Maqrizi Methodology in Analysis and Selection of Historical Data

The present paper explores the methodology of Taqi al- Din Ali Maqrizi (845 AC) in the selection and analysis of historical data and attempts to study his works via presenting a framework for selection and method of historians. Considering the prevalence of Tradition (Hadith) method among the Islamic historians in the centuries before Maqrizi, it could be revealed that Maqrizi also tried to determine the soundness of narrations on the basis of two fundamental elements of narrator and narration. With respect to selection of narrations, he focused on the tendencies of narrators and the personal characteristics of the narrators that could possibly impair the authenticity of narrations. With respect to validity of narrations, he mainly considered the unified, well-known as well as rare narrations. He provided appropriate materials for his compilations through considering the narrations’ documents, characteristics of narrators of traditions, and content validity of narrations.