❖ Muslim Historiography and Its Distinction ❖
Historiography Among Other Nations
Most nations and religions in history lacked a structured concept of recording history. Where traces of history did exist, they were transmitted through exaggerated tales, legends, and poetry, often lacking any critical authentication. Examples include:
- The Biblical scriptures,
- Greek mythologies,
- The Indian Mahābhārata and Rāmāyaṇa.
These works, however, lacked chains of transmission and scholarly verification.
❖ The Historical Revolution of Muslims ❖
Muslims pioneered a revolution in historiography, transforming it into a formal science with well-defined principles and regulations.
✔ In safeguarding and transmitting the Prophetic Hadith, Muslims displayed such unparalleled caution that no precedent exists in human history.
✔ Sciences such as ʿIlm al-Ḥadīth and ʿIlm al-Rijāl (biographical evaluation of narrators) were developed.
✔ These sciences enabled Muslims to record not only religious traditions but also the lives of rulers, scholars, and other significant personalities with authenticity.
❖ The Historical Legacy of Muslims ❖
Muslims compiled a history that was unique in its nature and accuracy, while other nations continued to regard unverified legends and myths as their historical heritage.
Yet sadly, Muslims today seem heedless of this magnificent legacy.
✔ Many are influenced by Western historians, despite the fact that Ibn Khaldūn’s Muqaddimah taught the world the foundational principles of historiography.
✔ Works of Ibn Isḥāq, Ibn Hishām, al-Ṭabarī, Ibn al-Athīr, Aḥmad ibn Khawānd Shāh, and Ḍiyā’ al-Baranī reflect the grandeur of Islamic history—yet Muslims remain unaware of them.
❖ Muslim Superiority Over Other Civilizations' Historical Accounts ❖
Muslim history contains true and unparalleled achievements that outshine the mythical narratives of other civilizations.
✔ Muslims do not need the Mahābhārata, Rāmāyaṇa, Homer’s Iliad, or Firdawsī’s Shāhnāmah, because their own history is rich with astonishing and verified events.
✔ Unlike the legendary characters like Nūshirwān the Just, Ḥātim Ṭāʾī, or the Spartans, Muslim history boasts of real and exemplary personalities.
✔ Compared to philosophers like Aristotle, Bacon, Ptolemy, and Newton, Muslim scholars and scientists made even more prominent contributions.
❖ Neglect of Islamic History Among Muslims ❖
Today, Muslims are neglectful of their glorious past, while other nations proudly preserve and promote theirs.
✔ A deep inferiority complex has taken root among the educated class of Muslims.
✔ In their speeches and writings, they frequently mention Western figures such as Newton, Shakespeare, and Napoleon, but rarely refer to Islamic heroes like Khālid ibn al-Walīd, Ṣalāḥ al-Dīn al-Ayyūbī, Ibn Rushd, and Bū ʿAlī Sīnā.
❖ Reasons Behind the Neglect ❖
① A decline in the desire for knowledge compared to other nations.
② Limited access to educational opportunities.
③ The closure of traditional Islamic institutions.
④ Islamic history is not included in the curricula of government schools and colleges.
⑤ After graduation, people lack time and resources to pursue Islamic sciences.
❖ Conclusion ❖
Muslims are now forced to learn their history through unauthentic and biased Western sources, which are often distorted and written with prejudice.
It is imperative for Muslims to return to their true historical roots, and to derive insight and guidance from their authentic legacy.
