A Critical Review of Toynbee's
Theory on Philosophy of History

Sayyid Zia'uddin Mir Muhammadi*

Philosophical studies of history are divided into two branches: 'theoretical or substantive philosophy of history' and 'analytical or critical philosophy of history'. The theoretical philosophy of history is a model of philosophy of realities in which the general meaning and trend of history is studied.

The present paper deals with a critical review of Toynbee's view of history. He regards the unit of civilization as the real arena for historical researches or the rational sphere for historical studies. Empirical and inductive approach applied by Toynbee as an essential method in historical study of civilizations is taken to be among the principles and bases governing his theoretical philosophy of history. His model of challenge and response to such challenge is the criterion for taking history as a rule-governed phenomenon, and it is regarded as the origin and the reason for the rise and decline of civilizations. For Toynbee, a civilization ends in establishing a universal religion and all human history or the whole process of emergence of a civilization leads to creative divine justice. For him, Christianity is the final goal of human history and the ultimate goodness for humankind.

KEY WORDS: theoretical philosophy, history, analytical philosophy of history, history as a rule-governed phenomenon, the model of challenge-response, essence and nature of civilization

 

The Possible Coexistence of Society and History
as Rule-governed Phenomena with Human Freedom

Amanollah Fasihi

The present article is aiming at solving the problem of the relationship between society and history as rule-governed phenomena and human freedom. Unlike the two theories of historicism and determinism, or the opponents of the theory of rule-governedness of collective life, these two have no inconsistency with one another; rather, they have a mutual relationship. To prove this claim, while investigation of the notions of research, the article tries to explore the concept of rule-goverdness of society and history. Then, it gives a careful analysis of the relationship of freedom with rule-governedness of history under the topic of the genetic laws and social rules, and offers a precise picture of this relationship.

In this paper, special mention has been made of the social limitations in exercising freedom, such as moral legitimacy, objectivity, and internalization. Furthermore, a discussion has been raised on the ways an individual affects the society and history. In this connection, two courses of change in "ideals and goals" and "action and its consequences" have been dealt with, too.

KEY WORDS: society, history, law, freedom, free will, determination, precedent, cause

 

History as a Rule-governed Phenomenon in the Quran in Shahid Sadr's View "Shahid Sadr's Quranic Views and his Innovations in Theoretical Philosophy of History"

Javad Suleymani*

The extended domain of history, failure to capture history in its overall aspects , impossibility of testing historical theories as it occurs in empirical sciences, and the fact that historical propositions are thought to be susceptible to error have made it very difficult to prove that history is rule-governed, and to extract the established precedents (sunnahs)governing history through historical studies, so that many theories presented by those who claim to have discovered rules of history are nullified after a lapse of time. In such circumstances, resorting to infallible teachings of revelation can open a way not possible through science.

In the present paper, Shahid Sadr's Quranic attitudes and deduction on the principle of rule-governedness of history and some established precedents governing history have been stated in a brief, ordered and consistent manner. Shahid Sadr has deduced - from the Holy Qur’an - innovative views in some of the areas of philosophy of history, which deserve attention and investigation

 

History as the Thinking Process in Masoudi's Moruj al-Zahab and Tanbih al-Ashraf

Alireza Wasei* / Muhammad Mehdi Saīdi**

The term "Modern History" or "Comprehensive History" denotes a change and development occurred in two spheres of method and subject matter of history as a science. This view of history represents more the western historians' approach to the science of history.

In the present study, an attempt has been made to reread Masoudi's works to prove that what we call 'modern history' today – whose most outstanding feature is the variety of subjects and an analytical look at events-traces its thousand-year history back to the Islamic civilization.

This study seeks to explore Masoudi's various approaches, both in the sphere of method of historiography, with its analytical view of events and facts, and in the domain of such major subjects of science of history as sciences, geography, environment, culture and society. Besides, a brief discussion has been raised on Masoudi's theoretical procedures.

KEY WORDS: modern history, comprehensive history, methods of historiography, environmental history, theoretical philosophy of history, social and cultural history, history of science, and geographical history

 

History from Religious and Material Viewpoints

Ahmad Rahdar*

Since history is the most important context for human's growth and development, it is also regarded as one of the important sources for his identity. What we can get from history depends on our approach to it. The religious approach and the material approach are the two general and essential approaches to history which are different in a significant way. From a religious viewpoint, spiritual, celestial and supernatural factors, along with the material and sensible factors and even some other ones, are influential as far as the destiny and major orientation of history is concerned. From a material viewpoint, history has a naturally determined course, is of little validity as to the statement of truth, has merely empirical and material tool for analysis, is of merely temporal order, and finally has little admonitory force. In this paper, an attempt has been made to testify these differences.

KEY WORDS: religious (celestial) history, material history, supernatural, admonition, identity, evolution, order and human being.

 

Theoretical Framework, Its Aspects and its Requisites

Muhammad Dashti*

Applying theoretical framework to historical researches is among the methods offered in recent years as one of the ways for raising scientific level of historical studies. This is true while the various dimensions and aspects of this subject –basically among the principles of research method in sociology – are obscure and unknown for many students in the field of history. Accordingly, the present paper is exploring the following aspects of the subject:

the reason for historians' interest in sociological theories;

the nature of theoretical framework;

the benefits of applying the theoretical framework;

the limitations and difficulties of a theoretical framework;

how to gain access to a logical theoretical framework;

naturalization of theoretical framework;

principles and rules for naturalization of theoretical framework in terms of an Islamic approach;

the way of presenting the model for analyzing data based on the selected theoretical framework.

