Ibni Khuldoon, the talented Muslim
philosopher of history and the greatest intellect of his age, is one of
the most outstanding thinkers that the world has ever produced. History,
before Khuldoon, was confined to the simple recording of events, without
distinguishing between the probables and the improbables.
Being the founder of the science of
sociology, Ibni Khuldoon had the unique distinction of treating history
as a science and supporting his facts with reasoning. `There is nothing
in the Christian literature of the Middle Ages' says a celebrated Western
critic `worthy of being compared with it and no Christian historian wrote
a version with such clearness and precision on any Muslim state.'
Khuldoon, whose origin may be traced to Yamanite Arabs
of Hadramaut, was born in Tunis on May 27, 1332, where his family had settled,
having migrated from Moorish Spain. Ibni Khuldoon had a chequered career
during his early life, taking active part in the intriguing power politics
of the small North African principalities, enjoying alternately the favour
and disfavour of the rulers and at times taking refuge in distant Granada.
His revolutionary spirit, being fed up with the dirty politics of those
times was obliged to take a short respite of about four years in the suburbs
of Tunis, where he completed his immortal "Prolegomena" in 1377. Thereafter
he shifted to Tunis to finish his masterly work "Kitab-ul-Ibar" (Word History),
where he could get reference books in the Imperial Library. After an eventful,
adventurous life in North Africa, the great thinker sailed to Egypt in
1382.
His fame and outstanding work had
preceded him in Egypt and he was warmly welcomed in the literary circles
of Cairo where he was invited to deliver lectures at the famous Al Azhar
Mosque. He was received by the King of Egypt, who appointed him the Maliki
Judge. The intrigues and the rivalries of the court, soon forced him down
and he was appointed on the same post for six times, every time losing
it.
Meanwhile, he had a chance of meeting
the famous Tamerlane who had invaded Syria and had to make peace with the
King of Egypt. The celebrated conqueror was highly impressed with the versatility
and eloquence of Ibni Khuldoon who, on his return, died in Cairo in 1406.
Ibni Khuldoon has acquired an immortal
place in the galaxy of historical philosophy. Before him, history was a
mere chronicle of events, recorded in a haphazard manner without caring
to distinguish between the real and the unreal. Ibni Khuldoon stands out
quite distinct from the rest of the historians, because he treated history
as a science and not merely a narrative. He wrote history in the light
of his new method of explanation and reasoning and developed it as a social
philosophy. Explaining the art of writing history, Ibni Khuldoon says in
"Prolegomena": `It is only by an attentive examination and well sustained
application that we can discover the truth, and guard ourselves against
errors and mistakes. In fact, if we were merely to satisfy ourselves by
reproducing the records transmitted by tradition without consulting the
rules furnished by experience, the fundamental principles of the art of
government, the nature, events of the particular civilization, or the circumstances
which characterize the human society; if we are not to judge of the events
which occurred in distant times by those which are occurring under our
eyes, if we are not to compare the past with the present, we can hardly
escape from falling into errors and losing the way of Truth.'
Being the originator of sociology,
philosophy of history and political economy, his works possess striking
originality. "Kitab-ul-Ibar" including "Al-Taarif" is his immortal historical
work which contains "Prolegomena" as well as his autobiography. He has
divided his work in three parts. The first part known as his famous "Prolegomena"
deals with society, its origin, sovereignty, birth of towns and villages,
trades, means of livelihood and sciences. This is the best part of the
book where the writer reaches the summits of creativeness, reviewing the
diverse subjects like political economy, sociology and history with striking
originality and brilliance. Some of the subjects dealt by Ibni Khuldoon
in "Prolegomena" were dealt with also by his predecessors, but he gave
a more logical shape to his theories.
Farabi's statement about the origin
of towns and villages is only theoretical, while Khuldoon has viewed it
from a social point of view. According to Ibni Khuldoon, the science of
"Al-Umran" (Sociology) did not exist before him. It was only superficially
dealt in the "Politics" of Aristotle and the celebrated Tunisian might
have gone through the commentary written by Ibni Rushd (Averroes) on Aristotelian
works. The striking feature of the "Prolegomena" is its theory of "Al Asbiah"
which Ibni Khuldoon has advanced about the nobility or influence of the
lineage of nomadic tribes.
