The Rebel and the Im?m in Early Islam: Explorations in Muslim HistoriographyEngaging with contemporary debates about the sources that shape our understanding of the early Muslim world, Najam Haider proposes a new model for Muslim historical writing that draws on Late Antique historiography to challenge the imposition of modern notions of history on a pre-modern society. Haider discusses three key case studies - the revolt of Mukhtar b. Abi 'Ubayd (d. 67/687), the life of the Twelver Shi'i Imam Musa al-Kazim (d. 183/799) and the rebellion and subsequent death of the Zaydi Shi'i Imam Yahya b. 'Abd Allah (d. 187/803) - in calling for a new line of inquiry which focuses on larger historiographical questions. What were the rules that governed historical writing in the early Muslim world? What were the intended audiences for these works? In the process, he rejects artificial divisions between Sunni and Shi'i historical writing. |
Contents
The Rise and Fall of Mukhtar b Abı Ubayd d 67687 | 26 |
The Life of Musa b Jafar alKazim d 183799 | 115 |
Sources | 119 |
Frameworks | 133 |
The Last Years of Yahya b Abd Allah d 187803 | 204 |
Allāh | 212 |
Reconsideration | 256 |
281 | |
Other editions - View all
The Rebel and the Imam in Early Islam: Explorations in Muslim Historiography Najam Haider No preview available - 2019 |
The Rebel and the Imām in Early Islam: Explorations in Muslim Historiography Najam Haider No preview available - 2020 |
Common terms and phrases
Abba¯sid Abbāsid Abd Allāh Abū al-Balādhuri al-Dinawari al-Fadl al-Ka¯z al-Kāzim al-Rashid al-Rashı¯d al-Tabari Alī Alid appears approach army asks authors Baghdad Barmakids battle begins biography caliph chapter claims communal companions confrontation contrast core death depiction describes discussion early elites encounter example execution fall fight figures final followers forces governor historians historical historiography Ibid Ibn al-Ashtar Ibn al-Hanafiyya Ibn al-Zubayr identifies im’s Ima¯m Imām important includes interpretive frameworks involves Ja‘far killed knowledge Küfa Küfan later leaders letter material Medina mentioned Muhammad Mukhta¯r Mukhtār Muslim names narrative elements non-Arabs notes oath offers orders period political prayer presents prison prominent Prophet provides questions rebellion refuses relates remains reports rhetorical rule Sa‘d sends sources structure Sunni Sunnı supporters third tradition tribal Twelver Umar Umayyads variant writing Yahyà Zaydi Zaydı