“ECONOMICS OF HISTORY” AND HISTORICAL SCENES OF QURAN

Ismail Yurdakok

ismailyurdakok@yahoo.com

Abstract:

Original historical concepts like: “history engineering”, “catechism of history”,

“audit of history”,“misusing of history”, “alzheimer of a nation”, “etiquette of
history”, “economics of history”, “manipulation of history”, “tradition as an
input”, “pollution of knowledge”, “history as a sources of inspiration”,“history
as a mental exercises”, “using of historical sources as productive”, “history as a
rich store”, “actives and passives of social balance-sheet”, “positive and
negative inputs to social balance-sheet”, “conscious of history”,
“romantical nation building”, “history: for learning of great brains and how they
thought and searched”, “gradual adopting (system) of societies”, “harms of
interfering to social processes” and “function of tajdeyd (renewing) in Islamic
tradition and ijtihad”, “non-stop intellectual tradition”, “optimumization of
historical sources”. We see these, in last study of Dr. Sabri Orman. I saw this
study has got original opinions and theories for history, social sciences and
wider academic environments. In the first part of this article, we circulate on
these original concepts, and in the second part, walking on this method, we will
be on historical subjects of Quran. That there are 1,700 verses about history in
Quran, in our count. This article wants to do a contribution to social sciences
(still) “in the crisis”

Introduction

Prof. Sabri Orman (rector of Istanbul Trade University)is on a way of traditional

scholars line that Ahmad Jawdat Pasha- Prof. Sabri Ulgener-Prof. Sabri Orman.
Ahmad Jawdat Pasha (1822-95) was an Ottoman Empire statesman of 19th century. He
worked as Islamic judge and then governor in different provinces of the Empire.
And as Minister of Home Affairs, Minister of Pious Foundations, Minister of
Education and then Minister of Justice. But Ahmad Jawdat Pasha is famous in
Islamic World with his scholarship. As a famous Islamic jurist, he was the chair
of Majallah Commission (of Islamic Law). And he studied in this commission
approximately twenty years. Pasha also was a famous historian. He was appointed as
a member to Anjuman-i Danish (Academy of Science) of Ottoman Empire in 1851. His
duty was to prepare an Ottoman history and to complete the translation of Ibn
Khaldun’s Muqaddimah into Turkish. Although some parts of Muqaddimah had been
translated into Turkish in the 17th century. But Pasha completed and added
valuable notes in his translation. He wrote the history of Ottoman Empire (between
the years of Empire of 1774-1825) in 12 volumes that this study was named with
Pasha’s name as Tarikh-al Jawdat. The most interesting note that, Pasha was
influenced in writing of this study by Ibn Khaldun. And he had looked for the
History of Ottoman Empire, in the investigating of the Empire’s institutions.(1)

Prof. Sabri Ulgener (1911-83) is the supervisor of Dr. Sabri Orman, in Orman’s
doctorate dissertation (1977-81) in Faculty of Economics of Istanbul University.
Prof Ulgener’s interest was the philosophy of Ottoman Economics. Looking for
“characteristics of Ottoman Economics” and asking “Why did not Ottoman Community
become a capitalist society ?” Ulgener went on his studies approximately fifty
years to his death. He, at the beginning, wanted to apply Weberian sociology on
Ottoman Community, but saw Weber’s concepts were Western concepts and he tended to
Ibn Khaldun and Ahmad Jawdat Pasha. Prof. Ulgener was preparing a book on Ibn
Khaldun when he died in 1983. But, more than 55 years ago, Ulgener had given big
places to Ibn Khaldun, in his book (2) that the majority of the academic
environments had not noticed this aspect of Ibn Khaldun, in that date. Ulgener
says “Ibn Khaldun is the Patron Saint of Theorists of Crisis”. Ulgener especially
studies on Ibn Khaldun’s opinions of ‘over production’ and ‘under consumption’.
He had read either original text of Muqaddimah and its Turkish translation (in
Ottoman Alphabet of Ahmad Jawdat Pasha had done). He followed/looked for the
traces of Ib Khaldun in Western Thought. Ulgener also wrote another article in
1941 (3) walking on methods of Ibn Khaldun.

