Strategies for an Islamic Perspective of History and Historical Writing

Abstract

The idea of holding the first History Seminar, which was introduced at the 18th Annual Conference of the Association of Muslim Social Scientists (AMSS), came to realization in Buffalo, New York on Dhu al Qi‘dah 1-2, 1410/May 26-27, 1990. A total of fifteen papers were presented by Muslim historians coming from across the United States. Taha J. Al-‘Alwani’s opening address was presented by Sayyid Muhammad Syeed, the General Secretary of the AMSS. Al-‘Alwani, who is the President of the International Institute of Islamic Thought (IIIT), challenged Muslim historians to devise concepts and methodologies based on the wisdom of the Qur’an that will demystify human global history and make it possible to present solutions and alternatives to today’s problems. He asked historians to look for the unifying factors that can make sense out of human history and to think about mankind’s reactive or proactive role in the historical process which might lead to universal goals. The banquet speaker, Professor Pareshan G. Khattak, Vice Chancellor of the Azad Kashmir University at Muzaffarabad, a historian himself, dedicated his address to an account of the Kashmiri Muslim struggle for freedom and its place in current history. The first session included two papers designed to present an overview of issues to be considered at the conference. The seminar coordinator, Aftab Ahmad Khan of Buffalo State College, spoke on “Establishing Some Principles and Guidelines for Islamization of History,” in which he focused on the need for Muslim self-reliance in the writing and interpretation of their own history as well as that of the rest of the world with the aim of exposing the worldunifying concepts and reflections of tawhid. He called for the adoption of a five point program toward beginning the process of Islamization of history. This was followed by Professor Akbar Muhammad of SUNY at Binghamton, who presented a paper entitled “On Islamic History, Muslim History, and the Social Milieu.” Focusing on the legacy of certain individual historians or thinkers, three panelists presented the ideas of men spanning North Africa, the Middle East, and South Asia. Ausaf Ali of Los Angeles spoke on Ibn Khaldun, Ibrahim ...