Sectarian theology differently shaped Sunni and Shi’a historical narratives

Evidence

Sunni historical writing is on the whole very sober. In the Sunni view, what happens is important because it represents the working out of God’s purpose for mankind, and history is therefore a source of guidance on theology and law, a tangible expression and realization of the Sunna. The Shi a by contrast took the view that after the murder of Ali and the resignation of his son, history had, so to speak, taken a wrong turn; all non- Alid regimes were illegitimate and all existing societies were, in a sense, living in sin. The defense of the existing order is therefore an important theme of Sunni historiography. — Bernard Lewis, From Babel to Dragomans, 478 (#expands, via linked claim)

Categorization

• XREF: connects to: The Sunni-Shi’a split originated from political succession struggles — Deepa Kumar, Islamophobia and the Politics of…, 317; Sectarian theology shaped what Islamic historians chose to defend — Bernard Lewis, From Babel to Dragomans: Interpreting…, 478; Shia and Sunni diverge on whether history went right or wrong after the Prophet — Bernard Lewis, From Babel to Dragomans: Interpreting…, 1430 (+1 more)

Broader Connections

• Sectarian theology shaped what Islamic historians chose to defend #expands (0.95) — Bernard Lewis, From Babel to Dragomans, 478