Ahmad Guner Sayar says: Ulgener also used (in his researches) the 12 volumes of
Ottoman History of Ahmad Jawdat Pasha with a great interest and took out opinions
of Pasha about economics as if digging a well with a needle. Pasha had declared
that Ottoman Empire had to give importance to overseas trade and he was also
supporter of liberal trade. Ulgener also wrote an article in 1947, its title was:
“Opinions of Ahmad Jawdat Pasha on State and Economics” (4) He also begins his
macro-economy (text) book “National Income, Employment, and Economic Growth”
quoting Pasha’s sentences about: “rapidly circulaton of money in the society is a
solution for unemployment”. (5) Dr. A.G. Sayar writes at the end of a (400 big-
pages) book about Prof. Ulgener: “Ulgener was a philosopher of history. He
separated economics and sociology in a healthy way and then walked to history.”
Ulgener had seen that Ahmad Jawdat Pasha was a good follower of Ibn Khaldun,
although there were five centuries between them. Ibn Khaldun’s impact on Pasha,
and Ibn Khaldun’s and Pasha’s impacts on Ulgener are clearly seen in their books.
Ulgener investigated especially “the reasons of collapse of Ottoman Economy after
17th century” and asked “why Ottoman Economy could not adopt new techniques of
Industrial Revolution ?”

A New Picturing of the History:

Now, we will summarize the new thesis of Sabri Orman in four pages: Sabri Orman
was the last doctorate student of Prof. Ulgener. Dr. Orman mentiones this in the
preface of his book ‘Gazzali’s Philosophy of Economics’ saying that “priceless
contributions of Prof. Ulgener..” (6) As an economist Sabri Orman has been in
historical sources in last thirty years, for his project. He has been working on a
comprehensive research project entitled “Evolution of Economic Thought in the
Islamic Civilization.” This project is intended to cover in five volumes the
development of economic thought throughout Islamic History up to the decline of
Ottoman State. Sabri Orman says in his study about methodology of history: “
‘Past’ is a category of existing that has got a reality like ‘present (time)’ even
it has got more reality from ‘present’. Because ‘present time’ represents a
reality of (still in the position of) formation, but ‘past time’ is a reality of
completed. That’s why it is possible to interfere to the ‘present’, but impossible
to ‘past’, and ‘realities of past’ are accepted compulsorily.”

Fix a Suitable Position To Contemporary Realities

“Nearly all of the contemporary phenomenons are the continuation of historical

phenomenons, that’s why a position against history is to be against to a (main)
source of contemporary realities. This position is a starting point of a
community’s normative (political, judicial, ethical and administrative) system.
Not to be able to develop (and exhibit) an appropriate and rational attitude (and
mode) to history is one of the problematic examples of our sociological weakness.
Insistenly we have to state that in the source of a lot of problems --that we are
in a violent fight that this fight exhausts our social energy and our sources and
from time to time it seems ‘no solution’- this vital weakness is seen... ‘Audit
of history’ is an analysis and criticism to corollaries of interest to history,
concept of history and reality of history. ‘Etiquette of history’ is, ‘walking’
from this ‘audit’ to reach a point to obtain clues of an appropriate position to
history. ‘Audit of history’ tells to settle accounts mutually and meet face to
face with historical process with using historical knowledges that these
knowledges are analyses and comments that produced by discipline of history.

Change and Repetition

Concept of ‘history’ associates another concept ‘change’. It is said that if

‘change’ is absent in a place, history is also absent in that place. If we
mention, for example, an epistemological meaning of history, we -in advance- have
to accept ‘change’. Because, every historical study contains a story that it is
wanted to tell and if ‘no change’ is existed, this means ‘no story’ to tell. But
what will we say to whom that they say: “History Repeats Itself” It is a reality
that history is a very rich store that everyone takes out a lot of suitable
materials for himself. One of the possible formulations is to approach to these
two phenomenons with the categories of ‘shape’ and ‘core’. We may say: ‘Change’ is
in the ‘shape’, but history repeats itself in ‘core’. Let’s think an ordinary
‘man’ . Absolutely a man is -the same- man in his childhood and his old age that
his name is not changed. But if we put two photographes of this man -a photo
when he was a baby and another with a white beard-, we also absolutely see the
difference of ‘change’.

