A CRITICAL ANALYSIS OF THE HISTORICAL WRITINGS OF IBN AL-ATHFR THESIS SUBMITTED FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY BY MAHMOOD AL-HASAN Under the Supervision of Dr. S. MAQBOOL AHMAD DEPARTMENT OF ARABIC & ISLAMIC STUDIES ALIGARH MUSLIM UNIVERSITY, ALIGARH 1966 T'^8C 14 AUG13B7 T586 PREFACE Tiais study was initiated nearly four years ago by the generous help of the University Grants Commission. In the beginning I di#tiot comprehend fully the complex nature of the problem wiiich later, I came to realize. The more I went into the depth and breadth of the problem, the more I found myself dedicated, zealous, though sometimes in utter despair. Nevertheless, I feel to some extent satisfied with the achieve­ ment not because I have done well and overcome heart-breaking difficulties, for it is not to be claimed that nothing is left unsearched in this field, but satisfaction in the sense that I took up an unexplored field for this undertaking. As a resuli of the study I am able to present something concrete, original and fruitful. This may serve as a foundation-for further inquiry and search. The first chapter of the stud^'' deals: with the developmenl of Arab Historiography in Medieval period from Pre-Islamic times down to the end of the third century A. H. The second chapter discusses the Life and times of Ibn al-Athir. The third, fourtJ: fifth chapters examine the source of Ibn al-Athir's historical information. A detailed," exhaustive survey, inquiry and criticism has been presented in these chapters. Chapter sixth analys«.s ' the method of arrangement and presentation of the material in historical perspective. The last chapter evaluates Ibn al-Athir as a historian. 11^ tries to study the attitude, concept and historical thinkings of Ibn al-Athir. -li­ lt has become traditional to thank all those vho extend their help, whatsoever it may be in relevant of any hiiman effort. No other means has been evolved by human mind to express the feelings except through words, though words have their own limitation which convey the feelings and ideas. Therefore, I have to adopt the same instrument to express my own feelings. I am highly indebted to my noble Supervisor Dr. S.Maqbool Ahmad, whose genuine interest, scholarly guidance and unending sympathy, throughout the period sustaine not only my zeal in this work but also without which it would not have been poosible for me to do this intensive study. I am extremely grateful to him. It is a matter of pride to acknowledge indebtedness to Dr.Abdul Aleem, Head of the Department of Arabic & Islamic Studies for his intelligent and thought provoking suggestions which he gave to me from time to time. I thank the University Grants Commission for sanctioning financial help i\rhich enabled me to carry out this project with success. In the last my sincere thanks to those friends who helped me by their valuable suggestions. I am thankful to Mr. Azmatullah Qureshy who took personal interest in typing my thesis. CONTENTS Page No. 1, Chapter I ARAB HISTOHIOGRAPHY IN THE MIDDLE AGES. 1 2. Chapter II THE LIFE AND TIMES OF IBN AL-ATHIR. 68 3. Chapter III THE SOURCES OF IH'^ AL-ATHIR'S HISTORICAL INFORiUTION. "Pre-Islamic Section" Al-Mubtada'' Section: 99 Pre-Islamic Arab Section? 116 Persian Section; 124 Greek and Roman Section; 137 4, Chapter I¥ THE PERIODS OF THE PROPHET, THS PIOUS CALIPHS AND THE UMAYYADS The Prophet's Section; 147 The Section of the Pious Caliphs. 164 The Umayyad Section; 162 Africa and Andalus; 173 6. Chapter V THE »ABBAS ID- PERIOD 185 Africa and Andalus; 197 Sicily; 199 Al-Andalus; 201 •^Alavid dynasty of Africa; 206 "•Abbasid^; 208 FStHmids; 231 The Source of Tarikh al-Dswlat a 1- Atabuke'yja Muluk a 1- Musals 244 6. Chapter VI ; AREANGEMEI^'T At^D PRESEI^TATION OF THE; MATERIAL. 247 7. Chapter VII ; EVALUATION OF IM AL-ATHIH AS A HISTORIAN. 266 Bibliography 279 CHAFTEH I ARAB MISTOBIOGBAPHY IN THE MIM.E AGES The smrvey of the origin and the development of Arab MstoriograpJay, particularly, from pre-Islamic and early Islamic period is a task ©f exhaiastive and complicated study, because th« material mpon wMeh an investigation is to be based is imsiiffi- eient, defective and not very reliable. Farther, the material available of whatever kind is disproportionately concerned with the southern Arabs who lived comparatively a settled and civilize life. They established kingdoms and made wonderful progress in industry, commerce and architecture. They developed such a high society in which intellectual output would have been of enormous importance. Bat unfortunately, the major part of their history either has not been recorded or has not reached us. W® are unabl to know, on the basis ©f true historical evidence, even the near past of the Yemenite Arabs. Our source of knowledge about them is of tw© kinds, the first one comprises the HLmyarite inscriptioi the second comprises the traditions which were later incorporated into the works ©f ll&ahab b.Munabbah, »¥bayd b, Sharlva, Hamadhani -1 and of Nashwan al-flimyari. The language of the inscriptions is generally called HLmyarite which was also termed as Musnad by the Arabs. 