A Critique and Analysis of the Narration “ʿĀṭāʾ al-Muʾallafatu Qulūbuhum” (the Narration of ʾIbn Isḥāq in ʾIbn Hishām’s Al-Sīra al-Nabawiyya)

Document Type : Research Article

Authors

• Mohamad ali Moqadam ¹
• Ramezan mohamadi ²
• sina foroozesh ³
• maasomali panjeh ⁴

¹ PhD student in Islamic History, Faculty of Literature, Humanities and Social Sciences, Science and Research Unit, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran

² Associate Professor of the Department of History, Hohza Research Institute and University, Qom, Iran

³ Associate Professor, Department of History and Archaeology, Science and Research Unit, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran

⁴ Assistant Professor, Department of History and Archaeology, Science and Research Unit, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran

10.22067/jhistory.2024.84902.1257

Abstract

A narration is mentioned by ʾIbn Isḥāq, cited in al-Sīra al-Nabawiyya by ʾIbn Hishām, that says the Prophet gifted portions of the spoils from the Hawāzin tribes to the “Muʾallafatu Qulūbuhum” (a group of chiefs and aristocrats) after the battle of Ḥunayn, in order to win their affection and console them. The phrase “Muʾallafatu Qulūbuhum” comes from Qurʾan 9:60, which, according to Ibn Hishām, was revealed during the Battle of Tabūk in the 9^th year of the Hijra (630 A.D.) and among other Āyahs concerning Munāfiqīn. Explaining the Āyah, Ibn Hishām writes: “These Āyahs clarify who the rightful recipients and deserving groups for the alms (Șadaqāt) are.” The present study uses Sīra sources, historians’ works, and Tafsīr (interpretation), and employs the historical-comparative method in a qualitative manner to analyze the extent of alignment between the narration of “Muʾallafatu Qulūbuhum” with historiographical principles, such as the authenticity of documents, and alignment with other historical accounts. The study also explores the purpose behind the prominence of this narration in the accounts of the Prophet’s Sīra. It is concluded that the narration of “Muʾallafatu Qulūbuhum” does not align temporally or contextually with the cited Āyah ,“Innamā al-ṣadaqāt...”. The narration has been included in Sīra accounts based on a requested historiographical approach.

Keywords

• Muʾallafatu Qulūbuhum (taʾlīf-i qulūb)
• Alms
• Spoils
• Ḥunayn
• Tabūk
• Umayyads

Main Subjects

• History of Islam

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