The (some) communities established a civilization in the history that they had
noticed the reality of historical process is a sensitive composition of ‘change’
and ‘continuality’ and these communities had realized their general movement from
this reality. Its opposite is also true. The (some) communities did not comprehend
this reality they caused heavy cost for theirselves and also for the other
communities (of the world) and they hindered the march of civilizations. Islamic
civilization is one of the most understanding historical subjects that noticed
this reality that “historical process is a sensitive composition of ‘change’ and
continuality’” It is also a reality that Islam came into being as a religious
movement and in the course of the time, it became one of the most remarkable
civilizations of history. In our opinion, the founders and representatives of
Islam had got a mature ‘concious of history’ that suitable to the nature of
historical process. Everyone -who is conversant about Islam- knows that Quran
puts itself as a follower of precedent (Holy) Books, and Muhammad (PBUH) is a
prophet that confirms preceding prophets, Islam is a follower of the preceding
Divine Religions. In short, this is a confirmation of ‘continuality’ with
generous expressions. But Quran also criticizes these religions and their
representives. This is an another aspect of Quran that confirms ‘change’.

Another examples, we find in Islamic law: Islamic Law accepts “Shar’u man
qablana” (laws of old nations) as a source of Islamic law; and “urf” (common law)
also another source.These two are examples of ‘continuality’ in Islamic law. But
it is a reality that Islam brought an original and authentic law with its
(original ) philosophy, methodology, technique, judicial procedure, institutions
and normative body that this new law system shows reality of ‘change’ in law. As
an another example we see in the evolution of Islamic Monetary System. Early
muslims had accepted bimetalism that it was a spontaneous marriage of Sassanian
silver monetary system and Byzantium gold system. Islamic coin was coined after a
long time. That this bimetalism was supposed as if an Islamic rule in long
centuries.
 Why We Are Interested In History ?

(S. Orman goes on:) Main reasons of to be interested in history are:

psychological, pedagogical, epistemological,sociological health, manipulation, and
pragmatical reasons. Studies on history (histories) do not promise economic
incomes but in spite of this, individuals work in this field and societies
allocate funds for this. Why ? To understand ‘present time’ and for planning
‘future time’ is necessary to know ‘the past’ that is ‘history’. Individuals and
societies do not perceive this reality, they can not understand ‘their (present)
age’, and they can not plan their future, properly. On the other hand, personal
memory fastens the individual to his/her ‘past’. ‘Personal memory’ is ‘personal
history’. If we think ‘this memory’ has gone completely or partly; this man is not
a healthy man. Because the lost of memory is an psychiatrical illness and it is
necessary to cure. If this man does not go to the doctor, this illness will cause
a lot of problems for him and for his relatives and his community. Societies (did
not give important their histories) also become problematic and unhealthy
societies and their rehabilitations is very important to find the reasons of their
illness, to solve their problems.

We see, frequently, the misuse of history that this is ‘manipulation of history’.

Sometimes ‘history’ is used for religious, ideological, political and for other
purposes and with good or bad intentions. This is a ‘history engineering’. Using
of history for manipulating purposes causes ‘pollution of knowledge’ and this is
a ‘sabotage’ to discipline of history. To do mistakes in historiography is
possible, but using history for bad intentions is not a work accident but is a
‘kind of murder’. To be interested in history for pragmatical reasons is also
possible. For example to take out direct and substantive lessons, warnings from
history. And for pedagogical reasons: Mind of man sees endless examples of human
experience in the history and this act increases the performance of mind with the
knowledges of this rich experience, and the intelligence matures and gains
flexibility and activity. Even ‘history’ may be studied for only as a vehicle of
mental exercise.

One of the rules of ‘etiquette of history’ is not to approach history for general
categories and to avoid general judgements. ‘Men live in their times if they
notice this or not’ Historical phenomenons have got their bunches. If we muff a
shot this reality we fall anachronism. To fight history and to be interested in
history in the categories of ‘friend’ or ‘enemy’, expresses rawness of that
person. For example: although there were discussions and controversies between
Gazzali and Ibn Rushd, but, we –at the same time- may possess Gazzali and Ibn
Rushd, and we have to show the same interest to their legacies. To be a supporter
of one of them is an unjust behaviour and doing this harms (first of all) this
supporter. History is an ‘endless complex legacy’ and it is necessary a ‘more
refined’ and ‘more sophisticated approach’. It is also possible to be interested
in history of thought. What and how thought a lot of great genius ? Not to take
direct lessons from their performances and manoeuvres when they were struggling,
but only to do this for mental exercises. To read the texts of former thinkers for
obtaining new sources of inspirations.