KEY WORDS: theory, theoretical framework, naturalization, history, sociology, analysis model

 

Abstracts

Writing Fiqh al-Sīra in Islamic Historiography

Ya'qub Jafari*

Fiqh al-sīra is a special type of hagiography which takes a fresh look at the Prophet's way of life; it primarily deals with the jurisprudential, doctrinal, social and political consequences of the events in the Prophet's lifetime, the historical aspects of which is of secondary importance.

To adduce reasons in support of the Prophet’s practice for some of the religious precepts is, of course, of a long precedence. However, what makes fiqh al-sīra as something distinct is the special method applied there transforming the Prophet's way of life from a merely historical account into active and practical lessons.

While investigating the jurisprudential precedents and documents of this type of hagiography, this article deals with a general introduction of some book in this regard and presents some related considerations under the title of Naqd va Nazar critique and opinion.

KEY WORDS: fiqh al-sīra, Prophet's way of life, authority of the Infallibles’ practice, the method of proselytizing, lessons and admonitions

 

Table of Contents

Writing Fiqh al-Sīra in Islamic Historiography / Ya'qub Jafari.................. 5

Theoretical Framework, Its Aspects and its Requisites / Muhammad Dashti 23

History from Religious and Material Viewpoints / Ahmad Rahdar.......... 51

History as the Thinking Process in Masoudi's Moruj al-Zahab and Tanbih al-Ashraf / Alireza Wasei / Muhammad Mehdi Saīdi......................................................................................................................................... 71

History as a Rule-governed Phenomenon in the Quran in Shahid Sadr's View "Shahid Sadr's Quranic Views and his Innovations in Theoretical Philosophy of History" / Javad Suleymani 93

The Possible Coexistence of Society and History as Rule-governed Phenomena with Human Freedom / Amanollah Fasihi..................................................................................................................................... 115

A Critical Review of Toynbee's Theory on Philosophy of History / Sayyid Zia'uddin Mir Muhammadi 141

 

In the Name of Allah

Tārikh dar Āyene-ye Pazhuhesh Vol.7, No.1

A Quarterly And Scholarly Journal of Historical Researches Spring 2010

 

Concessionary: Imam Khomeini Educational and Research Institute

Manager: Dr. Muhammad Reza Jabbari

Editor in chief: Mahdi Pishvai

Executive manager: Majid RobatJazi

Editorial Board:

ª Dr. Sadiq Ayinevand: Professor,InstructorTrainingUniversity

ª Dr. Muhsen Alviri: Assistant Professor, Imam Sadiq Universit

ª Hujjat al-Islam Mahdi Pishvae: Research Manager, History Department, Imam Khomeini Education and Research Institute

ª Dr. Muhammad Reza Jabbari: Associate Professor, Imam Khomeini Education and Research Institute

ª Hujjat al-Islam Ya'qub Ja'fari: Professor & Researcher working on the Quranic Sciences and the history of Islam, Imam Khomeini Education and Research Institute

ª Dr. Muhsen Ranjbar:Assistant Professor, Imam Khomeini Education and Research Institute

ª Hujjat al-islam Javad Soleimani: Associate Professor, Isfahan University

ª Dr. Sayyed Asghar Mahmudabadi: Faculty Member, Imam Khomeini Education and Research Institute

ª. Dr. Asghar Muntazir al-Qaem: Associate Professor, IsfahanUniversity

ª Dr. Hamed Muntazwri Mugaddam: Assistant Professor, Imam Khomeini Education and Research Institute

ª Dr. Ali Muhammad Valavi: Associate Professor, Al-Zahra University

ª Hujjat al-Islam Muhammad Hadi Yusefi Gharavi: Professor & Researcher working on the history of Islam and Shiism

Scholarly Collaborators

ª Muhammad Dashti:Resercher Working on the history of Islam and Iran

ª Syyed Hussein Sharaf'uddin: Faculty Member, Imam Khomeini Education and Research Institute

ª Ali Gholami Dehaqi:Assistant Professore' Isfahan Medicine University

ª Hujjat al-islam Akbar Mersepah: Assistant Professore' Isfahan Medicine University

Address: Tārikh dar Āyene-ye Pazhuhesh

#11, Gulestan 2, Gulestan St.,

Amin Blvd., Qum, Iran

PO Box: 37185-4333

Tel: +98-251-2113689 / Fax: +98-251-2934483

E-mail: Tarikh@Qabas.net

 

---

* PhD Student of History of Islamic Civilization – University of Islamic Knowledge/ Qom

* Faculty Member of Imam Khomeini Educational and Research Institute

* Ph.D in History of Islamic Civilization/ Azad Islamic University-Tehran

** M.A Student in History of Islamic Civilization/ Mustafa International University

* Graduate from Qom Seminary, P.H. Student in Political Scienses a Research Center fo Humanities and Cultural Studies.

* Researcher in History of Islam and Iran.

* Professor&Researcher working on the Qoranic Scinces and the history of Islam, Imam Khomeini Education and Research Institute