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W. Montgomery Watt
History of Al-Tabari
This series offers a comprehensive historical account of early Islam, beginning with the life of Muhammad. It presents a detailed chronicle of significant events and figures, drawing from various historical sources. Readers interested in the foundational period of Islamic history will find this a valuable resource.
The volumes of The History of Al-Tabari are intended to be read in chronological order, following the historical timeline of events from the earliest periods of Islam through the Abbasid era. Each volume covers a specific period, building upon the previous ones.
The most widely recognized and comprehensive English translation is the SUNY series, which consists of many volumes translated by various scholars. This project aimed to make the entire monumental work accessible to English-speaking readers.
Al-Tabari was a prominent 9th-century Persian historian and scholar whose work is considered one of the most important and comprehensive sources for early Islamic history. His methodology involved collecting and presenting various accounts from different sources, allowing readers to see the diversity of historical narratives.