Toward the lslamization of History A Historical Survey

Abstract

History, or more properly the writing of history, had been during the
times of the ancient Greeks and Romans an elitist activity, meant for
glorifying the class of power, position, and birth. Parts of these histories
were fabulous in nature. The Muslims (Arabs) introduced the idea
of history as factual record. During the Middle Ages, history writing
slipped into what it was in the Greco-Roman times. In the 16th century,
the middle class, those with accumulated capital, wrote histories. A
colonial history, too, developed, enshrining a Euroean view of history
that still continues in school curricula. The 20th century saw changes.
The writing of history became an imperialist necessity. When imperialism
collapsed, the focus disappeared. History became miniaturized and
atomized. The entry of television and information technology brought
instant histories. Islamic history writing accepts history as an instrument
of Allah's will and mode of living the good life.