For the history of the Primitive Caliphate, however, the tradition of al-Medina also supplied material which was utilized by writers (such as al-Wakidi) who were associated with the Medinian school of hadith. Whether there were written archives available at al-Medina is open to doubt, although the accuracy of the chronolog ical data in the Medinian tradition suggests that some materials o f this kind existed. For the Umayyad period the existence of archives both in Damascus and al-Iraq is confirmed by numerous references.* It is probable that it was from such materials that the later compilers obtained their exact chronological framework, with its lists of governors, leaders of the pilgrimage, etc., for each year . In order to fill up this framework, however, recourse was had to materials in the collection of which were combined the methods o f the traditionists and the philologists. Prominent amongst these were the traditions of the Arab tribes in al-Iraq. One was that of Azd, collected (along with other traditions) by Abu Mikhnaf (d. 157:774) and handed down by Hisham al-Kalbi, which present s the pro-Alid and anti-Syrian tradition of al-Kufa. The Kalbite tradition, represented by Awana b. al-Hakam (d. 147:764 or 158: 775) and als o handed down by Hisham al-Kalbi, shows an anti-Alid and rather pro-Syrian tendency.^ A third tradition, that of Tamim, was propagated by Saif b. Omar (d. c 180:796) in the form of an historical romance on the conquests, based largely o n poetical materials, whose relation to the narrative is much the same as in the aiyam literature. Fragments of other tribal tradi tions also appear, e. g., the tradition of Bahil a in connection with the wars of Kutaiba b. Muslim. By their vivid detail and their bold handling of episodes the tribal traditions o£Eer a marked contrast to the annalistic of their own and later times. Though partial and one-sided, their historical value is by no means negligible, more especially in the insight which they give into the inner factors of the first century of Islamic history. It must again be noted that on the formal side, by their careful observance of the rule of the isnad, th e collections link up with the science of tradition (the begin nings of this activity are, indeed, associated with al-Shabi (d. c. 110:728), the leading traditionist of al-Kufa), and show no trace of foreign influence in either manner or content.

DOI link for For the history of the Primitive Caliphate, however, the tradition of al-Medina also supplied material which was utilized by writers (such as al-Wakidi) who were associated with the Medinian school of hadith. Whether there were written archives available at al-Medina is open to doubt, although the accuracy of the chronolog ical data in the Medinian tradition suggests that some materials o f this kind existed. For the Umayyad period the existence of archives both in Damascus and al-Iraq is confirmed by numerous references.* It is probable that it was from such materials that the later compilers obtained their exact chronological framework, with its lists of governors, leaders of the pilgrimage, etc., for each year . In order to fill up this framework, however, recourse was had to materials in the collection of which were combined the methods o f the traditionists and the philologists. Prominent amongst these were the traditions of the Arab tribes in al-Iraq. One was that of Azd, collected (along with other traditions) by Abu Mikhnaf (d. 157:774) and handed down by Hisham al-Kalbi, which present s the pro-Alid and anti-Syrian tradition of al-Kufa. The Kalbite tradition, represented by Awana b. al-Hakam (d. 147:764 or 158: 775) and als o handed down by Hisham al-Kalbi, shows an anti-Alid and rather pro-Syrian tendency.^ A third tradition, that of Tamim, was propagated by Saif b. Omar (d. c 180:796) in the form of an historical romance on the conquests, based largely o n poetical materials, whose relation to the narrative is much the same as in the aiyam literature. Fragments of other tribal tradi tions also appear, e. g., the tradition of Bahil a in connection with the wars of Kutaiba b. Muslim. By their vivid detail and their bold handling of episodes the tribal traditions o£Eer a marked contrast to the annalistic of their own and later times. Though partial and one-sided, their historical value is by no means negligible, more especially in the insight which they give into the inner factors of the first century of Islamic history. It must again be noted that on the formal side, by their careful observance of the rule of the isnad, th e collections link up with the science of tradition (the begin nings of this activity are, indeed, associated with al-Shabi (d. c. 110:728), the leading traditionist of al-Kufa), and show no trace of foreign influence in either manner or content.

ABSTRACT

At the beginning of the third century a fresh impetus to wards literary activities in general was given by the increasing standards of material culture and by the introduction of paper, the first factory for which at Baghdad was set up in 178:794-795. It is from this period that the earliest written redactions of literary works have come down to us, but this practice did not at once supersede the custom of transmitting collections of material through rawis, which continued until the end of the century. It is consequently uncertain how many of the 230 monographs credited to the Basrian Ali b. Muhammad al-Madaini (d. 225:840) were actually written down in his lifetime. Many of these were probably little more than recensions of Abu Ubaida's collections. More important, however, were his large works on the history of the caliphate and his monographs on the history of al-Basra and of Kiiurasan. By applying to the mass of Iraqi traditions the sound methods of criticism associated with the Medinian school, he gained for his work such a reputation for trustworthiness that it became the principal source for the compilations of the suc ceeding period, and one whose general accuracy has been con firmed by modem investigation.