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{{Infobox Book  
{{QualityScore|Lead=3|Structure=3|Content=3|Language=4|References=3}}
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-->{{Infobox Book  
| name          = The History of al-Tabari<BR>Volumes 1-40
| name          = The History of al-Tabari<BR>Volumes 1-40
| title_orig    = Tarikh al-Rusul wa al-Muluk
| title_orig    = Tarikh al-Rusul wa al-Muluk
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'''The History of al-Tabari''' is an English translation of ''The History of the Prophets and Kings'' (تاريخ الرسلوالملوك ''Tarikh al-Rusul wa al-Muluk'', popularly known as ''Tarikh al-Tabari''). It is an historical and religious chronicle written by the Muslim historian Ibn Jarir al-Tabari (838-923), beginning with the [[Islam|Islamic]] [[Creation]] to the year 915 AD.
'''The History of al-Tabari''' is an English translation of ''The History of the Prophets and Kings'' (تاريخ الرسلوالملوك ''Tarikh al-Rusul wa al-Muluk'', popularly known as ''Tarikh al-Tabari''). It is a historical and religious chronicle written by the Muslim historian Ibn Jarir al-[[Tabari]] (838-923), beginning with the [[Islam|Islamic]] [[Creation]] to the year 915 AD.


It forms one of Islam's [[Islam and Scripture|major religious sources]], containing the most complete recension of Ibn Ishaq's [[Sirat Rasul Allah]]<ref>According to Donner, the material in ibn Hisham's and al-Tabari's recensions are "virtually the same" (Ref: ''Donner, Fred McGraw (1998). Narratives of Islamic origins: the beginnings of Islamic historical writing. Darwin Press. p. 132. ISBN 978-0-87850-127-4''). However, some material found in al-Tabari are not preserved by ibn Hisham. For example, al-Tabari includes the episode of the [[Satanic Verses]], while ibn Hisham does not (Ref: ''Raven, Wim, Sīra and the Qurʾān – Ibn Isḥāq and his editors, Encyclopaedia of the Qur'an. Ed. Jane Dammen McAuliffe. Vol. 5. Leiden, The Netherlands: Brill Academic Publishers, 2006. p29-51.'')(Ref: ''Cf., Ibn Ishaq [Guillaume's reconstruction, at 165-167] and al-Tabari [SUNY edition, at VI: 107-112]'').</ref> (the most important biography of Prophet [[Muhammad]], partially forming his [[Sunnah]]), and is universally praised by Muslims for its detail and accuracy concerning Muslim and Middle Eastern history.
It forms one of Islam's [[Islam and Scripture|major religious sources]], containing the most complete recension of Ibn Ishaq's [[Sirat Rasul Allah]]<ref>According to Islamic scholar Fred Donner at the University of Chicago, the material in ibn Hisham's and al-Tabari's recensions are "virtually the same" (Ref: ''Donner, Fred McGraw (1998). Narratives of Islamic origins: the beginnings of Islamic historical writing. Darwin Press. p. 132. ISBN 978-0-87850-127-4''). However, some material found in al-Tabari are not preserved by ibn Hisham. For example, al-Tabari includes the episode of the [[Satanic Verses]], while ibn Hisham does not (Ref: ''Raven, Wim, Sīra and the Qurʾān – Ibn Isḥāq and his editors, Encyclopaedia of the Qur'an. Ed. Jane Dammen McAuliffe. Vol. 5. Leiden, The Netherlands: Brill Academic Publishers, 2006. p29-51.'')(Ref: ''Cf., Ibn Ishaq [Guillaume's reconstruction, at 165-167] and al-Tabari [SUNY edition, at VI: 107-112]'').</ref> (the most important biography of Prophet [[Muhammad]], partially forming his [[Sunnah]]), and is universally praised by Muslims for its detail and accuracy concerning Muslim and Middle Eastern history.  
 
Along with the Muslim Students Association's [[Compendium of Muslim Texts]], which include universally accepted translations of the [[Qur'an]] and major [[hadith]] collections, Tabari's History is used as a primary source at [[WikiIslam]].


