Tips for studying a subject like history

Muslimah inshal

Muslimah inshal

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Could you give some tips on how to study history as it is a difficult subject with so many battles , dates , ...
 
With such a broad expanse of time we call history, it's best to take a period you are interested in and look to read about it from the mainstream circles first - but do not accept anything as truth - just investigative opinion.

After this, read up on those historians who commented on same period but with an alternative historical narrative. You will find contradictions between both camps and this is where the importance is, because this is where they differ and this is where the truth is buried and you have to dig to find it.

Occasionally, you will find historians discussing things which you may know nothing of, for example - geology, or archaeology etc, and if you consider what they are saying as integral to your tudy, then you should also do some basic research into the ology in question so you can follow what the archaeological comment was attempting to infer.

This is a common basic introduction and route to investigating history.

You will need things like maps of the area you are studying which reflect the geographical borders of nations in that period, you'll find the geo-political landscape of history has always been shifting, moving, morphing.

You will in time, make useful observations which apply to all periods of history, such as how when empires fall, it is usually because of moral decline in society and this always happend in a society which has peaked - from that point, there's only one direction left - downwards and this is what historians have known for ages - that empires fall when morality takes a back seat. It is insights like these which help us to understand the period we sit within now.

Hope this helps,

God bless.
 
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I have always loved to read about history but the way the school teached it was very narrow. Just like this: wars, kings and dates. It felt like kings wouldn´t done anything else than born, started wars and died all the time. I loved to go to the library and looking for books (I studied at the ancient times before the internet was invented) about those earlier times, like about art, social life, literature etc. to get larger picture. It took time but I also got better perspective why things happened as they did, how people spent their life, what kind of things were important to them.

It also was important to me to know why the king XX started his wars, not only know when he started them what was the only thing what they teached about his time at the school.
 
In world history, my teacher made us create a timeline that we would contribute to throughout the course period. This helped keep track of dates. When it take time to studying for exams, I could easily go back and get an overview idea of what event fell where on the time line.

As for characters, you can take note cards and write the names on one side and a description on the back. Include notes about who this person is important, what was his or her contribution to history, etc. Birth and death dates and origins.

If you're just trying to study history for fun...there are a couple different approaches: 1. Chronological, 2. thematic. Dabble in each and see what works for you.
 
Scimitar said:
With such a broad expanse of time we call history, it's best to take a period you are interested in and look to read about it from the mainstream circles first - but do not accept anything as truth - just investigative opinion.

After this, read up on those historians who commented on same period but with an alternative historical narrative. You will find contradictions between both camps and this is where the importance is, because this is where they differ and this is where the truth is buried and you have to dig to find it.

Occasionally, you will find historians discussing things which you may know nothing of, for example - geology, or archaeology etc, and if you consider what they are saying as integral to your tudy, then you should also do some basic research into the ology in question so you can follow what the archaeological comment was attempting to infer.

This is a common basic introduction and route to investigating history.

You will need things like maps of the area you are studying which reflect the geographical borders of nations in that period, you'll find the geo-political landscape of history has always been shifting, moving, morphing.

You will in time, make useful observations which apply to all periods of history, such as how when empires fall, it is usually because of moral decline in society and this always happend in a society which has peaked - from that point, there's only one direction left - downwards and this is what historians have known for ages - that empires fall when morality takes a back seat. It is insights like these which help us to understand the period we sit within now.

Hope this helps,

God bless.
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In your opinion, is travelling a requirement for becoming a good historian?
 
Huzaifah ibn Adam said:
In your opinion, is travelling a requirement for becoming a good historian?
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In the old times, it was necessary.

But in the modern sense, it depends on your level of interest. I would always say travel, get scope, clarity, see for yourself that which you wish to understand if you can afford it in sha Allah.

All nations have museums, and historians - and each nation has it's own version of it's own history. Which, contrasts with mainstream history, and depending on their specialty, historians will travel to museums and archives around the world, or work with communities or groups like survivors of war etc, to record their accounts as "witness statement".

Of course, for the casual hobby historian whose interest is merely "interest" itself, he/she can read about the results of these expeditions, archive visits, witness statements, etc all from their published works.

Scimi
 
:salam:

I once likened the kings of the past to the presidents of today - lol, in history class. my teacher said I was wrong but gave me no reason to why. :/ lol.

I like "twisting" history. in other words, if the books say "x" I think what if "y".. Try to challenge the books lol.

I hate to take things from schools - face value.
 
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That's not a method you are following, it's whim.

Method stops one from committing intellectual suicide ;)

Scimi
 
sister herb said:
It also was important to me to know why the king XX started his wars, not only know when he started them what was the only thing what they teached about his time at the school.
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Ha ha.. From what I know, the Kings usually got the wrap for things (sometimes it was them and their whimsical wants) but mostly it was their advisors that advised them accordingly. And if you go deeper, you might find some consistencies in who their advisors were... and in my opinion, they were mostly manipulated...


:peace:
 
^ Like they are same also today. We can find easily that history repeats itself.
 
Scimitar said:


snip

Scimi
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I don't know what's going on but what do you think of travelling to excavation sites or something that has a historic past? Of course except places that are haram to visit like the places Allah destroyed as punishment for nations
 
:salam:

I didn't know that visiting nations that were punished, was haram.

Allahu alam.
 
Kiro said:
I don't know what's going on but what do you think of travelling to excavation sites or something that has a historic past? Of course except places that are haram to visit like the places Allah destroyed as punishment for nations
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Not necessarily,

“Say (O Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم): Travel in the land and see what was the end of those who rejected truth”[al-An’aam 6:11]

“Say to them (O Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم): “Travel in the land and see how has been the end of the Mujrimoon (criminals, those who denied Allaah’s Messengers and disobeyed Allaah)”[al-Naml 27:69]

al-Qaasimi (may Allaah have mercy on him) said they are the ones who go to different places to study the ruins and learn a lesson from them and seek other benefits. [FONT=wf_segoe-ui_light]Mahaasin al-Ta’weel (16/225).

[FONT=wf_segoe-ui_light][/FONT]Scimi[/FONT][FONT=wf_segoe-ui_light][/FONT]
 
Scimitar said:


Not necessarily,

“Say (O Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم): Travel in the land and see what was the end of those who rejected truth”[al-An’aam 6:11]

“Say to them (O Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم): “Travel in the land and see how has been the end of the Mujrimoon (criminals, those who denied Allaah’s Messengers and disobeyed Allaah)”[al-Naml 27:69]

al-Qaasimi (may Allaah have mercy on him) said they are the ones who go to different places to study the ruins and learn a lesson from them and seek other benefits. [FONT=wf_segoe-ui_light]Mahaasin al-Ta’weel (16/225).

Scimi[/FONT]
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I remember now
 
Muslimah inshal said:
Could you give some tips on how to study history as it is a difficult subject with so many battles , dates , ...
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Are you student?. From what I know only students who think they have to memorize dates in history. While people who learn history not with purpose to pass exam do not think to memorize dates because they know they would not able to memorize.

I love learn history since I was kid. Since I was kid my father had motivate me to love reading. It made me grew as kid who always curious, and it lead me to curious about what happened in the past, how people in the past lived their life.

Curiosity. This is what makes us interested to study history. Without curiosity we would not interested to history.
 

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