Muslim Historical Fiction

1. Introduction

Historical fiction is difficult to define in the academic sense. Is it all fiction that is set in the historical past of our world? Brown (1998) suggests that its not that simple. Books set in Ancient Greece or during WW1 may easily be identified as having a historic setting. However, what about stories set in the 80s or even the 2000s? At what point do they become historical? Does it have to be beyond the age of the oldest human currently alive? Or is it anything set beyond the target readerships age and memory? To me, the 80s were my childhood, but to my kids, its 20 years before they were born. The other issue highlighted by Brown (1998) is the treatment of historical figures alongside fictional characters. Is an author lying when they suggest that their made up characters have met with an actual person? Reed (1994, cited by Brown, 1998) delineates between historic fiction, stories that have historic figures in them, and historical fiction, stories that don’t and instead focus on bringing history alive. This perhaps works for general historic or historical fiction, but what about Islamic historic and historical fiction? In this article, I will take a brief look at the rich history of Islam, some of the potential themes that could be explored and the challenges author’s of Islamic fiction may face. I will also look at the kind of sources that are available to writers, the need to represent the diverse characteristics of Muslims and the potential impact on modern readers.

2. Historical Background

The earlier period of Islam is divided up into three specific eras. The first was the era of the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) and his companions, the Sahabah. Next came the era of the Taba’een, the people who met the Sahabah during their lifetimes. Then, the era of the Tab-e-Taba’een, or the people who met the Taba’een during their lifetimes. According to Muslims, these three eras were the Golden Age of Islam.

Another way of looking at Muslim history is to focus on the different dynasties and empires that existed after the time of the Prophet and the Sahabah. These are:

• The Ummayad Caliphate (661-750AD),
• The Spanish Ummayads (756-1031AD),
• The Abbasid Caliphate (750-1258),
• The Samanids (819-1005),
• The Seljuqs (1040-1196),
• The Almoravids and Almohads (1062-1269),
• The Ilkhanids (1206-1353),
• The Nasrid kingdom (1232-1492),
• The Mamluks (1250-1517),
• The Ottoman Empire (1299-1923),
• The Safavid empire (1501-1722),
• The Mughal Empire (1526-1858).

Each of these dynasties and empires has its own rich history, culture, arts and stories. Each features a whole host of nobles, merchants, warriors, scholars, and artisans that deserve to be recorded and their stories retold. The history of these dynasties covers huge swathes of the world, including the Arabian Peninsula, Central Asia, the Caucasus, the Levant, Afghanistan, India and Pakistan, North Africa, the Iberian Peninsula, the Balkans and Eastern Europe. Not to forget also the rich histories of the Muslims of China, including the renowned Muslim Admiral, Zheng He.

3. Themes in Islamic Historical Fiction

Islamic Historical Fiction is not only rich in history, but also in themes. Exploration of the world is a common one and sources such as the Travels of Ibn Battuta (1325) and the Travels of Ibn Jubayr (1145-1217) are a rich source of information for would be writers. Sometimes, these travel journals can get a bit extraordinary, therefore they could possibly fall into historical fiction? Other themes can include spirituality, both orthodox and the more esoteric, what it means to be a believer in the changing world and times, heroism during oppression, e.g. there is now a growing collection of novels that look at the experiences of the Palestinians, for example Saud Amiry’s Mother of Strangers. British Colonial rule over India is also another set of experiences that have been looked at in the past. Islam is a world religion, so there is also scope to investigate cultural and religious conflicts over the span of Islamic history.

Author and Lawyer, Jamila Ahmed has put together a good list of contemporary Islamic Historic Fiction for Lit Hub: https://lithub.com/a-rich-but-rare-genre-exploring-islamic-historical-fiction/

4. Challenges Faced by Authors

Writers of ‘Islamic’ or Muslim fiction face the same challenges that all writers of historic fiction face. Research is important to maintain authenticity and historical accuracy, especially when dealing with sensitive issues, periods or personalities. It is perhaps safer to avoid writing fiction set during the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) or any of the other Prophets (peace and blessings be upon them) lifetimes. Similarly, the time of the Sahabah should also be possibly left alone, to avoid causing national incidents.

Cultural and religious sensitivity should be considered when trying to balance a respectful representation of Islamic culture and beliefs with creative storytelling. Yes, we should value and respect freedom of speech, but creative license isn’t an excuse for abusing the religion and beliefs of more than 2 billion people.

