An approach to Al-Muqaddimah: Ibn Khaldūn in historiographical perspective

Abstract

This paper aims to revise a group of perspectives on the thought of Ibn Khaldūn (1332-1406), particularly his Introduction to Universal History, or Muqaddimah, which has a position in the history of historiography, philosophy and human sciences that is subject to different interpretations. Among the topics covered here, the following stand out: the challenge of translating terms that are fundamental concepts in this work, such as umrān and aṣabīyyah; the cyclical or dialectical character of historical time in its writing of history; the particularistic or universalistic nature of its approach; finally, the originality of economic analysis. In this sense, the interpretations of different authors were analyzed, including: Ortega y Gasset, Ernest Gellner, Yves Lacoste, Zaid Ahmad, J. D. Boulakia, Ibrahim Oweiss, M. Akif Kayapmar.