History As a Multiaspect Input and Economical Approach To History

We want to use ‘historical sources’ as a wider meaning that it will be possible

this ‘history’ to produce a wider spectrum of values. The problem of using of
historical sources is important. We may say this: ‘economical use of historical
sources’. “ ‘Economics of history’ is to look at history as a suitable scarce
input that has got (a power) to produce multiaspect values and to look for, for
obtaining maximum product and output, in short to approach history from the
perspective of rationality and effectiveness.” In this meaning ‘economics of
history’ contains as well as a mode of behaviour inclined to optimum using of
historical sources and theoretical and academical investigate of this mode of
behaviour. A general characteristics of underdeveloped countries is not to be able
to use their sources in a productive way. These countries also can not use their
historical sources. As a paradox these cuntries have got a lot of historical
sources, in general. But this is also a problem of underdevelopment that we see
they can not use the historical sources rationally, also. (We may think)
Continuation of underdevelopment phenomenon may be from the ‘not to be able to
aproach to historical sources in a suitable and rational way’. Because historical
sources are a kind of wealth and a sort of valuable input and neglect of these
inputs may cause a comparative lost of advantage of these countries.

Another problem is: like the other inputs, historical inputs are raw. It is
necessary to operate these inputs in a suitable way for using. And for a good
production, we need experts. Need to social scientists that they have got good
qualities, is necessary. History as a Social Input: A lot of elements that take
places in actives and passives of social balance-sheet have got historical
characteristics. That’s why to notice this reality of history and to behave in
this direction is important for all of the members of the society but especially
for whom that they show directions to the nations, and they are in the position of
guidance (as statesmen or intellectuals.) To emphasize this reality again and
again is not an exaggeration. The societies are dragged to unnecessary adventures
and the nations waste their energy, source and times, in vain. Attempts to perform
‘nation building’ and ‘social engineering’ in underdeveloped countries are the
examples of this. These attemps do no give much gainings to their romantic
entrepreneurs ! and to their nations. And these attempts are dramatical and even
tragical realities of modern history and history of modernizations..

(Economics of) Tradition: Tradition is one of the most important social

categories. Inputs of socio-cultural history are spread out a vast land. But we
have to compare these inputs to ‘tradition’. Tradition is a rich and valuable
social input that history carries it to social balance-sheet. Tradition is one of
the most important founders of social concensus, and social concensus is one of
the most important founders of social life. With the helps of ‘Social concensus’
and ‘tradition’; ‘social behaviours’ are defined in an easy way, and ‘social
roles’ are played very well without any trouble with this way. And then
productivity increases even reaches maximum degree in social milieu, and sources
of disputes decreases, social costs fall even to the lowest level.

Two “ T ”s Traffic and Tradition:

Stopping of the ‘traffic’ system in a city becomes this city as a paralyzed

position. Also stopping of ‘tradition’ gives great harms to social system. And
costs of these harms are very heavy for nations.” Dr. Sabri Orman gives examples
(mistakes) from periods of the late Ottoman and Republic of Turkey periods and
mentiones ‘formulations of modernizations.’ ‘Lack of social-psychology aspect’s
of modernization of muslim countries and ‘lack of social philosophy’ ‘lack of
marketing’ in these projects to their ‘natural customer’s (peoples) and ‘not to
observe ‘psychology of (these) customer’s’ are explained in details. Sabri Orman
defends ‘a non-stop intellectual tradition’ for ‘dynamic, creative and producer
intellectual life.’ And he, in this point, presents the ‘concept of tajdeyd
(renewing)’ as a ‘tajdeyd institution’ for ‘interfere and tasheyh (rectification
and correcting).’ Tajdeyd is (an element of Islamic) ‘tradition’ itself.
‘Function of tajdeyd’ in Islamic tradition gives ‘legitimacy’ for ‘interfere.’
Apart from, ‘tajdeyd’ is encouraged and even (is accepted) ‘social
responsibility’ and is a social obligatory in the status of ‘farz-al kifayah’
(Farz-al kifaye means: a ‘compulsary duty’ that at least some of the muslims must
do this, in muslim community.) When we think this ‘tajdeyd institution’ with the
‘institution of ijtihad’ in Islamic law, these two can open vast opportunities as
‘tasheyh, (rectification) and to freshen up’ for ‘tradition’.”

