A Review of Correctness and Accuracy of Statistics and Figures in the General Islamic History Sources

The presentation of statistics and figures in large scale on various areas is one of the remarkable issues in the Islamic history sources. These statistics encompass a vast collection of topics such as the number of armies, human and financial loses of wars and clashes, damages resulting from natural incidents such as flood, earthquake and epidemic diseases, properties, incomes, costs and assets of governments and individuals. Due to the lack of precise statistics and census in the first Islamic centuries, also because of difficulties and sometimes impossibility of taking an estimated statistics in cases such as individuals’ assets or earthquake damages, the correctness and accuracy of some of the statistics and figures mentioned in sources look rather doubtful. Casting doubt by the historians on the presented figures, an intensive difference between the mentioned figures in the traditions, the incompatibility of many statistics with those of the geographical, economic and political conditions, also the lack of adaptation with financial and spiritual abilities and a broad use of symbolic and round figures are some of the reasons accounting for the incorrectness of many figures and their imprecise presentation. This article reviews the rate of correctness and accuracy of the figures in the sources of Islamic history. Among available sources, the study focuses on general history books such as: Tarikh-e Yaqoubi, Alakhbar Al-Tewal, Tarikh Al-Rosol wal-Molook, Moruj Al-Zahab Va Maden al-Johar, Tajareb Al-Omam Va Taqeb Al-hemam, Al-kamel Fi Al-Tarikh. It is clear that firstly these sources have had great impacts on other historical books and works and secondly, more attention has been given to these sources by the scholars of Islamic history.