==Praise and Description==
==Praise and Description==
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'''Translator:''' M. V. McDonald '''Annotator:''' W. Montgomery Watt '''Release Date:''' August 1987 '''ISBN:''' 978-0-88706-344-2
'''Translator:''' M. V. McDonald '''Annotator:''' W. Montgomery Watt '''Release Date:''' August 1987 '''ISBN:''' 978-0-88706-344-2


{{Quote||The contents of this volume are extremely significant: The specific events in this earliest period set precedents for what later became established Islamic practice. The book deals with the history of the Islamic community at Medina during the first four years of the Islamic period--a time of critical improtance for Islam, both as a religion and as a political community. The main events recounted by Tabari are the battles between Muhammad's supporters in Medina and their adversaries in Mecca. Tabari also describes the rivalries and infighting among Muhammad's early supporters, including their early relations with the Jewish community in Medina.<ref>[{{Reference archive|1=http://www.sunypress.edu/p-357-the-history-of-al-tabari-vol-7.aspx|2=2011-11-17}} The History of al-Tabari Vol. 7: The Foundation of the Community: Muhammad At Al-Madina A.D. 622-626/Hijrah-4 A.H.] - SUNY Press, accessed November 13, 2011</ref>}}
{{Quote||The contents of this volume are extremely significant: The specific events in this earliest period set precedents for what later became established Islamic practice. The book deals with the history of the Islamic community at Medina during the first four years of the Islamic period--a time of critical improtance [sic] for Islam, both as a religion and as a political community. The main events recounted by Tabari are the battles between Muhammad's supporters in Medina and their adversaries in Mecca. Tabari also describes the rivalries and infighting among Muhammad's early supporters, including their early relations with the Jewish community in Medina.<ref>[{{Reference archive|1=http://www.sunypress.edu/p-357-the-history-of-al-tabari-vol-7.aspx|2=2011-11-17}} The History of al-Tabari Vol. 7: The Foundation of the Community: Muhammad At Al-Madina A.D. 622-626/Hijrah-4 A.H.] - SUNY Press, accessed November 13, 2011</ref>}}


===Volume VIII: The Victory of Islam===
===Volume VIII: The Victory of Islam===
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''Alex V. Popovkin'' is a professional indexer and ''Everett K. Rowson'' is Associate Professor of Middle Eastern Studies at New York University.<ref>[{{Reference archive|1=http://www.sunypress.edu/p-4527-the-history-of-al-tabari-volume.aspx|2=2011-11-17}} The History of al-Tabari Vol. 40: Index] - SUNY Press, accessed November 14, 2011</ref>}}
''Alex V. Popovkin'' is a professional indexer and ''Everett K. Rowson'' is Associate Professor of Middle Eastern Studies at New York University.<ref>[{{Reference archive|1=http://www.sunypress.edu/p-4527-the-history-of-al-tabari-volume.aspx|2=2011-11-17}} The History of al-Tabari Vol. 40: Index] - SUNY Press, accessed November 14, 2011</ref>}}
==Misinformation Concerning al-Tabari's History==
There have been several false yet popular claims made about The History of al-Tabari.
For example, the claim that Tabari states [[Aisha]] was at least 10 at the consummation of her [[marriage]] to Prophet [[Muhammad]]. As evidence, a Wikipedia article is often cited. The reference given for the Wikipedia claim is ''Tabari, Volume 9, Page 131; Tabari, Volume 7, Page 7''. However, Volume 9, Page 131 actually says she was aged 9. Nowhere does it claim she was 10. Volume 7, Page 7 says she was 9 three times. Nowhere does it claim she was 10.
There is also the claim that Tabari left it to later scholars to distinguish the authenticity of his work. Contrary to this claim, Tabari provides the chain of narrators and often, very explicitly, comments on their authenticity. If we take a look [[Qur%27an,_Hadith_and_Scholars:Creation#Heavens_and_Earth_5  |here]] at just a few quotes concerning the Islamic [[Creation]] story, we find:
*"Consequently, because this is so and '''the report on the authority of the Messenger of God is sound'''-namely, that he reported that what remained of the time of this world during his life was half a day, or five hundred years"
*"Now then, this being so, '''there is [also] a sound tradition from the Messenger of God''' told us by Hannad b. al-Sari, who also said that he read all of the hadith (to Abu Bakr)'" -Abu Bakr b. 'Ayyash-Abu Sad al-Baggal -'Ikrimah Ibn 'Abbas:"
*"Our statement about the duration of the periods (azman) of this world from its very beginning to its very end is '''the most firmly established of all the statements we have''', on account of the testimony to its soundness as explained by us."
*"The two reports transmitted by us from the Messenger of God have made it clear that the sun and the moon were created after God had created many things of His creation. That is because '''the hadith of Ibn 'Abbas on the authority of the Messenger of God''' indicates that God created the sun and the moon on Friday."
*"These reports, '''mentioned by us on the authority of the Messenger of God and those who mentioned them on his authority''', have made it clear that God created the heavens and the earth before He created time, day and night, and the sun and the moon. God knows best!"
As can be seen, this criticism of Tabari's work has no merit. We are given both the chain of narrators and their grading in some cases by Tabari himself.


==See Also==
==See Also==


*[[Qur'an, Hadith and Scholars]]
*[[Qur'an, Hadith and Scholars]]
{{Hub4|Tabari|Tabari}}


==External Links==
==External Links==
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{{Reflist|30em}}
{{Reflist|30em}}


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