Genealogy as a DocumentâThe Case of the Early Islamic Genealogical Works

Ahmad Nazir Atassi

7 Genealogy as a DocumentâThe Case of the Early Islamic Genealogical Works

In: Documents & Histoire / Documents & History. Le faux, le simulacre et la copie. Islam viie-xxe s. / The Fake, the Replica, & the Copy. Islam 7thâ20th C.

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Ahmad Nazir Atassi

Ahmad Nazir Atassi
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Type:: Chapter

Pages:: 211â248

DOI:: https://doi.org/10.1163/9789004744011_009

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Abstract

Genealogy as a DocumentâThe Case of the Early Islamic Genealogical Works

Looking at the early Islamic genealogies as documents allows us to deal with the issue of fakeness as an integral part of the genealogiesâ nature and not as a mere critique of their authenticity and truthfulness. In fact, authority and contention can be talked about as flip sides of the same coin and not as contradictory facts. If documents are stable in their content, authoritative/contested, and useful, then genealogies should exhibit these same traits. We bring together Biblical influences, a possible archival influence, as well as an oral influence to show that these genealogies enjoyed a great degree of stability. Different irregularities in the early Islamic genealogies were also revealed through the social mechanism of claiming and contesting their authority; which by itself is a proof of authority. As for their utility, we also show many instances where the genealogies were used for personal, tribal, and political gains. The aforementioned irregularities suggest possible techniques for constructing such extensive genealogies as those of Ibn al-KalbÄ«âs. However, the dual nature of the genealogies (i.e. true and fake) relieves us of the task of finding exact instances and places of cutting/pasting/insertion/omission; we just presented plausible examples. Examples of plausible truthfulness can also be found. That does not make these genealogies dubious historical records; to the contrary, their historical value comes from that combination that actually gives them life as social artifacts.

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Documents & Histoire / Documents & History. Le faux, le simulacre et la copie. Islam viie-xxe s. / The Fake, the Replica, & the Copy. Islam 7thâ20th C.

Actes des journÃ©es d'Ã©tudes, Paris, 14-15 novembre 2013 / Proceedings of the Workshop, Paris, 2013, November, 14â15

Series:Â Islamic Manuscripts and Books, Volume: 24

Cover Documents & Histoire / Documents & History. Le faux, le simulacre et la copie. Islam viie-xxe s. / The Fake, the Replica, & the Copy. Islam 7thâ20th C.

E-Book ISBN:: 9789004744011

Publisher:: Brill

Print Publication Date:: 24 Mar 2025

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Part 1 La fabrique du faux / Fakes and their Makers

Part 2 Original & copie / Original & Copy

Part 4 La fabrique de lâillusion / Fabrications

Part 6 Par-delÃ le Vrai & le Faux / Beyond the Real & the Fake

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7 Genealogy as a DocumentâThe Case of the Early Islamic Genealogical Works

Abstract

Citation Info

Share link with colleague or librarian

Documents & Histoire / Documents & History. Le faux, le simulacre et la copie. Islam viie-xxe s. / The Fake, the Replica, & the Copy. Islam 7thâ20th C.

Actes des journÃ©es d'Ã©tudes, Paris, 14-15 novembre 2013 / Proceedings of the Workshop, Paris, 2013, November, 14â15

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7 Genealogy as a DocumentâThe Case of the Early Islamic Genealogical Works

Documents & Histoire / Documents & History. Le faux, le simulacre et la copie. Islam viie-xxe s. / The Fake, the Replica, & the Copy. Islam 7thâ20th C.

Actes des journÃ©es d'Ã©tudes, Paris, 14-15 novembre 2013 / Proceedings of the Workshop, Paris, 2013, November, 14â15