Origins of the Islamic State

Al-Baladhuri’s The Origins of the Islamic State (or History of Muslim Conquests) is one of the most reliable sources on the beginnings of the Islamic Empire. The book begins with the wars of the Prophet Muhammad, followed by accounts of the ridda wars, the conquests of Syria, Armenia, Egypt, the Maghrib, and lastly, the occupation of Iraq and Persia. “The work, one of the most valuable sources for the history of the Arab conquests.” – Brill’s Encyclopedia of Islam “Since its publication, by Prof. de Goeje, al-Baladhuri’s Futuu al-Buldaan, has been recognized as one of our chief authorities for the period during which the Arab state was in process of formation.” – Richard Gottheil, Columbia University. Abu-l Abbas Ahmad ibn Jabir al-Baladhuri was one of the greatest Arabic historians of the ninth century. He may have been of Persian origin as he is said to have been a translator from the Persian. He spent most of his life in Baghdad and its environs. His studies led him to Damascus, Emesa, and Antioch, and in Iraq he studied with such famous historians as al-Mada’ini, Ibn Sa‘d, and al-Zubayri. He was a companion of al-Mutawakkil. Philip Khuri Hitti (1886-1978) was an eminent historian of the Middle East. He graduated from the American University in Beirut in 1908 and received his Ph.D. from Columbia University, where he also taught. Later, Hitti taught at Princeton University until he retired in 1954, where he was Professor of Semitic Literature and Chairman of the Department of Oriental Languages. He is the author of numerous works on the Middle East.