In more than 100 pages his new thesis (7) Sabri Orman also mentiones the
transformation of historical sources to economic values as tourism, film industry
and antique material trading. But he points that: “Amerikan history has only got
few centuries but endless films, stories, novels are produced from this history.
And history of Ottoman Empire a longer history and richer historical events but
we do not see its existing in world film industry or in world literature.This
situation also shows the difference of two societies in ‘conscious of history’ and
‘skill of using of the sources’ in transformation of existing potentials to
(economic) values. S. Orman completes his study saying: “historical legacy can be
used for new values. There is a different input-output realation in this approach
to historical phenomenon. There is (completely) ‘historical legacy’ in input side
and, social values in output side. Historical legacy is very rich and most
valuable kind of source. To be ‘nonchalance to history’, ‘not to be able to use it
with a good way’ even ‘to misuse it’, is a waste of source.Using of history in a
rational way, like using of the other sources in economics is important.
‘Economics of history’ is the effort of optimumization in historical sources and
historical inputs and means ‘academic version of this endeavour’. A zeal for
obtaining maximum output from ‘historical inputs’”

Historical Subjects in Quran

Jesus Christ (as Prophet Isa) takes place in different 25 verses in Quran. Virgin
Mary (Maryam as mother’s of Isa) in 32 verses, Zachariah in 6 verses, Patriarch
Abraham in 63, Moses in 133, Patriarch Noah in 42 verses. Some chapters have got
some prophets’s name: the Chapter of Yunus (Jonah), Chapter of Yusuf (Joseph),
Chapter of Abraham, Chapter Of Noah. And we also see Chapter of Maryam (Mary),
Chapter of al- Anbiya (Prophets), Chapter of Luqman. Luqman a sage whose memory
the Arabs reverenced, one regarded as the father of medicine, and some Islamic
scholars said he was also a prophet to his community. One chapter is named
Chapter of Saba (The Sheba (in New Testament) that was destroyed by the Flood af
Arim about 10 C.E)

