Motaleat-e-Taghribi Mazaheb-e-Eslami (Proximity Studies of Islamic Denominations) (Foroughe Vahdat)

Motaleat-e-Taghribi Mazaheb-e-Eslami (Proximity Studies of Islamic Denominations) (Foroughe Vahdat)

The concrete nature of the history of the life of the Prophet peace be upon him with knowledge of theology

Articles in Press

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors
kazem ghaderi 1
yonos farahmand 2
abdullah farrahi 3
Asghar Qaedan 4
1 PhD student in Islamic history. International University of Islamic Religions. Director of Sadat Mousavi high school of Tehran. History teacher
2 Associate Professor, Department of History and Archaeology, Faculty of Literature and Humanities and Social Sciences, Science and Research Unit, Islamic Azad University of Tehran, Iran
3 Head of the History Department of the International University of Islamic Religions
4 Associate Professor at Tehran University
10.22034/mtmi.2025.490083.1827
Abstract
Abstract. This study, recognizing the essential role of the Prophet’s sīra as a normative model for Muslims, adopts a descriptive–analytical approach to investigate the corpus of sīra literature and to evaluate the extent to which the theological and ideological commitments of sīra scholars have shaped these writings. The central question is whether Muslim scholars recorded the sīra independently of their doctrinal presuppositions, or whether significant events were consistently interpreted through their theological lenses.

The research assumes that historians never approach the past with complete neutrality; rather, their ethical and doctrinal orientations inevitably shape their interpretations. Evidence from existing sources demonstrates that historical analyses of the sīra were profoundly informed by theological convictions, making the theological approach one of the earliest interpretive frameworks in sīra studies.

Doctrinal certainties frequently overshadowed documentary evidence, leading to situations where belief took precedence over textual testimony. Core theological concepts—such as infallibility (ʿiṣma), knowledge of the unseen, miracles and divine intervention, and debates over the appointment or election of the Prophet’s successor—played a decisive role in shaping sīra narratives. Consequently, a considerable portion of the sīra literature reflects tendentious and theologically motivated perspectives.
Keywords
History
knowledge of theology
the life of the Prophet
The concrete nature
Motaleat-e-Taghribi Mazaheb-e-Eslami (Proximity Studies of Islamic Denominations) (Foroughe Vahdat)

Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript
Available Online from 19 November 2025