The hadith are both a unique a crucial source of Islamic history, second in authority only to the Qur’an. Translated literally as reports, the hadith give us a glimpse of early Islamic life directly from those who were involved in it. These various people provide secondary accounts of Muhammad’s words and actions, record the historical events of their time and establish a record of precedents on which future decisions were based.
However, since the hadith are a compilation of so many sources, we must always take care to examine their historical accuracy and question the motives behind each story. There are often different sides to the same event, and it is not uncommon for hadith to conflict with each other or contain dubious claims. In her paper, Maya Yazigi deconstructs the Hadith al-‘ashara, in which Muhammad predicts paradise for ten of his companions (Yazigi 159). Though she stops short of rejecting this hadith altogether as accurate and true, Yazigi presents significant evidence that suggests it may have been a major piece of political propaganda.
The Hadith al-‘ashara says that the Prophet Muhammad predicted paradise for ten companions: Abu Bakr, ‘Umar, ‘Ali, Talha, az-Zubayr, Sa’d b. Abi Waqqas, Sa’id b. Zayd b. Nufayl, Abd ar-Rahman b. Awf, and in conflicting versions, either himself or Abu ‘Ubayda b. al-Jarrah (161). The hadith became prominent shortly after Muhammad’s death, promulgated by both Sa’id b. Zayd b. Nufayl and ‘Abd ar-Rahman b. Awf (160-161). Though the former’s version is considered more reputable, there is little difference in any of the variations beside the inclusion of Muhammad as one of the ten (161). In addition, the hadith remained largely the same through centuries of Islamic literature (161). ...
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...ests that Sa’id b. Zayd b. Nufayl might have been included as a reward for circulating the Hadith al-‘ashara (167).
Though it cannot be proved outright, Yazigi is skeptical that this particular hadith is completely accurate and was not just a Quraysh political ploy. The evidence presented does not completely explain the hadith’s timing and purpose nor determine its authenticity, but there is no denying the political implications involved. The hadith’s blatant one-sidedness towards the Quraysh clan at such a crucial juncture in Islamic history not only aided the first four Caliphs, but also strengthened Sunni legitimacy claims hundreds of years later. Establishing the Hadith al-‘ashara’s accuracy one way or the other certainly would not resolve these debates, but it would help to clarify the extent and intricacy of political dealings following Muhammad’s death.
the Accuracy of the Chronicle of Al-Jabarti." Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African Studies. No. 2 (1970): 283-294. http://www.jstor.org/stable/613005 (accessed November 30, 2013).
...y by compiling a summary of Islamic history, and, by doing so, creates a complete Islamic history that can go toe to toe with European history. As a result, his argument stands to be thorough, suggesting that Islamic history indeed plays a role in today’s international world
Ibn Munqidh, Usama. "From Memoirs." McNeill, William and Marilyn Robinson Waldman. The Islamic World. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press, 1973. 184-206.
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A group of Cordoban chiefs did not like the Amir al-Hakam and decided it was time to depose him. They met with his cousin, Ibn al-Shammas and told him of their plan. Ibn al-Shammas pretended to agree with the Cordobans but turned his back on them. Ibn al-Shammas then approached his cousin and told him of their plan to try and kill him. Al-Hakam was not quick to believe him. He demanded to be given proof. Ibn-al-Shammas told al-Hakam to send people he trusts to gather the proof. So, they set up a meeting where al-Hakam’s page Vincent and his secretary, Ibn al-Khada, who happened to be the ancestor of ...
While some of the enormous discrepancies between Babur’s Islam and James Scurry’s Islam can be ascribed to differences in age and role, the strongest cause of such dissimilarities is a very similar political instability. Admittedly, Babur’s position as conqueror and Scurry’s status as prisoner are the obvious differences that inform their vastly different experiences. Although centuries lay between Babur’s victories and Scurry’s capture, both times were dominated by insecurity and warfare. Local rulers in both eras turned to Islam as a justifying cornerstone of their regimes, and as a tool and rallying cry against their enemies. It is this particular guise of Islam, as political instrument, that ultimately gives us Babur’s privileged piety and Scurry’s painful conversion.