Turkish historian Ihsan Sureyya Sirma says “World history is the history of
prophets.” (8) Indeed, a lot of historical subjects of Western World are seen in
Quran. For Example Aaron (in Quran, Harun) the brother of the prophet Moses, we
see in different 20 verses in Quran. Adam (also he is mentioned in Quran with the
same name; the first man and the first prophet) in different 25 verses in Quran.
Even ‘Adam’s apple’ that Oxford Dictionary mentiones: “‘Adam’s apple, part that
projects in the front of the throat, esp in men and moves up and down when one
speaks”. Although we do not see Adam’s apple in Quran but a lot of muslims know
the story of this apple like western peoples. I followed the Oxford Dictionary,
from the beginning to end, that this Dictionary as a book reflects general western
cultures and linguistics and reflects the mental form of western peoples, and I
saw a lot of historical concepts are common between the West and Islamic world. To
see these concepts shows that all of the Holy Books are from the same Divine
source that Quran frequently emphasizes this reality. Now we give first the word
in Oxford Dictionary (9) Oxford and explanation of Oxford and then show the same
concept’s place in Quran in (... ) parenthesis:
“The Annunciation, the announcement by the angel Gabriel to Mary that she was to
be the mother of Jesus Christ” (Quran: Chapter of Maryam (Mary) (19), verse, 19)
“Virgin Birth, doctrine of birth of Jesus Christ without a father from Virgin
Mary with the power of Holy Ghost” ” (although the Holy Ghost is not the Third
Person of the Trinity in Quran (that Quran does not accept Trinity) Virgin Birth
is also the same in Quran)
“the Twelve Apostles (the Twelve Disciples) the twelve personal followers of Jesus
Christ, chosen by Jesus to spread his teaching” (these Apostles were seen in 4
verses in Quran in the Chapters of Al-i Imran(3), v, 52; al-Maedah(5), 111-12, al-
Saff(61), 14)
“ark (in the Bible) (1) covered ship in which Noah and his family were saved from
the Flood” (The Old Testament, Genesis, chapter 59); ( as ‘fulk’ or ‘safiynah’
(ship of Noah) in different 8 verses of Quran)
“ark (2) Ark of Covenant, (Ark of Testimony) wooden chest in which writings of
Jewish law were kept” ( as ‘Tabut’, Chapter of al-Baqara(2), verse, 248)
“the Ten Commandments, the ten laws given by God to Moses”, “the Decalogue, the
Ten Commandments of Moses” (Chapter of An’am(6),verses, 151-52 in Quran, that
these have been given to all prophets from Adam to the Prophet Muhammad Pbuh)
“the Deluge, the flood at the time of Noah” “Cataclysm, ..esp. flood of Noah” (as
‘Tufan’, Chapter of Ankabut(29), v,14)
“be descended from, have as ancestors: According to the Bible, we are all
descended from Adam” (in Quran, Chapter of Nisa’(4),v, 1)
“the Dispersion, the Jews dispersed among the Gentiles”, “the Diaspora, the
dispersion of the Jews among the Gentiles after their period of exile” (The verses
of 5 and 6 of Chapter of Isra(17) point this exile and commentators of Quran give
details).
“the Exodus, the exodus of the Israelites from Egypt, in about 1300 BC” (the
Exodus is stated in Quran, in the Chapter of Ta-Ha(20), v, 77-80)
“manna (in the Bible) food provided by God for the Israelites during their forty
years in the desert; in the Exodus of Old Testament, 16” (as (also) manna and
quail, in different three chapters of Quran: “O Children of Israel ! We rescued
you from your enemy, and We made a covenant with you on the right side of Mount
Sinai, and We sent down to you manna and quails” (Ta-Ha(20),v, 80) The right
side: cf. 19:52. The Arabian side of Sinai was the place where Moses first
received his revelation before going to Egypt, and also where he received the Law
after the Exodus)
“Eden (Bible) garden where Adam and Eve lived” (Jannat-u Adn in different 11
chapters of Quran)
“Eve (in the Bible story of Creation) the first woman” (Three verses al-
Baqara(2),v, 35; Al-i Imran(3),v, 19, Ta-Ha(20),v, 117 point Eve and in the
sentences of the Prophet Muhammad her name is Havva)
“the Exodus of Israelites from Egypt, in about 1300 BC” (Chapter of Shuara(26), v,
63-65)
“fig-leaf,(with reference to the story of Adam and Eve” (Chapter of A’raf(7:22)
“the Fall (of man), Adam’s sin and its results, (old use) sin; give way to
wrongdoing: Eve tempted Adam and he fell” (Chapter of Ta-Ha(20), v, 120-21.
Although Quran does not mention Eve’s position in the fall of Adam, but in Islamic
tradition, we see similar explanations. And In Islamic vision ‘man’ is not
inherently evil. Islam rejects decisively any doctrine of ‘original sin’.)
“arch-enemy,satan” (also in Quran and West tradition, struggle against satan began
before the man came to this world)
“Abel and Cain: two sons of Adam” (Although Quran does not give their names but
the first murder in the earth is told in the Chapter of Maedah(5), v, 27-31)
“Adventist, person who believes that Christ’s second coming and the end of the
world are near” and “Second Advent” (in Oxford) (Quran does not tell anything
about Second Advent but we find the sentences of the Prophet Muhammad inform this
in the parts of ‘fetan’ and ‘ashratu al saat’ in all of hadith books.)
