Feasibility of Coordinated Fabrication and Reconstruction of Islamic History in the Abbasid Era: A Critique of Revisionist Theories Based on Non-Islamic Sources

Author

Assistant Professor, Department of Theological Education, Farhangian University, Tehran, Iran

Abstract

Revisionist perspectives maintain that Islam was originally a Judeo-Christian movement that emerged in more northern regions and was later rewritten by the Abbasids as a religion centered on Mecca; therefore, reliance on Islamic sources for examining the identity and history of this religion also faces serious challenges. This study seeks to assess the plausibility of such a large-scale fabrication by the Abbasid government. The main question is whether the Abbasids fundamentally possessed the necessary infrastructure for such a major and consequential undertaking to the extent that they could rewrite traditional Islamic narratives or impose a new religion. The research method is based on analyzing non-Islamic sources contemporary with and subsequent to the Abbasids, as well as reports concerning certain material evidence. The findings indicate that political instability caused by internal divisions, familial rivalries, and regional rebellions had weakened the cohesion of the caliphate. The vast geographical extent of the empire, together with the cultural and political diversity of non-Arab societies, made narrative homogenization impossible. Moreover, religious and ethnic diversity among Arabs had led to the formation of independent narrative networks. In addition, political, commercial, and cultural interactions with the Byzantines, Persians, and Armenians enhanced widespread awareness of the traditional Islamic narrative. Material evidence, including early discovered Qurʾanic manuscripts and Umayyad inscriptions, also confirms the early consolidation of Islamic identity and the existence of these obstacles. The overall conclusion is that structural constraints and material evidence severely limit and render highly implausible the possibility of the Abbasids fabricating or rewriting the history of Islam.

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References

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Journal of Historical Researches of Iran and Islam
Volume 19, Issue 37
November 2025
Pages 207-233

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  • Receive Date: 08 August 2025
  • Revise Date: 14 October 2025
  • Accept Date: 27 October 2025

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