Sayf ibn Umar
Sayf ibn Umar | |
|---|---|
| Born | Unknown date Kufa, Iraq |
| Died | c. 786–809 |
| Occupation | Historian |
| Era | Early Abbasid period |
| Known for | Being a source for al-Tabari ({839–923) |
| Notable work | The Great book of Conquests and Apostasy Wars (Kitāb al-futūh al-kabīr wa-l-ridda) |
Sayf ibn Umar al-Usayyidi al-Tamimi (
Life
Little is known about Sayf, except that he lived in Kufa and belonged to the tribe of Banu Tamim.[2]
Reliability
The reliability of his hadiths has long been contested.[2]
Since he was the sole transmitter of many of his historical narrations, especially pertaining to the conquest of Iraq, some historians have accused him of fabrication or exaggeration, most notably Julius Wellhausen.[3] His narrations are said to be influenced by the tribal traditions of Banu Tamim.[2] However, he also collected accounts that highlight other tribes.[2]
Recent scholarship suggests that Sayf is more reliable than previously thought.[4][5] W. F. Tucker and Ella Landau-Tasseron note that although Sayf may have been an unscrupulous hadith collector, this should not detract from his general reliability as a transmitter of historical information (akhbārī).[5] Tucker adds that accusations of bias could equally be leveled at other akhbārīs contemporary to Sayf, including the Shi'a historian Abu Mikhnaf.[5] Fuat Sezgin, Albrecht Noth, and Martin Hinds have also challenged Wellhausen's views and placed Sayf on an equal footing with other traditionalists.[6]
Notes
- ^ Thomas, David. "Kitāb al-futūḥ al-kabīr wa-l-ridda". In Thomas, David; Mallett, Alex (eds.). Christian-Muslim Relations 600 - 1500. Brill.
- ^ ISBN 90-04-10422-4.
- ISBN 978-0-7914-9684-8.
- ISBN 978-0-297-86559-9.
Medieval and modern historians have suspected that he fabricated some of his accounts, but the most recent scholarship suggests that he is more reliable than previous authors had imagined.
- ^ ISBN 978-0-521-88384-9.
- S2CID 164155720.
Further reading
- Landau-Tasseron, Ella (January 1990). "Sayf Ibn 'Umar in Medieval and Modern Scholarship". Der Islam. 67: 1–26. S2CID 164155720.
- Linda D. Lau (1978). "Sayf b. 'Umar and the battle of the Camel". Islamic Quarterly. 20–23: 103–10.
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