Al-Tabari acted primarily as a compiler. He gathered every known oral and written report ( riwayah ) circulating in the Islamic world regarding historical events, complete with their chains of narrators ( isnad ).
The report on page 111 never found a home within the mainstream Islamic scholarly tradition. From an early date, it was almost universally rejected by hadith scholars, jurists, and theologians for two primary reasons: its violation of the doctrine of ‘isma (prophetic infallibility) and its weak chain of transmission.
Al-Tabari, a 9th-century Persian scholar, embarked on the monumental task of chronicling the history of the world from the creation of Adam to the caliphate of the Abbasid period. His work, often simply called "The History of al-Tabari," is renowned for its detailed accounts, derived from a vast array of sources. This includes oral traditions, earlier written histories, and documents that have otherwise been lost to time. al tabari volume 6 page 111
Understanding Al-Tabari Volume 6, Page 111: The Context and Debate Surrounding the "Satanic Verses" Narrative
Note: Pagination in classical texts can vary depending on the edition (Cairo, Beirut, or the SUNY English translation). The above content is developed based on the chronological placement of events in Volume 6 regarding the purge of the Umayyad family. Al-Tabari acted primarily as a compiler
Below is a concise, stand‑alone overview of what scholars commonly identify on page 111 of the sixth volume of Ibn Jarīr al‑Tabarī’s monumental universal history. Because the exact pagination can vary slightly between different editions (Arabic, English translation, or modern reprints), the description focuses on the that most printed editions place around that location rather than on a line‑by‑line transcription.
| Theme | How It Appears in the Text | |-------|---------------------------| | | The Abbasids invoke the Prophet’s alleged letter and the notion of “restoring the rightful caliphate,” while the Umayyads rely on dynastic continuity and military might . | | Tribal Politics | Detailed mention of tribal loyalties (Banu Tamim , Kinda , Banu Ghatafan ) showcases how the caliphate’s stability hinged on tribal negotiations . | | Prophetic Tradition (Sunnah) | The Abbasid propaganda emphasizes adherence to the Sunnah to attract pious Muslims , contrasting with the Umayyads’ perceived worldliness . | | Narrative Technique | Al‑Tabarī often inserts “According to the tradition of X” (ḥadīth al‑raḍī) and “Some say…” (ba‘ḍ al‑naṣāʾir) to signal differing opinions, a hallmark of his historiography. | From an early date, it was almost universally
Page 111 of Volume 6 is particularly noteworthy due to its detailed account of the , a pivotal event in Islamic history that occurred in 628 CE. This treaty, also known as the Pact of Hudaybiyah, was a peace agreement between the Prophet Muhammad, representing the Muslims, and the Quraysh tribe of Mecca. The treaty marked a significant turning point in the relations between the Muslims and the polytheistic Meccans, facilitating a temporary cessation of hostilities and setting the stage for the eventual conquest of Mecca.
"These are the high-flying cranes (al-gharāniq), whose intercession is to be hoped for."
If page 111 discusses the Hadith of the Night Journey (Isra) :
This literary usage had a seismic impact, causing a firestorm of controversy across the Muslim world. It transformed an academic and theological debate about a questionable historical report into a modern clash over blasphemy, freedom of speech, and the limits of artistic expression.