Abstract

Narrations by notable Islamic personalities are a significant part of the Islamic religious edifice. However, these narrations are of variable quality and authenticity. To evaluate these narrations, standards and tools were developed and used. This study will look into whether or not it is possible to add a new tool that might aid in evaluating the narrations of an individual muḥaddith, using the example of Umm Salama. The study investigates Umm Salama from multiple perspectives to draw a rich picture of her. A detailed review of Umm Salama's life is presented, her genealogy reviewed, her character explored, her contributions to political and social events studied. The research uses both ShÄ«Ê¿ite and SunnÄ« expositions on her life and draws upon both ShÄ«Ê¿ite and SunnÄ« ḥadÄ«th collections to extract her narrations, creating the first musnad of Umm Salama. The research results point to several interesting conclusions. It becomes evident that all types of sources of both Twelver ShÄ«Ê¿a and traditional SunnÄ« scholarship (annals, chronicles, ḥadÄ«th collections, literature, etc.) have to be used when possible to enable an objective evaluation of a narrator. The original sources themselves suffer from inherent biases and methodological issues which necessitate using material produced by both sects to enable a more balanced view. The final result shows that these sources themselves provide a more complete image of the personality and the characteristics of the narrator, which when compared to the prophetic traditions narrated by that person provide a tool to help evaluate these aá¸¥Ä dÄ«th.

School

School of Humanities and Social Sciences

Degree Name

MA in Arabic Studies

First Advisor

Serag, Mohamed

Document Type

Thesis

Rights

The American University in Cairo grants authors of theses and dissertations a maximum embargo period of two years from the date of submission, upon request. After the embargo elapses, these documents are made available publicly. If you are the author of this thesis or dissertation, and would like to request an exceptional extension of the embargo period, please write to thesisadmin@aucegypt.edu

Download

Share

COinS