Narratives of Islamic Origins: The Beginnings of Islamic Historical WritingHow and why did Muslims first come to write their own history? The author argues in this work that the Islamic historical tradition arose not out of idle curiosity", or through imitation of antique models, but as a response to a variety of challenges facing the Islamic community during its first several centuries (ca. seventh to tenth centuries CE). The narratives that resulted focused on certain themes of Islamic origins, selected to legitimise particular aspects of the Islamic community and faith in one or another. These included the need to establish the status of Muhammad (d. 632) as prophet, to affirm that the community to which they belonged was the direct descendant of the original community founded by the Prophet, to explain Muslim hegemony over vast populations of non-Muslims in the rapidly growing Islamic empire, and to articulate different positions in the ongoing debate with the Islamic community itself over political and religious leadership. An examination of these key themes of early Islamic historiography and the issues generating them is placed in the context of other styles of legitimisation in the early Islamic community, including such methods as appeals to piety and genealogy. Narratives of Islamic Origins is a ground-breaking work that represents the first comprehensive tradition -- critical account of the origins and rise of Arab-Islamic historiography, and is essential reading for all historians of medieval Islamic history and civilisation, and for all those interested in the historiography of comparative civilisations. |
What people are saying - Write a review
We haven't found any reviews in the usual places.
Contents
Approaches to the Sources | 5 |
Critique of the Skeptical Approach | 25 |
PART I | 31 |
Copyright | |
17 other sections not shown
Other editions - View all
Narratives of Islamic Origins: The Beginnings of Islamic Historical Writing Fred M. Donner No preview available - 2020 |
Common terms and phrases
Abd al-Malik Abū accounts al-Tabarī Allah appears approach Arabia Arabic authorities Believers caliphs called century AH chapter Christian chronological Civil claims collections community of Believers compilations concern conquests considered context course described discussion distinct earlier earliest early Islamic efforts especially establish evidence example existence fact fitna futuḥ groups ḥadīth hand historians historical historical writing historiographical ibn Abd identity important individual interest Islamic origins issues kind Kitāb late later leadership least legitimation lists literary literature material meaning Medina moral Mu'awiya Muḥammad Muslim named narratives noted Noth particular past period piety pious political pre-Islamic present Prophet question Qur'an Qur'ānic reason reference relative religious reports represent rise rule scholars seems seen sense sometimes sources story Studies suggests Syria Ta'rikh theme third tion tradition tribe Umar Umayyad University various
Bibliographic information
| Title | Narratives of Islamic Origins: The Beginnings of Islamic Historical Writing Volume 14 of Studies in late antiquity and early Islam |
| Author | Fred McGraw Donner |
| Edition | reprint |
| Publisher | Darwin Press, 1998 |
| Original from | the University of Michigan |
| Digitized | Jul 9, 2010 |
| ISBN | 0878501274, 9780878501274 |
| Length | 358 pages |
| Export Citation | BiBTeX EndNote RefMan |