Kontribusi Ibnu Al-Athir dalam Historiografi Islam: Sebuah Tinjauan Kitab Al-Kamil Fi Al-Tarikh

Abstract

Islamic historiography developed as an intellectual tradition that not only records past events but also constructs interpretative frameworks grounded in the authority of sources, the continuity of isnad, and moral-religious consciousness. Since the classical period, Islamic historical writting has demonstrated a synthesis of chronological approaches, critical evaluation of transmitted reports, and efforts to situate political and social events within a universal narrative of the muslim community. In this context, the works of Ibn al-Athir occupy a significant position as a representation of the maturity of medieval Islamic historiography, particularly through al-Kamil fi al-Tarikh. This study aims to analyse the writing of history in Ibn al-Athir's al-Kamil fi at-Tarikh from the factors behind Ibn al-Athir's writing of history, methodology, strengths and weaknesses, to the implications and relevance of al-Kamil fi at-Tarikh to the development of Islamic historiography in general. This study uses a qualitative approach with historiographical analysis and library research techniques for data collection. This study finds that: (1) Ibn al-Athir's al-Kamil fi at-Tarikh marks an important phase in the evolution of Islamic historiography from narrative chronicles to critical, thematic, and reflective history; (2) The historical methodology used by Ibn al-Athir demonstrates epistemological maturity in understanding historical truth; (3) al-Kamil fi at-Tarikh is relevant to the development of contemporary historiography in its ability to construct an integrative paradigm of thinking.

Keywords: Historiography, Ibn al-Athir, Islam, Chronicle, Criticism