The Muqaddimah

Very very poor printing quality. Very discomforting to the eyes. I won’t recommend it all. Totally disappointed for the money I spent. Some pages are totally blurred and different fonts and sizes in the same book. DO NOT BUY THIS BOOK - A TOTAL DISCOMFORT to the eyes

This was an incredible book. Khaldun reviews just about every aspect of human civilization. The respected historian Arnold Toynbee sums up it perfectly. Quote; "Undoubtedly the greatest work of its kind that has ever been created by any mind in any time or place . . . the most comprehensive and illuminating analysis of how human affairs work that has been made anywhere." There a few highlights to Khaldun`s analysis. His biggest contribution is his comparison of a nation`s growth to the four seasons. The first generation of leadership has a high moral fibre and frugal management. The next generation has a living memory of the first generation. They maintain most of the first generations virtues. The third generation, however, has no living memory of the first generation. They become luxurious in their living conditions. Earlier civic virtues slowly melt away. The fourth generation is largely corrupted and become witnesses to their own destruction. Khaldun believes this can be compared to any natural process of; birth, growth, plateau, and then decay. He labels this social process Asabiya. Khaldun also has a brilliant assessment of the effects of taxation on society. Lower tax rates encourage business activity and society prospers. A raising of the tax rate does not equal a rise in tax revenues. The higher tax rates discourage business activity and result in lower tax revenues. Lao-Tze the Tao philosopher, also described the same results of high taxation. Yet this timeless advice is forever ignored by governments, with a few small exceptions. There are some aspects of the book, that may bother some readers. Khaldun is deeply religious. He constantly refers to religion throughout the book. Khaldun also holds extremely politically incorrect/racist views, regarding African and Slavic people. This book is highly recommended, warts and all.

God's work

Die Muqaddimah von Ibn Khaldun ist ein Meisterwerk der historischen Schriftstellerei. Dieses epochale Werk bietet nicht nur eine tiefgehende Analyse der Geschichtsschreibung, sondern auch eine beeindruckende Voraussicht auf soziale, wirtschaftliche und politische Entwicklungen. Die gründlichen Einblicke in den Aufstieg und Fall von Zivilisationen machen die Muqaddimah zu einem unverzichtbaren Werk für Geschichtsinteressierte. Ibn Khalduns einzigartiger Ansatz, die 'Asabiyya' oder soziale Kohäsion zu erklären, verleiht dem Werk eine zeitlose Relevanz. Ein absolutes Muss für jeden, der sich für Geschichtsschreibung, Soziologie und die menschliche Entwicklung interessiert.

Most of the people know Ibn Khaldun as a historian but a few would know that he was an outstanding judge in Cairo who liked to wear Maghribi robes instead of lighter robes of Egyptian judges. He was a judicial activist with only a secondary interest in history yet he turned out to be one of the greatest historians in human history. He was a truth lover and truth teller and a firm believer in critical analysis, believing something as part of history only after verifying the truth of facts. This 14th century genius says that "no one can stand up against the authority of truth and the evil of falsehood is to be fought with enlightening speculation. It takes critical insight to sort out the hidden truth, it takes knowledge to lay bare and polish it so that critical insight may be applied to it." Chapter VI of his book 'Muqqadimah-al-Taarikh' is a rare discourse on jurisprudence as a science in general and Islamic jurisprudence in particular. It takes critical insight to sort out the hidden truth, it takes knowledge to lay bare and polish it so that critical insight may be applied to it. Chapter VI of his book 'Muqqadimah-al-Taarikh' is a rare discourse on jurisprudence as a science in general and Islamic jurisprudence in particular.This Princeton University Classics Series is an abridged English translation of an outstanding work by a rare intellectual with a rare insight into the truth but unfortunately for most of the educated people remains but only as a part of history.