Master’s Thesis at the College of Basic Education on “Fitnah in the Narrations of Imam al-Tabari (d. 310 AH) during the Second and Third Centuries AH (100–300 AH / 718–912 AD)”

The College of Basic Education at the University of Mosul discussed a master’s thesis entitled “Fitnah in the Narrations of Imam al-Tabari (d. 310 AH) during the Second and Third Centuries AH (100–300 AH / 718–912 AD).” The discussion was held on Monday, July 20, 2026, at Umm Al-Rabi‘ain Hall at the College.

The thesis, submitted by Mohammed Abbas Suleiman Mohammed Al-Hafi, examined the topic of fitnah (civil strife) in the narrations of Imam al-Tabari during the second and third centuries AH, drawing primarily on his book History of the Prophets and Kings (Tarikh al-Rusul wa al-Muluk), which serves as a major source documenting the transformations of the Islamic state during some of its most critical periods.

The study sought to trace the semantic development of the term fitnah and examine how al-Tabari employed his jurisprudential and hadith-based approach in formulating and presenting his historical narrations.

Through analysis and examination of historical events, the thesis concluded that al-Tabari’s narrations demonstrated a remarkable ability to connect political dimensions with social and economic factors. The study also emphasized that al-Tabari’s approach of presenting multiple narrations without always favoring one over another represented a scholarly method that allows for a critical reading of the disturbances that affected the stability of the Islamic state and contributed to shaping its subsequent historical trajectory.

The discussion committee consisted of:

• Prof. Dr. Abdulqader Ahmed Younis – Chair
• Assistant Prof. Dr. Mohammed Abdullah Hussein – Member
• Assistant Prof. Dr. Yasser Muslih Aziz – Member
• Prof. Dr. Raed Amir Abdullah Al-Rashid – Member and Supervisor

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