DESCRIPTION OF GENRES OF ISLAMIC HISTORY

Abstract

Islamic historiography emerged as a distinct scholarly discipline within the framework of Islamic sciences, closely intertwined with the development of hadith, tafsir, and fiqh. This article examines the formative stages of Islamic historical writing, focusing on the genres of siyar and maghazi as the earliest foundations of Islamic history. It analyzes the linguistic and conceptual meanings of these terms, their usage in the Qur’an and hadith literature, and their methodological significance in preserving the life and practices of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). The study further explores the role of muhaddithun in shaping reliable historical methodology through isnad-based verification, highlighting their contribution to the credibility of early Islamic historical sources. Additionally, the article discusses the evolution of biographical literature (tarajim and tabaqat) and the function of hadith collections as primary historical sources. The findings demonstrate that Islamic historiography developed systematically from religious documentation into an independent and methodologically rigorous field, providing a comprehensive framework for understanding the early Islamic period and the intellectual foundations of Islamic civilization.