“the Ascension,the departure of Jesus from the earth, on the fortieth day after
the Resurrection” (In Quran, in the Chapter of Nisa’ (4),v, 158: ‘But Allah raised
him up to Himself...’ In Islamic Tradition: God protected His prophet Jesus from
the Jews so that they could not slay him, and then raised him to Himself. There
are different interpretations about how and when he was raised to Heaven.
According to the majority opinion, Allah lifted him up to Heaven, and placed him
in a special place there. Before the day of Resurrection he will return to the
world, and ...) (11 see Uzunoğlu meal, p. 102)
“Benjamin, the youngest son of Jacob” (Also in Quran, Chapter of Yusuf (Joseph)
(12), v, 64..)
“Golden Calf” ( in different eight verses, we see ‘golden calf’ of the people of
Moses. One of this verse (al-Baqara, v, 51) : ‘ And the people of Moses, after (he
had left them), chose a calf (for worship), (made) out of their ornaments, of
saffron hue, which gave a lowing sound. Saw they not that it speak not to them nor
guided them to any way ? They chose it, and became wrong-doers.’ In the Quranic
interpretations we see these details: When the absence of Moses was extended for
another 10 days on Mount Sinai (see al-A’raf(7), v, 142) a man named Samiri from
the Children of Israel had melted all the people’s gold ornaments, and made the
image of calf like the bull of Osiris located in the city of Memphis in Egypt.
Samiri told the people: “This the God of Moses and of you.” So great a craftsman
was he that when the wind blew through the golden calf it bellowed like a live
bull. Quran indicates Samiri’s acts in the chapter of Ta-Ha(20), v, 85-96 )
“Tables of the law, ten commandments given to Moses by God (covenant)” (A’raf(7),
145-150-54)
“Torah” (as Tawrat in 15 different verses of Quran)
“Three Years of Jesus” (also in Islamic books (e.g al Milal va-l Nihal, v, 1)
Islamic scholars say Jesus Christ stayed among the Children of Israel three years
and three months)
“Isaac, prophet, the son of Abraham and Sarah, father of Jacob” ( as Eshaq, in
different 16 verses of Quran)
“Ishmael, he is a prophet like his father Abraham..” (As Esmail, in different
12 verses, in Quran)
“Jacob, prophet, the son of Isaac and Rebecca” (as Ya’qub, in different 16
verses of Quran)
“John, prophet, St. John the Baptist, son of Zachariah and Elizabeth, he was
killed by the decree of Herod Antipas” ( as Yahya, in 5 verses in Quran)
“Job, prophet, from Job in the Book of Job in the Old Testament, person of great
patience” (as Ayyub, in 4 verses of Quran)
“Gomorrah and Sodom, cities in the old Palestine, sinful cities destroyed by God”
(the Prophet Lot (Lut) is seen in Quran in different 26 verses. He was sent as a
prophet to the people of Sodom and Gomorrah, (Cities of the Plain) in the plain
east of the Dead Sea. According Quran the people of this city (in some
interpretations (see Khazin for example) five cities in this region) committed an
offense which no other nation had indulged in, homosexsuality. The people of
Sodom and Gomorrah did not pay heed to the counsel of Lot. God punished them with
a rain of brimstone, and a devastating earthquake, so that none of the inverts
survived.)
“Goliath, a commander that was killed by David, in the Old Testament, 1 Samuel,
17” ( as Jalut in Quran, al-Baqara(2), v, 249-50-51)
“Gabriel, one of the seven Archangels in the Book of Enoch” (Gabriel also is one
of greatest angels as Jebreyl in three verses of Quran)
“Azrael, name of the angel of death” (the same in Islamic tradition)
“Seraph, (biblical) one of the highest order of angels” (Esrapheyl in Islamic
tradition, the angel is charged with ‘the last trump’)
“Michael, one of the most important angels” (as Mekael in Quran, al-Baqara, v, 98)
“the Last Trump; the Trump of Doom, the trumped call which will, some people
believe, be sounded on the last Day, the day when everyone will be judged by God.”
(in Quran as ‘Sur’ we see in different ten verses of ten chapters)
“Seven Sleepers, seven youngs escaped from the cruelty of King Decian, they
sleeped 187 years in a cave” (there is a special chapter in Quran about these
seven, Chapter of Kahf (Cave), they are mentioned as Ashab al-Kahf (Companions of
the Cave), but Quran says they stayed in the cave 309 years: (al-Kahf(18), 25)
“Queen of Heaven, Virgin Mary” (the term of Queen for Virgin Mary is suitable for
the explanation of the sentence of the Prophet Muhammad that he said: “the Heaven
of the women are four: Mary,...”
“peace-offering, gift presented to Solomon by Bilqis, Queen of Sheba, for peace
between two states” (in Quran, in the Chapter of Naml(27), v, 36, “So when (the
envoy) came to Solomon he said: “What ! Would you help me with wealth? But that
which Allah has given me is better than which you have given me. Nay, it is you
who exult in your gift”)
“Baal, idol, icon of the people of the prophet Elijah” (Elijah is Elyas in
Quran,his struggle for Unity of God is seen in the Chapter of al-Saffat(37), v,
123-130)
“day of reckoning,” “last day” “doomsday”, “day of the last judgement” (as yawm
al-Qeyamah, in different 70 verses of Quran; and as ‘yawm al-hashr’,
‘saat’(destined ) Hour, ‘yawm al-akhir’)

