The Methodology of Masoudi's Historiography in " Al- Tanbih Ol Ashraf"

The major plan of this paper is examination of the methodology of Masoudi`s historiography in the book of “Al- Tanbih Ol Ashraf” . This methodology can get us familiar with one of the historiography patterns, which is combination of subjective method and year–to-year method, selection of the observation method and direct experience and abbreviation writing in historiography. Masoudi is the first historian who established the emergence of critical thinking in Islamic historiography. Fundamentally, the Muslim`s historiography suffered the weakness in critical discourse , prior to the emergence of the Muslims. Masoudi`s attitude to the source of his historiography, in his remained works of “Moravej ol Zahb” and “Al- Tanbih Ol Ashraf” initiated a new chapter in Islamic historiography. Afterward, Ibn e Khaldoon was not only principled to this method but also he promoted it excellently. In writing of the books of “Al- Tanbih Ol Ashraf”, the social, political and the cultural atmospheres in which Masoudi lives were effectual. However, the writer’s talent and genius as well as his own creative thought had critical role too.