The Kharijites in Early Islamic Historical Tradition

Analyses the narrative function of Khārijism in 9th- and 10th-century Islamic historiography This is the first comprehensive literary analysis of Khārijite history as depicted in early Islamic historiography. Covering the period from the Khārijites' origins at the Battle of Ṣiffīn in 657 CE until the death of the caliph ʿAbd al-Malik b. Marwān in 705 CE, it provides a fresh perspective on early Khārijism, exploring the manifold purposes of telling stories about these purported rebels and heretics. The Islamic tradition portrays Khārijism as a heretical movement of militantly pious zealots, a notion largely reiterated by what little there is of modern scholarship on the Khārijites. The present study moves away from the usual positivist reconstructions of Khārijite history 'as it really was' and instead examines its narrative function in early Islamic historiography. The results of this literary analysis highlight the need for a serious reassessment of the historical phenomenon of Khārijism as it is currently understood in scholarship. Key Features - The first book-length literary study of Khārijism - Calls for a reassessment of historical Khārijism based on the findings of this literary analysis - Sheds new light on the creation of historical memory in early Islamic historiography - Emphasises the importance of literary approaches to early Islamic history Hannah-Lena Hagemann is based in the Department of Near Eastern Studies at Hamburg University, where she leads a research group on rebellion in early Islam. She is co-editor of Transregional and Regional Elites: Connecting the Early Islamic Empire (2020).