History

History is a discipline that is very useful and has many different approaches. It makes us acquainted with

• the conditions of past nations as they are reflected in their national character.
• the biographies of the prophets and with the dynasties and policies of rulers.

The study of history requires:

• many sources
• greatly varied knowledge
• a good speculative mind and thoroughness

These lead the historian to the truth.

He will often stumble and deviate from the truth if he:

• trusts historical information in its plain transmitted form
• has no clear knowledge of the principles resulting from:
  • custom
  • the fundamental facts of politics
  • the nature of civilization
  • the conditions governing human social organization
• does not compare ancient or distant material with contemporary or near material

The following have committed frequent errors in the stories and events they reported:

• historians
• Qur’an commentators
• leading transmitters

They:

• accepted them in the plain transmitted form, without regard for its value.
• did not check them with the principles underlying such historical situation
• did not compare them with similar material.
• did not probe more deeply with the yardstick of philosophy, with the help of:
  • knowledge of the nature of things
  • speculation and historical insight.

Therefore, they:

• strayed from the truth
• got lost in the desert of baseless assumptions and errors.

This is especially true with historical numbers, either:

• of sums of money or
• of soldiers

These numbers offer a good opportunity for:

• false information

• nonsensical statements.

They must be controlled and checked with the help of known fundamental facts.

The Overblown Israelite Army Numbers

For example, al-Mas’udi and many other historians report that Moses counted 600,000 or more men in the Israelite army in the desert.

• These were the men able to carry arms.

Al-Mas’udi forgets to take into consideration whether Egypt and Syria could possibly have held such a number of soldiers. Every realm may have such a militia. However, a militia of this size cannot march or fight as a unit.

The available territory would be too small for it. If it were in battle formation, it would extend 3 or more times beyond the field of vision.

How could two such parties fight with each other, or one battle formation gain the upper hand when one flank does not know what theother flank is doing?

Furthermore, the Persian realm was much greater than that of the Israelites. This is attested by Nebuchadnezzar’s victory over them.

He swallowed up their country and gained complete control over it. He also destroyed Jerusalem, their religious and political capital.

But he was merely one of the governors of the province of Fars of the western border region.

The Persian provinces of the two ‘Iraqs, Khurasan, Transoxania, and the region of Derbend on the Caspian Sea were much larger than the realm of the Israelites.

Yet, the Persian army did not attain such a number or even approach it.

The greatest concentration of Persian troops, at alQadisiyah, amounted to 120,000 men, all of whom had their retainers.

This is according to Sayf who said that with their retainers they amounted to over 200,000 persons.

According to ‘A’ishah and az-Zuhri, the troop concentration with which Rustum advanced against Sa’d at al-Qadisiyah amounted to only 60,000 men, all of whom had their retainers.

Then, if the Israelites had really amounted to 600,000, then the area they ruled would have been larger. This is because the size of administrative units and provinces under a dynasty is in direct proportion to the size of its militia and the groups that support the (dynasty).

The Israelites’ territory did not comprise an area larger than the Jordan province and Palestine in Syria and the region of Medina and Khaybar in the Hijaz.

Also, there were only 3 generations between Moses and Israel, according to the best-informed scholars.

Moses’ genealogy in the Torah was:

• He was the son of Amram
• Amram was the son of Kohath (Qahat or Qahit )
• Kohath was the son of Levi
• Levi was the son of Jacob who is Israel-Allah.

The length of time between Israel and Moses was indicated by al-Mas’udi when he said:

It is improbable that the descendants of one man could branch out into such a number within 4 generations*.

This number of soldiers was assumed to apply to the time of Solomon and his successors. Again, this is improbable. Between Solomon and Israel, there were only 11 generations:

• Solomon, the son of David
• David, the son of Jesse
• Jesse, the son of Obed (‘Ubidh, or ’ Ufidh)
• Obed, the son of Boaz (Ba’az, or Bu’iz)
• Boaz, the son of Salmon
• Salmon, the son of Nahshon
• Nahshon, the son of Amminadab (‘Amminddhab, or Hamminddhab)
• Amminadab, the son of Ram
• Ram, the son of Hezron (Hasran)
• Hezron, the son of Perez ( Baras, or Bayras )
• Perez, the son of Judah
• Judah, the son of Jacob.

The descendants of one man in 11 generations would not branch out into such a number, as has been assumed.

They might reach hundreds or thousands. This often happens.

But an increase beyond that to higher figures is improbable. Comparison with observable present-day and well-known nearby facts proves the assumption and report to be untrue.

According to the definite statement of the Israelite Stories, Solomon’s army amounted to 12,000 men.

He had 1,400 horses stabled at his palace. This is the correct information.

In the days of Solomon, the Israelite state saw its greatest flourishing and their realm its widest extension.