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Numerical Exaggeration in the Aspects of Civilization during the Early Abbasid Era (132–232 AH / 749–847 CE): A Historical and Analytical Study | ||
| Kirkuk University Journal: Humanity Studies | ||
| Volume 21, Issue 2, June 2026, Pages 544-563 PDF (1.44 M) | ||
| Document Type: Research Paper | ||
| DOI: 10.32894/1992-1179.2026.168592.1339 | ||
| Author | ||
| Lanja Talat Ubaid* | ||
| Salahaddin University – College of Arts | ||
| Abstract | ||
| This study examines the phenomenon of numerical exaggeration in Islamic historical sources related to the manifestations of civilization during the early Abbasid era (132–232 AH / 749–847 CE). It treats this phenomenon as a methodological feature of historical writing rather than as incidental statistical errors. The study aims to analyze the nature of numerical exaggeration, identify its methodological, rhetorical, and political motivations, and evaluate the extent to which the reported figures correspond to historical reality and the actual capacities of the Abbasid state. The research adopts a descriptive, analytical, and critical approach. It is based on a comparative analysis of major Abbasid sources, such as al-Ṭabarī, al-Balādhurī, al-Masʿūdī, Ibn al-Nadīm, al-Yaʿqūbī, and al-Dhahabī, alongside modern demographic, economic, and urban studies. The study also draws on Ibn Khaldūn’s methodological critique in assessing the reliability of numerical data in historical texts. The findings indicate that numerical exaggeration served primarily rhetorical and propagandistic purposes, aimed at magnifying the image of the Abbasid state and emphasizing its civilizational achievements, rather than providing accurate statistical descriptions. The study concludes that a critical reading of historical numbers within their social, political, and economic contexts is essential for understanding Abbasid civilization and for distinguishing symbolic representation from historical reality. | ||
| Keywords | ||
| Numerical exaggeration; Abbasid civilization; Baghdad; Islamic historical sources; historical criticism | ||
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