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The Historical Sociology Of Muslim Societies Khaldunian Applications, Syed Farid Alatas

farid alatas

This article argues that the theoretical perspective on the rise and decline of states developed by 'Abd al-Rahman Ibn Khaldiin (723-808 AH/1332-1406 AD) should not be confined to historical interest but is of relevance for the study of various aspects of the history of Muslim societies. The reasons for the relative neglect or mar- ginalization of Ibn Khaldun as a source of theory to be applied to definite historical empirical situations is partly due to the predominance of Eurocentrism in the social sciences. The manner in which Eurocentrism has defined Khaldunian studies is dis- cussed, but the main focus of …