Reflections on Certain Theories to Do with the History of Early Islam

The vast corpus of premodern Arabic historical writing, encompassing both Islamic and Christian narratives, remains largely unexplored, with many manuscripts still awaiting classification and editing. This historiographical heritage has faced critical scrutiny since the late nineteenth century, particularly regarding early Arabic Islamic sources from the first few centuries of Islam. Revisionist scholars have applied techniques from biblical criticism and modern literary analysis to challenge the authenticity of these early histories, often labeling them as “salvation history,” which they argue imposes a supernatural framework on events. Critics contend that the temporal distance between events and their recording diminishes reliability; however, recent scholarship suggests that oral traditions coexisted with written records from the outset of Islamic history. Furthermore, the concept of “topoi” in historical narratives raises questions about the credibility of certain accounts while acknowledging their potential to convey underlying truths. This essay evaluates these revisionist critiques, emphasizing the need for a nuanced understanding of historical sources that transcends simplistic categorizations of reliability and fictionality.