Throughout his life, the Prophet Muhammad proved to be exceptionally adept at uniting diverse groups, negotiating a series of alliances and loyalty arrangements that spanned religious, tribal, ethnic, and familial lines (Berggren 2009). Among other things, this ability enabled Muhammad to forge a shared identity and found a nascent Islamic state from a diverse and even heterogeneous community (Rahman 1982; Ernst 2003, pp. 87-93). This diversity proved to be both a source of strength and conflict for Islam, and following the death of Muhammad early Islamic communities engaged in extensive debates not only about the nature of his teachings or how to carry his legacy forward, but also about the terms that should be used to define his authority. Although this debate produced a colorful array of movements within the tapestry of early Islamic civilization, this essay offers a critical examination of two particularly distinct perspectives on the nature of prophetic authority: namely, those articulated
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Each mufassir has a uniquely different background that applies to that attributes to their interpretation of the 257th verse of chapter two, al- Barqara. For Ibn ‘Abbas, Al-Suyurti, and The Twelve Imams of the Shi’ites tafsir is influenced by social, political, and cultural characteristics. Abdullah Ibn ‘Abbas was a companion of the prophet Muhammad, an early scholar, and an initial transcriber of the Quran. He was well known for his vast knowledge and interpretation of the Quran, as well as his family’s close proximity to the prophet. Ibn ‘Abbas’s father, ‘Abd al-Muttalib, was the prophet’s uncle and his mother was the second women to convert to Islam giving him access to early ideology of Islam . As a result Ibn ‘Abbas’s closeness to the orgins of Islam method of interpretation is straight forward and curt. He focuses on the virtues and vices of his society based off of the teaching of Allah. Ibn ‘Abbas make his interpretation personal and relatable to Qur’anic readers of his time by referencing the victory of
While most westerners know the story of Joseph as a passage from the end of the book of Genesis in the Bible or the Torah, understanding the story and its intricacies in sura 12 of the Qur’an proves equally important. Joseph’s story in Genesis emphasizes his personal abilities and God rewarding him and his people’s loyalty and faith amidst hardship. The Qur’an takes the same plot and enforces the theme of monotheism and Joseph’s prophetic role in its spread. The Qur’an’s interpretation serves as a more influential religious text in the context of its body of belief, whereas the Biblical story of Joseph, with its thematically intriguing story line and embellishments, comparatively serves a greater literary purpose. By reading and understanding both passages, one can gain a clearer knowledge of what is regarded as important to the Jewish, Christian, and Islamic faiths.
Al Ghazali a significant person in Islam has helped shape Islam to be what it is today - a living religious tradition for the lives of its adherents. His contribution to Islam though his theories, knowledge and works have left a positive impact upon the Islamic world that continues into the present. An everlasting impact upon the faith, Muslims and the expansion of Islam to be one of the most popular religious traditions in the present world for the lives of its adherents is seen as Al Ghazali’s
The four sources of Shari’a included Qur’an, Hadith, analogy and consensus. The Qur’an and Hadith are the two primary sources, and analogy and consensus represented the interpretation of the law. The Qur’an, which originally was written by the Prophets, recorded Muhammad’s own examples of facing the confliction of life. In the sixth century, the Qadi (judge) endowed Qur’an with legal meaning. Thus, Qur’an eventually represented the principle of the rules of daily life for Muslims. Hadith originally represented the collection of Muhammad’s saying and behaviors under certain circumstances. Because there has been 600,000 Hadith since the sixth century, Al-Bukhari and other tradition collectors started evaluating the internal evidence of the Hadith and determining whether those traditions were worth to be passed through generations. After the evaluation, only 2700 Hadith was included in al-Bikhari’s collection. Therefore, the Qadi and ulama (religious scholar) determined the Qur’an and Hadith to be the standards of legal practice.
“Even before his prophethood, Muhammad was the judge and referee of the Quraysh at the time of their disputes and crises” for example in one instance a rock had fallen from the sky and the tribes of Mecca all bel...
Al Ghazali, Zainab. Return of the Pharaoh: Memoir in Nasir’s Prison. The Islamic Foundation, 2006. Pp. vii, 188.
I have been somewhat critical of the author at times, but this is only because he opens the door for the reader to think. I would not be able to formulate opinions if he hadn’t questioned whether Muhammad was being a fair and effective leader. After all, he greatly changed the course of history as we know it. Cook’s objective way of looking at Muhammad’s life allows one to attain a clear view of just how deep of an impact he made.