The History Of Al-Tabari

Wasalam

Tabari history is a brilliant book

But tabari history is not a book the layman or ordinary people should read without supervision from a scholar

Reason is because when tabari was writing this book tabaris intention was not to just collect he correct history but also narrate the false history so we muslims will know what the correct history is and what the false history is but tabari doesnt write this is weak or this is sahih he instead puts the chain of narration so a scholar can see this and know this is a weak chain of narration this strong

So when you take narration from tabari history you need to know that it could be false or sahih as the scholars intention was to collect both

So if you see a narration from tabari ask a scholar if its sahih or not

MysticSoumeya said:

Salam to all of you!

Please, I need your advice. I've been reading Tabari's chronicles and found them quite interesting. But, a friend of mine has just told me that Tabari's stories are not legitimate and that I shouldn't believe his stories. Can you give me further explanations?

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Waalikum Assalaam

I've read Chronicles by Tabari as well as Al-Bidayah wan Nihayah by Imam Ibn Kathir.Whenever we read a history book(especially an Islamic one),we can't take it as a truth in its entirety.

Both of them used a combination of daif and sahih ahadith to tell a story and when they couldn't connect the chain,they used traditions from Israelite(something that is unreliable but doesn't necessarily means to be false).

I personally find Ibn Kathir's book more authentic because of his stature and how several ahadiths are narrated and/or collected by him.He also mentions gradation of hadith where he feels suitable.

There is no harm in reading them but always take them with a grain of salt,not as an article of faith.

Hope it helps.