The scene of early stage of Islamic history that is flourished by some chronicle events is presented well by Al-Maqrizi in his Kitab an-Niza`, especially his description of the conflict between Banu Umayya and Banu Hashim. Similarly, he also makes some important points relating to the early Islamic period in his other treatise, namely: Kitab Imta’. Unlike Kitab Imta` which presenting the story of the prophet and also depicting the relationship between Banu Umayya and Banu Abbas briefly, Kitab Niza’ explains much deeper and further about the disputation between Umayyads and Hashimids.
Unfortunately, Al-Maqrizi tends to endorse one of them regarding his acknowledging many sources to depict the events of pre-Islamic, early Islamic, and Umayya periods, but none of the Abbasid periods. Furthermore, he also employs Shi’i materials to make hostile criticism on the Abbasids. Actually, it is rare and taboo to occur in the historical account of prominent historian like Al-Maqrizi. However, he still contributes valuable reports on the process of succession after the death of prophet and its disagreements among Quraish’s clans.
He writes that in the first stage of succession, the minority clan of Quraish, that is Banu Taym (Abu Bakar) and Adi (Umar bin Khattab), stand to the power as caliphs. Subsequently, Umayyad or Abd Sham (Utsman bin Affan) and Hashim (Ali bin Abi Thalib) became the successors. Those four caliphs are better known as al-khulafa’ ar-rasyiduun.
In the An-Niza`, Al-Maqrizi begins with a crucial question about the way of Banu Umayyad to usurp the power whereas they have no close relationship with the prophet. Furthermore they also prolonged resistance to Muhammad apostleship in the Mekka period. In his conclusion, the answer of that question is since they have no claim through hereditary, nor through clan solidarity, nor through primacy of conversion, the Umayyad legitimized their rebellion to stand to the power.
Indeed, Abdu Shams clan was excluded from the Dzawul Qurba’s category. Although their genealogy is originated from Abd Manaf as Banu Hashim and Banu Muttalib, because of their rejection to Muhammad apostleship in Mekka period, they are not included in Dzawul Qurba. The other Abd Manaf clan which is not embraced in Dzawul Qurba is Banu Naufal.
In the end of Al-Maqrizi’s explanation, he notes the parallel between Hebrew history and the development of Islamic caliphate regarding its succession and the beginning and the end of Islamic caliphates and Judaic kingdoms.
In this article, C.E. Bosworth makes valuable review by introducing some main ideas of the an-Niza’. Furthermore, he also compares al-Maqrizi’s work in the an-Niza` with his other book, namely, Kitab al-Imta`. However, the author of this article may not see the lack of Al-Maqrizi’s exposition. Iti is important, in my opinion, to criticize Al-Maqrizi’s course of Islamic history by providing some facts that sometimes there was a cooperation or an agreement between Banu Hashim and Banu Umayyad. For example, In Al-Khulafa ar-Rasyiduun period, they have same enemy such as Madinan Jews or the infidels of Mekka, then, they went to the war together in the name of Islam.
