A Critique of Ibn Kathir's Historiography about Shiism in Al Bidayah wa-Nihayah (The Beginning and the End)

Al Bidayah wa-Nihayah is a famous book on the history of Islam, written by Ibn Kathir Dimashqi (701-773 'AH'). He has anti-Shia views due to the effects of spatiotemporal conditions and particularly the influence of such professors like Ibn Taymiyyah. The present paper seeks to criticize Ibn Kathir's historiography of Shiism in the aforementioned book by making a general review of his methods and approaches. This paper is written as a critique of documents, content and methods of Ibn Kathir's historiography. The most important criticisms directed to it are: internal contradictions of aforementioned book, its inconsistency with the Quran, tradition and history, biased "selection and omission", and "acceptance and rejection". A thorough analysis if this book indicates that the writer omits, rejects, distorts or justifies any historical account which does not correspond with his own views and attitudes; firstly to justify his own religious beliefs and secondly due to his anti-Shia attitudes.