The Other in Al-Mas'udi's Book (Muruj al-Dhahab wa Ma'adin al-Jawhar) From the Beginning of the Call to Islam Until the End The Rashidun era(An Analytical Study)

Abstract

This study examines the historian Ali ibn al-Husayn al-Mas'udi and his stance on the “other” in Muruj al-Dhahab wa Ma'adin al-Jawhar, covering the period from the dawn of Islam to the end of the Rashidun Caliphate. It highlights his significance in Islamic historiography through his combination of hearsay and observation, and his use of narrative, criticism, and chronology, integrating history, geography, and the philosophy of history. The study explores his position toward political figures and events, and the extent to which beliefs attributed to Shiʿism or Muʿtazilite thought shaped his interpretations. It finds that, despite claims of methodological neutrality, al-Masʿudi shows notable sympathy for the Prophet’s family—especially in his treatment of ʿAli ibn Abi Talib and his battles—while presenting a more critical view of other caliphs and governors. He also adopts Shiʿi narratives at times and frames early Islamic history through the concept of the power struggle, emphasizing the dispute over the imamate as a central issue among Islamic sects.