A lot of the source material is written by scholars in languages that not everyone speaks, for example, Arabic, Persian, Urdu, etc. As I said earlier, Islam is a world religion, so its scholarship has spread around the world and there are texts written in every language of the world. Writers should try and get hold of the best translations they can, and not rely on dodgy Google Translates.

Muslims are sensitive people and our faith is still very close to our hearts. Even the most secular Muslim holds certain things as sacrosanct, e.g. God, the Prophet Muhammad, his family and his Companions. It is very easy to accidentally misrepresent a piece of history or unknowingly step into the middle of controversy. For example, the schism between Sunni and Shia Muslims, whilst potentially a rich source of story ideas, could also result in a fatwa hanging over your head (only partially joking). That is why Research is seriously important. Like life and death important.

5. Research and Sources

My academic training leads me to say try and go to the earliest source material if you can, before moving onto commentaries. When you are trying to discuss beliefs, norms and values, try and use authentic books and reputable commentaries. Picking the wrong commentaries could land you in those quagmires and controversies that we discussed a little while ago. Try and find subject specialists and read what they have said. If you are an alum of a university, make use of their academic sources. If you want to represent more contemporary histories, try and access archives and databases of first hand accounts. Librarians are you friends. Use them.

6. Character Development

Character development is a must for any type of fiction. Historical fiction gives you access to not only your own inventions, but also real people. Treat those real people with a little respect and try and maintain their dignity. Unless of course, the real person was an actual douche bag (Hitler, Ramses II, Netanyahu, etc). Then go ahead and dump on them all you want. However, try and make your characters multi-dimensional. Don’t just haul out Ibn Khuldun to randomly say something and walk off-stage without at least touching on some of his contributions, such as being the founder of Social Sciences, and looking at some of the challenges he faced in his own time to sell his ideas. I think its easier to give your own characters a background, motivations, psychologies then it is to invent one for a real person. Think about what purpose each of the characters (both real and imagined) are fulfilling in your narrative. It shouldn’t just be to name drop a legend of the time, like some cheesy cameo in a Hollywood blockbuster.

7. Impact on Modern Readers

Islamic fiction as a whole has a role to play. Its not just stories for entertainment. There needs to be some educational, moralistic value to the writing, even if it is just to bring Muslim history alive for the reader. The One Thousand and One Nights is the most well known source of Muslim fiction, and whilst western audiences have focused on the exotic nature of the tales, they were there primarily to teach us about morality and the challenges of life during the Abbasid dynasty. Furthermore, storytelling is an ancient tradition in itself that Muslims have engaged in for centuries, even inspiring some of the greatest of European authors through the traveling troubadours that visited Andalusia. There is a reason why Romeo and Juliet is suspiciously similar to Layla Majnu.

8. Conclusion

In conclusion, Islamic historical fiction is a deeply rich and multifaceted genre, offering endless opportunities for exploration, education, and engagement. The challenge of defining historical fiction itself extends into the Islamic context, where a vast timeline, diverse cultures, and deeply held religious beliefs shape the narratives that can be told. The history of Islam spans multiple continents, empires, and cultural traditions, providing writers with an expansive landscape of themes, from exploration and spirituality to colonial resistance and political intrigue. However, with these opportunities come significant responsibilities—authors must navigate historical accuracy, cultural sensitivities, and the weight of religious respect when crafting their stories. Thorough research, careful sourcing, and a nuanced understanding of character development are all necessary to create compelling yet respectful narratives. Ultimately, Islamic historical fiction has the power not only to entertain but also to educate and inspire, bridging the gap between past and present for modern readers. By reviving these stories with authenticity and depth, authors contribute to a growing literary tradition that honors the complexity and richness of Islamic history.

9. References

• Brown, J. (1998). Historical Fiction or Fictionalized History? Problems for Writers of Historical Novels for Young Adults. The Alan Review, 26(1)
• The Met Museum. (2024). Chronology of Major Empires and Dynasties in the Islamic World, available from https://www.metmuseum.org/learn/educators/curriculum-resources/art-of-the-islamic-world/introduction/~/media/Files/Learn/For%20Educators/Publications%20for%20Educators/Islamic%20Teacher%20Resource/chronology.pdf

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