The study of Islamic history has long been illuminating regarding the character of the faith. People are interested in the historiography, or a clear picture of how the past was examined, in addition to the study of history. There aren't many sources to back up the Prophet Muhammad's existence, which has been a problem for historians researching his biography. Archival records, handbooks, archaeological relics, and inscriptions are the primary sources that historians use to support their claims. There are few sources, if any, that describe Muhammad's existence. The Arabs began minting coins in the 7th century, and there are no artifacts in Mecca or Medina that can be linked directly to Muhammad. Coins have been important sources of archeological information because they give details about how people lived at a certain age.
There are no documents which state thet the life of Muhammad apart from the Constitution of Medina which was given out by his biographer. Lack of concrete evidence makes it difficult for historians to prove the things they talk about the prophet. The weak evidence does not mean that Muhammad did not exist or live, is not real, but there is a need for much more to make everything about Muhammad clear.
Another problem with the study of the Islamic history is the difficulty in proving that Prophet Muhammad was the author of Quran. Historians say that writing began slightly before the beginning of the 8th century. Muhammad was illiterate and is said to have been reciting the Quran orally hence it is not practically possible for him to have written it himself. They go on to say that Muhammad’s teachings were transcribed and collected to form the Quran. However, to prove these beliefs is challenging because the historians have not seen those texts. There is no complete copy of Quran at the end of the 7th century which can substantiate these claims.
Conclusion
The problem of studying the Islamic history is mainly due to lack of historical evidence to back up the claims. History is not entirely complete without the use of archival documentation, archeological materials and much more to substantiate claims.
Bibliography
“The problem with study of Islam’s beginnings,” http://hartnation.com/ , (March 2017).
DWD, “Islamic History, Part 6: The problem with early sources,” https://attwiw.com/2013/05/18/islamic-history-part-6-the-problem-with-early-sources/ (May, 18 2013).
