Ideological Construction in Classical Islamic Historiography: An Analysis of the Biography of Mu'awiyah bin Abi Sufyan

Abstract

The writing of biographies of early Islamic historical figures is often influenced by ideological, political, and sectarian dynamics that developed in the tradition of Islamic historiography. One figure who has attracted the most controversy is Mu'awiyah bin Abi Sufyan, whose position in the political conflict after the death of the Prophet Muhammad SAW sparked a variety of historical narratives. This study aims to analyse the implications of ideological developments on the writing of Mu'awiyah's biography in classical Islamic historiography literature. The research method used is a literature study with a qualitative approach through critical historiographical analysis of primary and secondary sources from the Sunni and Shia traditions. The results of the study show that (i) differences in ideological orientation influence the selection and emphasis of historical facts in the biography of Mu'awiyah r.a, (ii) sectarian orientation shapes the pattern of moral judgement of Mu'awiyah r.a's political actions, (iii) the socio-political context of the writing of the work influences the construction of the legitimacy or delegitimisation of his power. The implications of this research emphasise the importance of a critical-comparative approach in reading the biographies of Islamic historical figures in order to avoid ideological bias, as well as the need to develop a more objective and balanced study of Islamic historiography.