1. A. licholson, A Literary History of the Arabs, p. X7II. published, 1966. - 2 - TMe Hifliyarite iascriptions which are oftea mentioned in ?^l~Iklil and rediscovered in recent times by a h©st of Western travellers and distinguished scholars are most valuable from historical point of view* *These inscriptions recently discovered and deciphered are, in all 3000 in number, extending in date as far back as the seventh century B,cr* It is inferred from these inscriptions that four principalities came into existance between 1200 and 627 B.C. They reveal ; us a hazy historical picture of the eighth century B.C. till seventh century A.D., and some of thea describe the virtuous and vicious acts and throw light on the system of land revenue, fortification and battles. Most of them bear religious character except few which were meant to comm^aiorat great and heroic deeds. It is relevant to note that there is an inscription which bears the date 113 B.C. which indicates that the Arabs had an idea ©f time-reckoning. It also reveals the consciou ness of history among the Arabs. But here two questions arise} was the HLmyarite language alive during the sixth century A.D. and did the Arabs, living in the seventh century A.D., know the Himyarite language? The first question, in fact creates doubt and we cannot hold a positive • opinion; becausife.if it was alive during the sixth century, it woul not have completely disappeared at the inception of Islam. There must be some evidence of the existence of some persons knowing the 1. Hltti, History of the Arabs^ p. 61. - 3 - language and msing it for praetical purposes. But we know there is not a single evidence which can support that the language was in use at that time. Further, we possess a book of Ahraha, the Yfimflnite governor,1 which bears the date 566 A.D. and was not written in the Himyarite character. This suggests that the language had beea dead since long before Islam. The above mentioned reasons do not enable ms to accept the claim of Wahab b. Munabbak, Shabi, Ubaid b. Shariya, Muhammad b. Kab al Qurzi and Ibn al-Kalbi that they knew the language very well. Their claim may be characterized as an extravagant pro­ nouncement of their scholarship. This doubt is further strengthr- ened, owing to the fact, that •'neither the names of the Himyarite monarchs, as they appear in the lists drawn up by Muhammadan historians, nor the order in which names are arranged can pretend to accuracy. If they are historical persons at all they must hav( reigned in fairly recent times, perhaps a short while before the rise of Islam, and probably they were unimportant princes whom; the legend has thrown back into the ancient epochs and has invests with heroic attributes. Anyone who doubts this has only to compai the modern lists with those which have been made from the materia] 2 in the inscriptions.* It is relevant to quote a famous historian 1, The book was discovered by Glaser. Dr.Jawwad "Ali, The sources of Tabri's history. Al-Ma,im^'al-!Elmi,. Vol. I, p. 146, i960. 2. Nichalson, A Literary ELstorv of the Arabs^ p. 9. - 4 - al-HamadhanlT who freqmently inserts such traditions in favour of having aequintance with Himyarite character by the early Arab scholars. He states that most of the people who claim to have knowledge of Himyarite character are groping in the dark auad have 2 not trme knowledge of it. Himyarite character 0£ whose examples 3 - 4 are presented in Al-Fihrist and al-Iklil was no more mnderstood - • 5 by any Yemenite scholar. Although we are deprived of recorded material which can throw light on the historical consciousness of the Y^enits, a lo1 of oral traditions and Folk lor ©5" have been preserved for us. They were committed to memory by the Yemenites and were recorded and expanded by the scholars in the second century A.H. The events related to the seventh century A.D. are comparatively recent and near to the period in which the literary activities received impel Hit tj^^j^ CJ< J • *-:*^j 0< "^"^^ Cy- *^' -^ Cx -V-*** CJ< *^^ ^ O-i >v^ j^ fy\ L^LAL He further records s 'i*-* o*l;5 tS^ ^Jl^J'^\ -WJ>4 ^^ j,j>s» o^-*^" al Hamad^ani, Al-Iklll^ Vol.