidaya wa al-Nihaya (The Beginning and the End) is also widely know for his famous interpretation of the Quran Tafsir ibn Kathir.
al-Muqaddima (The Introduction) by ibn Khuldun, a scholar widely considered to be the father of sociology and demographic studies, is literally the introduction of his history book: Kitab al-Ibar (The Book of Lessons).
The most famous scholar and collector of Hadith, al-Bukhari, also penned al-Tarikh al-Kabir (The Great History).
Ibn al-Athir, who wrote al-Kamil fe al-Tarikh (The Complete History) was also a famous scholar of Hadith.
Al-Tabari was a scientist and scholar of various subjects including mathematics, Islamic jurisprudence, and medicine. In addition to his Tarikh al-Rusul wa al-Muluk (The History of the Prophets and Kings), he was also known for his Quranic interpretation.
Purpose and Benefit
National holidays today celebrate historic events and achievements of individual nations, instilling in the citizens a sense of pride in their history. The trumpets of national pride overcome any calls for critical analyses and real discussions about the events, the lessons, and what can be learned.
The Quranic view on nations and tribes is simple. We were made into different groups to learn from one another and know each other.
O mankind, indeed We have created you from male and female and made you peoples and tribes that you may know one another. Indeed, the most noble of you in the sight of Allah is the most righteous of you. (49:13)
As such, while there is nothing wrong with taking pride (that does not reach levels of arrogance) in past achievements, the real purpose history should serve the Muslim world should still align with the purpose the histories of past people were mentioned in the Quran.
To reflect on them
To learn their lessons
To be reassured that, even in the darkest moments, ease always comes after hardship.
This Blog
The purpose of this blog is to reflect on past events in the Muslim world’s extensive history. To extract the lessons they offer for both the society and the individual. And to find reassurance and hope in our dire state today.
