Criticism of the Muqaddimah of Ibn KhaldunNathan ProvostHistory of the Middle East 600-1914Dr. Serdar PoyrazApril 5, 2014The Muqaddimah is a historical and sociological work from the 13th century written by one of the greatest historians of the time, Ibn Khaldun. His work was used well into the 19th century because no other work gave so much in-depth detail about the history and society of the Middle East in the Middle Ages and before. Ibn Khaldun read more direct references to what actually happened and understands how the caliphates fell in the Middle East. He's very critical of other historians, but that's what makes him so accurate today. He offers theories that emphasize the importance of precise references, science, politics, dynasties and religion. Ibn Khaldun was a historian who followed a particular pattern to discover the real truth behind history. He used a certain scientific method that he would use to solve sociological models and revealed the real truth behind the story. For example, he mentioned that there was a historian who mentioned many soldiers between the valleys before a battle, but Ibn Khaldun proved this wrong because if you were to go there you could not accommodate 600,000 soldiers in this valley as al-Masudi said. . He would use common sense to write history and learn about sociological theories from particular models unlike his counterparts whom he strongly criticizes. In terms of histography, Ibn Khaldun would constantly check his use of sources (which would be numerous) to constitute what he says. . He greatly criticizes other historians because they would be bribed to write history in the manner of soldiers or ...... middle of paper ......ld. Only nomadic tribes living in the Middle East can successfully build a long dynasty. Ibn Khaldun was the first historian and sociologist to write about Middle Eastern culture and thought. He did this successfully by pointing out the flaws of other historians and acknowledging his own credentials, discussing the rise and fall of civilizations, how Greek thought was or was not incorporated into his work and finally, the way in which jurisprudence has brought people together. His ideas set an example for many historians of the time and many of them were correct. Although some of his work does not apply to today's standards (one can only live successfully in a certain climate), his theory on the rise and fall of a generational dynasty can be applied to business techniques of 'today. Reference Khaldun, Ibn. The Muqaddimah. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 2005.