Article
Reading early Islamic history critically
The earliest narrative sources were written down a century or more after the events. That is a real problem, and it has real methods for handling it.
The gap
Between the events and their first surviving written narration sits a gap. Pretending it is not there helps nobody, least of all a believer.
What fills it
Documentary evidence, coins, inscriptions and non-Muslim contemporary accounts provide independent checks on the narrative sources. Used together they constrain the picture considerably.
Editorial Team
Written and reviewed by the Mimangsha editorial team.