Explaining the Methodological Components in Seyed Jafar Shahidi Religious Historiography

Abstract

Historiography in contemporary Iran, faced significant advances affected by methodolgy developments of recent centuries in the West. However, the circle of these changes influence in the Islamic history and the religions developments did not expand so much. Nevertheless, a limited number of historians in academic assemblies tried to make religious historiography, scientific and methodical in their work such as Seyed Jafar Shahidi.The present study aims to explain the methodological components of Shahidi’s historiography to answer the question of whether his religious historiography can be considered methodical and based on scientific principles. Influenced by his theological and religious origins, Shahidi had concerns such as the scientific study of the history of Islam and the life history of the Shiite Imams (as) and trying to explain historically and methodically some ideological ideas. Based on these principles, influenced by his methodological knowledge and modern requirements, Shahidi’s historiography has basic components such as the scientific and critical editing of narratives, the use of other sciences in historical analysis, and critique of the views of contemporary Muslim and Orientalist authors. Since Shahidi tried to use these components methodically and with expressive literature based on interrogative dialogue with historical subjects, his works can be considered as a kind of religious historiography based on scientific principles, although in some subjects they do not go beyond traditional descriptions or influenced by religious interpretations. Hence, he can be considered a neo-traditionalist historiographer.