History of Prophets and Kings

The History of Prophets and Kings (Ta'rīkh al-Rusul wa al-Mulūk) is a monumental work by the Muslim scholar al-Tabari (c. 839–923 CE). This comprehensive history begins with the Creation and chronicles the lives of patriarchs, prophets, and rulers, extending to the early Islamic period and concluding in 915 CE. Al-Tabari meticulously compiled and organized vast amounts of historical and exegetical material from previous generations of scholars, laying a foundational stone for both Qur'anic and historical sciences within Islam.1

The work is structured chronologically, using the Islamic calendar year (after the Hijrah) as its framework. Al-Tabari's approach involved presenting various accounts of events, often without explicit reconciliation, relying on the soundness of the chain of transmitters (isnād) for authenticity rather than critically evaluating the content itself. While drawing heavily on traditions from the Prophet Muhammad and his companions, the history also incorporates accounts of pre-Islamic rulers and events, including the Sāsānian kings. The History primarily reflects an Iraqi perspective and pays less attention to regions like Egypt, North Africa, and Muslim Spain.1