Hazara Islamicus (Dec 2017)
Methodology of Ibn e Asakir in Tarikh Madina Dimashq (An Analytical Study) = منهج ابن عساکر فی تاریخ مدینة دمشق: دراسة تحلیلیة
Abstract
Imam Ibn e Asakir is one of the greatest scholars of 6th Century A.H. He wrote books on many topics; Tarikh Madina Dimashq, (eighty volumes) is the most important book among them. It is a great encyclopedia of Tafseer, Hadith, Seerah, History and Jarah o Ta’adil. This book is matchless till today. He wrote this book almost in thirty years. This research article elucidates the introduction of Ibn e Asakir, His Book and His methodology in a detailed manner. Tarikh Madina Dimashq is one of the most important books about the Islamic history of Syria, covering the life of important figures who resided in or visited Dimashq. That is not only limited to the assessment of historical figures but also includes the narrations of Tafseer, hadith, Seerah, and Jarah o Ta’adil. Ibn e Asakir has tried to collect everything that has been said about these figures, true or false, with full chain of narration. He has adopted the methodology of Muhaddasin in his book. He narrates the narrations with Sanad without caring that the Sanad might get long. If there is a narration with many Asnad he gathers them in one narration. He does not content himself on merely narrating the narrations rather he criticizes the Asnad and their texts and quoted the views of Ulema of Jarah o Ta’adil. He separates the Sahih and Za’if Ahadith and prefers some Ahadith over the other with argument and logic. In spite of all these qualities this book contains many Za’if Ahadith which are excluded by scholars.
