Thoughts Dominating Sheikh-e-Mofid's Historiography

Ghasem Khanjani[1]

Abstract

Sheikh-e-Mofid has taken into consideration a number of criteria and standards for narrating and reviewing historical reports. Given that, his style occasionally appears to be quite different from that of other historians. Observing faithfulness, moderation, and fairness in narrating historical reports and events, employing rational reasoning, argumentation, and evaluation in accepting or refuting historical reports, and considering the impact of ideologies and beliefs as well as reservation and its extent on historiography, critiquing, and reviewing the narratives and traditions were among the criteria pursued by Sheikh-e-Mofid in his historical works. He has also attempted to meet such criteria in reviewing historical reports.  His attempt for meeting such criteria is suggestive of ideologies dominating Sheikh-e-Mofid's historiography. The present article aims at expounding on these ideologies as well as some of their applications in the works of Sheikh-e-Mofid.