Tarikh Islam

Writing on vices is a kind of historical- polemic writing which puts emphasis on disadvantages, faults and defects, and discusses the invectives of rival and opposing individuals and groups profoundly and wholly. The literature of writing on vices, which started from the 2nd century due to the escalation of national and religious conflicts, increasingly developed and more than forty books entitled "MathÁlib (vices)" were written until the 6th century. The two books on vices written in the 6th century are "Ba'z MathÁlib Al- NavÁÒib (Some vices of Anti-Shi‘as" by Abd al-Jalil RÁzi (d. circa 585 'AH'), and "MathÁlib al- NavÁÒib" (Vices of Anti-Shi‘as) By Ibn Shahr Ashoob (d. 588 'AH'). The present paper compares these two books to find their poins of similarities and differences. ‘Abd al-Jalil has adopted an approach based on the proximity among denominations, the Principles and theology and tried to create a kind of entente between Shi‘as and Sunnis through his proximity policy. By contrast, Ibn Shahr Ashoob has adopted a traditionalist and narrative approach, far from proximity policy. Given these views, each of these authors has chosen his own particular method to write his book. Abd al-Jalil's method is based on persuasion, apology, and analysis, with a respectful literature. Ibn Shahr Ashoob's method, however, is based on silencing, offence, and citation, with a provocative literature.