History of ISLAM
Unfolding the Golden History

Tuesday, June 17, 2025

17 History and Geography

Geography is closely tied to history, and modern histories often include it. Biographers of the Prophet included Arabia’s geography for context. However, a concise Islamic history covering the entire Muslim world makes extensive geographical inclusion challenging. I assume readers have access to maps, but I plan to include relevant maps where necessary. Details of pre-Islamic Arabia, its tribes, and customs are kept brief. For the Prophet’s life, I prioritize Hadith over historical texts, using sources like Al-Tabari, Ibn al-Athir, Al-Masudi, Abu al-Fida, Ibn Khaldun, and As-Suyuti to compile a reliable summary. Post-Abbasid decline, regional Islamic histories are drawn from contemporary sources, occasionally referencing Christian historians for corroboration, though their works are less reliable due to their casual approach to accuracy.