Sources
EARLY ISLAMIC SOURCES
The source I have relied on most heavily is al-Tabari
(839–923), generally acknowledged throughout the
Muslim world as the most prestigious and authoritative
early Islamic historian. His monumental work Tarikh al-
rusul wa-al-muluk (History of the Prophets and Kings)
starts with biblical peoples and prophets, continues with
the legendary and factual history of ancient Persia, then
moves on to cover in immense and intimate detail the
rise of Islam and the history of the Islamic world
through to the early tenth century. It has been translated
into English in a magniɹcent project overseen by
general editor Ehsan Yar-Shater and published in thirty-
nine annotated volumes between the years 1985 and
1999 as The History of al-Tabari. Speciɹc volumes are
cited below. Al-Tabari is the source of all direct quotes
and dialogue in this book unless otherwise stated in the
text itself or in the Notes before this section.
The Tarikh is outstanding for both its breadth and its