The third chapter dealing with the
state and the sovereignty is the best part of the book, where the learned
author has propounded his advanced political theories which were later
on incorporated in the works of such celebrated political thinkers as Machiaveli
and Vico. Like that of Ibni Khuldoon, written in stormy times in Italy
a century later, Machiavelli's "Prince" bears a close resemblance to the
"Prolegomena", and it is just probable that the famous Italian might have
borrowed some of his ideas from the works of Ibni Khuldoon. `At any rate',
says Prof. Gumplowicz, `the priority must be rightly attributed to the
Arab sociologist as regards those counsels which Machiavelli, a century
later, gave to the rules in his "Prince" '. Colosia says, `If the great
Florentine instructs us in the art of governing people, he does this as
a far-sighted politician, but the learned Tunisian (Ibni Khuldoon) was
able to penetrate into the social phenomena as a profound economist and
philosopher, a fact which urges us to see in his work such farsightedness
and critical art, as was totally unknown to his age'.
Ibni Khuldoon, whose keenness of observation
is equalled by his versatility, sums up the qualities of a ruler in the
following words. `The sovereign exists for the good of his people. The
necessity of a ruler arises from the fact that human beings have to live
together and unless there is someone to maintain order, society would break
to pieces'.
The second part of "Kitab-ul-Ibar",
which comprises four volumes, namely second, third, fourth and fifth, deals
with the history of the Arabs and other Muslims as well as contemporary
dynasties, including Syrians, Persians, Saljukids, Turks, Jews, Greeks,
Romans and Franks. The real historical work begins with the second volume
which deals with Jews, Greeks, Romans and Persians of the pre-Islamic period.
The advent of Islam, the life of the Holy Prophet and the history of the
Rightly Guided Caliphate (Four Caliphs) are dealt with in a special supplement
to the second volume. The third volume, deals in detail with the Caliphate
of Ummayads and Abbasides. The fourth contains the history of Fatimides
in Egypt and of Moorish Spain up to the time of the Banu Ahymer dynasty.
The fifth volume refers to the rise and fall of Saljuk power, the Crusades
and the history of the Mamluk dynasty of Egypt up to the end of 8th century
A.H. His sources, in this volume may be traced to the historical works
of Ibni Hasham, Masoodi and Tabari.
The third part of his great historical
work "Kitab-ul-Ibar", comprising two volumes, namely sixth and seventh,
elaborately deals with the history of Berbers and other neighbouring tribes
as well as contains the autobiography of the author, known as "Al Taarif".
The history of Berbers describes in much detail their origin, greatness,
kingdom and dynasties in North Africa. The author having a first hand knowledge
of the region and its inhabitants has masterly dealt with the subject matter
which is very factual and precise. Ibni Khuldoon has minimized the greatness
of Arab achievements both in the domains of conquests and scholarship.
On the other hand, he has boosted the qualities of Berbers, as he was born
in the land of Berbers and he could not help being partial towards them
who were ruled by the Arabs since the 1st century A.H. The sixth and the
major part of the seventh volume of his book deals with the history of
the Berbers.
"Kitab-ul-Ibar", ends with several
chapters written about the author's own life and is known as "Al-Taarif"
(Autobiography). There is another copy of "Al-Taarif" preserved in Egypt
which relates the events of his life, till a few months before his death.
Ibni Khuldoon has adopted a more scientific method in the arrangement of
his autobiography which he has divided into chapters, connected with each
other.
Before him autobiographies were usually
written in a `diary form', events having no connection with each other.
Ibni Khuldoon was the first to write a long systematic autobiography, while
shorter autobiographies were written by his predecessors, including Al-Khatib
and Al-Suyuti which were formal, hence insipid. The autobiography written
by Ibni Khuldoon is a frank confession of deeds and misdeeds of a dynamic
personality expressed in a most impressive language. The author has portrayed
his career with exceptional frankness and liberty, which has made his autobiography
all the more interesting and appealing. Moral lapses are not uncommon in
great personalities and these, when viewed in the light of their achievements,
lose their nasty significance whatsoever. The "Al-Taarif" may be favourably
compared with the autobiography of Benvenuti Cellini, the celebrated Italian
artist. Both have an air of frankness in them.
It was during the nineteenth century
that the translation of his works in various European languages enabled
the West to realize the greatness of this historian and appreciate the
vigour and the originality of his thought. `Ibni Khuldoon', writes D. Boer,
`is undoubtedly the first who tried to explain fully the evolution and
progress of society, as being caused by certain causes and factors, climate,
the means of production, etc., and their effects on the formation of man's
mind and sentiment as well as the formation of society. In the march of
civilization, he perceives an organized internal harmony'.
Thus the enlightened West is immensely
indebted to the learned Tunisian, for the lead given by him in diverse
fields of sociology, historical and political economy which paved the way
for later development in these sciences.
(Extracted from "The Hundred Great Muslims"
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