Praise be to Allah and peace and blessings be upon our master Muhammad, the seal of the prophets and messengers.
What is history?
History, in language, is the knowledge of time. In terminology, scholars of Islam have differed in defining it, perhaps due to the breadth of topics encompassed by the concept of history.
Khalifa ibn Khayyat said, "This is the book of history. Through history, people know the timing of their pilgrimage, fasting, the expiration of their women's iddah, and the conditions of their debts."
And Abd al-Rahman ibn Khaldun said in his introduction: "History, in its apparent aspect, is no more than news about days, territories, and predecessors from the earliest centuries. It contains opinions, proverbs, and exaggerations when festivities overcrowd. It tells us about the nature of creation, how conditions have changed, and how territories and fields have expanded. People populated the earth until migration called upon them, and their time has come to an end. It contains insight, realization, and justification of beings and their principles accurately, with profound knowledge of the ways of events and their causes. Therefore, it is genuine in wisdom and profound, worthy of being considered among its sciences and disciplines."
Ibn Khaldun looked into the causes and reasons behind events, and attempted to discover the patterns that govern them, emphasizing the beginnings of events, the rise and fall of states, and the rationale behind their downfall.
The historian, the Hafiz Muhammad ibn Abd al-Rahman al-Sakhawi, defined history by saying: "It is the identification of the time by which conditions are regulated, from the birth of narrators and scholars, to their death and health, intellect and body, journey and pilgrimage, preservation and regulation, authentication and critique, and similar matters. It is a reference to examining their conditions at their inception, their current state, and their reception. It includes events and significant occurrences such as the emergence of epics, the renewal of religious obligations, the appointment of caliphs, ministers, expeditions, wars, conquests of countries, and perhaps extends to the beginning of creation, the stories of the prophets, and other matters concerning nations, the conditions of the Day of Judgment and its precursors (announcing reproach for those who criticize history).
He continued: "The result is that history is an art in which one investigates the events of time in terms of identification and timing, but also in terms of what was in the world."
He also said: "As for its subject, it is man and time."
In modern times, Sayyid Qutb defined the purpose of history by saying: "History is not merely the events themselves, but rather the interpretation of these events, and the recognition of the apparent and hidden connections that unite their scattered elements, turning them into a cohesive unity of interconnected parts, extending with time and environment, like the extension of a living entity in time and place."
As Muhammad ibn Samil al-Salmi states: "History is a theoretical human science, in which one investigates the events of time in terms of identification, timing, interpretation, and justification. It encompasses two aspects:
1- Transmitting events through narration or observation.
2- Interpreting events.
History is a branch of science, classified by scholars who wrote about the hierarchy of sciences, among the sciences that serve Islamic Sharia."
Sufyan al-Thawri said: "When the narrators began to lie, we began to use history for them." That's why leading scholars of Hadith, such as al-Bukhari, Muslim, Ahmad ibn Hanbal, Ibn Zura'ah, Abu Hatim, and al-Tirmidhi, paid attention to aspects of history of science and authored books on the subject.
Since history holds such importance and has been utilized in serving Islamic Sharia, it is imperative for its students to seek benefit from it and to receive education in it through a sound methodology (the Islamic approach to historical studies).
In modern times, the significance of history has increased, and it has been used as a tool for guiding and educating societies. Intellectuals have also utilized it in their philosophical doctrines, attempting to provide historical support for their ideologies. Moreover, Europeans hold history in reverence and admiration, seeking from it an explanation of existence and a justification for human origins.
Since a Muslim seeks knowledge only for a purpose that serves his religion and creed, it is necessary to determine the objectives and desired outcomes of studying history. Is it merely for the sake of knowledge or entertainment, or for memorizing stories and news, or to satisfy the desire and instinct of curiosity?
Studying history in general - and the history of the Muslim nation in particular - should not be limited to fulfilling these close desires and needs because it is a noble science that deserves more respect.
The fruits of studying history
The fruits of studying history are multiple and diverse:
1- Educational Objectives (with further elaboration).
2- Understanding Divine Laws.
Types of Divine Laws: Supernatural Laws and Ongoing Laws.
Examples of Ongoing Laws:
- a) The adverse consequences for those who deny the truth.
- b) The responsibility of humans for their advancement or decline.
- c) The circulation of days among people.
- d) The decline of nations due to the spread of extravagance and corruption.
- e) The destruction of nations due to injustice prevailing over justice.
- f) The collapse and downfall of nations as part of their destiny.
- g) The entitlement of believers to God's victory.
- h) The ongoing test for believers (and for humans in general).
- i) The ongoing struggle between truth and falsehood.
3- Recognizing the milestones of human history, including:
- a) Understanding the history of the prophets (their methodology in facing contemporary challenges).
- b) Familiarizing oneself with the biography of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and his methodology in confronting challenges of his time.
- c) Learning about the history of the rightly guided caliphs (their approach in facing challenges).
- d) Exploring the lives of scholars, mujahideen, and reformers (their role in confronting challenges).
- e) Understanding the history of Islamic states: Umayyad, Abbasid, Ottoman, and their relations with other nations and the history of humanity.
- f) Recognizing the impact of Islam on human life.
4- Affirming a set of important truths in human life, such as:
- a) The recognition of the oneness of Allah and His exclusive right to worship was the first thing humanity acknowledged.
- b) Humans are entrusted with a purpose in this universe.
- c) Humans were created equally from the very beginning.
- d) Humans constantly need reminders.
- e) The Muslim ummah has an influential role in human life.
5- Among the fruits of studying history is developing patience in facing challenges.
6- Studying history has practical material value.
7- It provides immunity against superstitions and innovations.
8- Instilling ethical virtues through the study of historical figures.
9- Studying history aids in understanding the present.
10- It enables the appreciation of distinguished eras.
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The Source:
Book "Methodology of Writing Islamic History: Why and How?"
Read the Article in Arabic.
