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ISL474Arts2 Unitsintermediate

Islamic Historiography

This course provides undergraduate students with a comprehensive understanding of Islamic Historiography. It explores the theories, definitions, and concepts of Muslim Historiography across different periods and regions. Students will analyze the significance of studying history in relation to Muslims and humanity, familiarize themselves with key texts, and internalize the ideas within them. The course aims to equip students with the ability to apply historical knowledge to contemporary situations.

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195h
Study Time
13
Weeks
15h
Per Week
none
Math Level
Course Keywords
Islamic HistoriographyMuslim HistoryIbn KhaldunQur'anic HistoryMedieval Islam

Course Overview

Everything you need to know about this course

Course Difficulty

Intermediate Level
Builds on foundational knowledge
65%
intermediate
📚
Math Level
No Math
📖
Learning Type
Theoretical Focus

Course Topics

Key areas covered in this course

1

Definition of Historiography

2

Muslims' Conception of History

3

Development of Historiography

4

Schools of Historiography

5

Sirah and Maghazi Literature

6

Ibn Khaldun's Historiography

7

Golden Age of Islam

8

Selected Muslim Historiographers

9

Sources of History

10

History in Contemporary Life

11

Islamic vs. Western Historiography

Total Topics11 topics

Ready to Start

No specific requirements needed

This course is designed to be accessible to all students. You can start immediately without any prior knowledge or specific preparation.

Assessment Methods

How your progress will be evaluated (3 methods)

assignments

Comprehensive evaluation of course material understanding

Written Assessment

tutor-marked assessments

Comprehensive evaluation of course material understanding

Written Assessment

final examination

Comprehensive evaluation of course material understanding

Written Assessment

Career Opportunities

Explore the career paths this course opens up for you

Historian

Apply your skills in this growing field

Archivist

Apply your skills in this growing field

Museum Curator

Apply your skills in this growing field

Academic Researcher

Apply your skills in this growing field

Cultural Heritage Manager

Apply your skills in this growing field

Industry Applications

Real-world sectors where you can apply your knowledge

EducationResearchCultural HeritageGovernmentTourism

Study Schedule Beta

A structured 13-week journey through the course content

Week
1

Module 1: Starting point: Understanding Islamic Historiography

3h

Unit 1: What is Historiography?

3 study hours
  • •Read the definition of historiography and history.
  • •Understand the Qur'anic concept of history.
  • •Study Ibn Khaldun's views on history and the prerequisites of a historian.
Week
2

Module 1: Starting point: Understanding Islamic Historiography

3h

Unit 2: Muslims' conception of History

3 study hours
  • •Identify the Muslims' conception of history.
  • •Analyze the factors that reinforce the conviction to generate historical records.
  • •Reflect on the message of the Qur'an concerning past peoples.
Week
3

Module 1: Starting point: Understanding Islamic Historiography

3h

Unit 3: Historical Development of Historiography among the early scholars

3 study hours
  • •Examine the historical origin of Islamic historiography.
  • •Understand the roles of different regions (Syria, Iraq, Hijaz) in the development of historiography.
  • •Study the influence of Hadith on early historical writings.
Week
4

Module 2: Islamic Historiography in the Medieval Period

3h

Unit 1: Schools of Historiography in Madinah and Iraq

3 study hours
  • •Distinguish between the medieval and classical periods of Islamic historiography.
  • •Study the schools of historiography in Madinah and Iraq.
  • •Analyze the methods employed in each school.
Week
5

Module 2: Islamic Historiography in the Medieval Period

3h

Unit 2: The place of Sirah and Maghazi literature in Islam

3 study hours
  • •Understand the significance of Sirah and Maghazi literature in Islamic scholarship.
  • •Examine the types of materials included in Sirah literature.
  • •Identify key compilers of Maghazi literature.
Week
6

Module 2: Islamic Historiography in the Medieval Period

3h

Unit 3: Ibn Khaldun: "Father" of Historical Writing

3 study hours
  • •Study Ibn Khaldun's life and contributions to historical writing.
  • •Analyze Ibn Khaldun's theories on history and society.
  • •Understand his concept of history as cyclical.
Week
7

Module 2: Islamic Historiography in the Medieval Period

3h

Unit 4: History Writing and the 'golden age' of Islam

3 study hours
  • •Examine the historical context of the 'golden age' of Islam.
  • •Study the intellectual awakening during the Abbasid caliphate.
  • •Analyze the role of Hadith and Adab in historical writing.
Week
8

Module 3: Some Selected Muslim Historiographers

3h

Unit 1: Muhammad ibn Ishaq (d. 151/761)

3 study hours
  • •Study Muhammad ibn Ishaq's contributions to historiography.
  • •Analyze his methods and organization of historical material.
  • •Understand his role in the transition from Hadith to history.
Week
9

Module 3: Some Selected Muslim Historiographers

3h

Unit 2: Intellectual consensus of al-Waqidi (d.207/823) and Ibn Sa'd (d. 230/845)

3 study hours
  • •Examine the intellectual consensus of al-Waqidi and Ibn Sa'd.
  • •Study their methods for establishing well-attested facts.
  • •Understand their use of scholarly consensus (Ijma) and chronology.
Week
10

Module 3: Some Selected Muslim Historiographers

3h

Unit 3: Muhammad ibn Jarir al-Tabari

3 study hours
  • •Study Muhammad ibn Jarir al-Tabari's approach to Hadith historiography.
  • •Analyze his method for verifying historical reports.
  • •Understand his integration of pre-Islamic and Islamic history.
Week
11

Module 3: Some Selected Muslim Historiographers

3h

Unit 4: The genealogies of al-Baladhuri

3 study hours
  • •Examine al-Baladhuri's genealogies and their significance.
  • •Study his approach to writing history around prominent families.
  • •Understand his use of irony and freedom from ideological attachment.
Week
12

Module 4: Historiography In Islam and Western Culture

3h

Unit 1: What are the sources of history?

3 study hours
  • •Compare Islamic and Western sources of history.
  • •Understand the Qur'anic vision of history.
  • •Analyze the influence of Greek tradition and Judeo-Christian lore on Western history.
Week
13

Module 4: Historiography In Islam and Western Culture

6h

Unit 2: Importance of History in the life of Contemporary man

3 study hours
  • •Discuss the importance of history in contemporary life.
  • •Analyze the role of history in understanding societal development.
  • •Study Ibn Khaldun's concept of 'assabiyyah' and its relevance today.

Unit 3: Muslims versus Western History: Where do we meet?

3 study hours
  • •Compare Muslim and Western historiography.
  • •Analyze the 'aql-naql' mind and its influence on knowledge creation.
  • •Understand the meeting points and differences between the two approaches.

This study schedule is in beta and may not be accurate. Please use it as a guide and consult the course outline for the most accurate information.

Course PDF Material

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Study Tips & Exam Preparation

Expert tips to help you succeed in this course

1

Create a timeline of key events and figures in Islamic historiography.

2

Summarize the main points of each unit and module.

3

Compare and contrast the approaches of different Muslim historiographers.

4

Practice answering essay questions on the main topics.

5

Review all tutor-marked assignments and feedback.

6

Focus on understanding the Qur'anic concept of history and its influence.

7

Prepare concise notes on Ibn Khaldun's key theories and concepts.

8

Identify the main differences between Islamic and Western historiography.

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