An Approach to the Influence of Early Islamic Conquests on Tabarī’s Thought of Primary Jihad

Various factors affect the approach of scholars in the field of thinking and knowledge, of which historical events is considerable. The historical event of the conquests of the first caliphs and war booty clearly had a great impact on promoting the economic life of Muslims living in that era. The benefits obtained from the booty also influenced the thought of scholars of that time and the eras close to it, concerning the outstanding component of those conquests, i.e. the primary jihad. Accordingly, some thinkers such as Tabarī (d. 310 AH) in order to stabilize the semantic system organized by the conquests of the caliphs in the collective mind of the community, understood most of the Qur’anic ayahs of jihad with the idea of ​​primary jihad. This interpretive attitude emphasizes a meaningful relation with the intellectual atmosphere dominant during his lifetime about the conquests of the first caliphs. This analytical-critical research is a new step in analyzing and proving this meaningful concept. Findings show that Tabarī has deviated from the correct scientific path in understanding ayahs of jihad. Influenced by the conquests of the first caliphs and in order to approve them, he has sometimes tried to mention an untruthful narration, abrogating all jihad ayahs in favor of primary jihad, and deviating from the firm principles of the conduct of the Prophet.