From ‘Primordial Covenant’ to History of the Future

The big name of historians of 20th century Fernand Braudel (some say for him ‘Pope
of History’) used to say: “ ‘yesterday’, ‘today’ and ‘tomorrow’ are not
understood, if they are not dealt with all together” and “for understanding
‘today’ we should mobilize all of the history.”(10) We very clearly see
‘yesterday, today and tomorrow’ work together in Quran. These three are seen
together, even in the majority of the pages of Quran. History of Quran begins with
the creation of the heavens and earth: “He (God) is Who created the heavens and
the earth in six days..(in consecutive six periods) ”(al-Hadid(57:4) And then
creation of Adam’s soul: “And (remember) when your God brought forth from their
reins, their seed, and made them testify of themselves, (saying): “Am I not your
God?” They said: “Yes, assuredly. We testify!” That was lest you should say at
the Day of Resurrection: “Of this we were unaware” (al A’raf, 7:172) In this
verse is revealed the doctrine of the primordial covenant, by which every soul,
before its birth, was made to declare its recognition of the Divine Existence and
Unity. In Islamic tradition this event is named “Majlis A-last” (Convention of “Am
I not”) or “Bazm A-last” (in Persian)

And vivid scenes from the history of the future:

“And the Trumped wil be sounded, all those who are in the skies, and the earth
will swoon, except those whom Allah may allow (to live). Then the Trumpet will be
blown a second time, and they will all stand up, looking. And the earth will shine
with the light of her God, and the book will be placed open, and the Prophets and
the witnesses will be brought, and the people will be judged with full equity, and
none will be wronged” (al-Zumar(39), 68-9)

Frequently, we see, in the same pages the ‘Genesis’ and the ‘Hereafter.’ To look
at the daily life from the viewpoint of Quranic history’s three dimensions give
new horizons to the reader. Although Quran mentiones the histories of prophets but
prophets are not divine creatures, are not holy. They are not supermen. Quran
frequently emphasizes this reality: “(O Prophet), say (to them) “I am only a man
like you...” (al Fussilat(41), v, 6); “They (disbelievers) said: “Do we follow a
‘man’ who stands alone among us?...” (al Qamar(54), v, 24)

Objectivity of Quranic History

Sometimes Quran criticizes the Children of Israel: “ And We (God) brought the
Children of Israel across the sea, and they came to a people who were worshipping
to idols. They said: “O Moses! Make for us a god even as they have gods.!” He
said : “Surely you are an ignorant people.” (al-A’raf, 7:138) But Quran also
notes the goodness and success of them: “...And the fair word of the God was
fulfilled for the Children of Israel because of their endurance;...”(the same
chapter, v,137) Goodmen and badmen of them in the same verse: “And Moses chose
of his people seventy men for Our appointed tryst and, when the trembling came on
them, he said: “My God! If You had willed You had destroyed them long before, and
me with them. Will you destroy us for that which the ignorant among us did?..” (v,
155); “And of the people of Moses, there is a community who lead with truth and
establish justice therewith.” (v, 159) (The “community” mentioned in the above
verse Jews who during the time of Moses, remained faithful to the God, and
continued to guide others along the straight path); and another Jews: “But those
of them who did wrong changed the word which had been told them for another
saying...” (v, 162); “...Some of them are righteous and some far from that...”
(v, 168) Objectivity of Quran is seen even in every verse. Quran does not permit
a ‘manipulation of history’, goodmen and others are said plainly: Quran criticizes
some behaviours of Christians, Jews, polytheists, hypocrites but also criticizes
Muslims in a lot of verses: “ (O Muslims!) Should you not have said, when you
heard of it, “It is not right of us to talk about this...” (al Nur, 24:16);
trustworthy non-muslims and others: “ Among the People of the Scripture there is
he who, if you trust him with a weight of treasure, will return it to you. And
among them there is he who, if you entrust him with a single gold coin, will not
return it to you, unless you keep standing over him...” (Al-i Imran, 3:75)

Vivid scenes from the ancient history:

In teaching method (of history) of Quran, we frequently see lively pictures: For
example: in the first moments of the Deluge of Noah: “Then it was said: “O earth,
swallow up your waters; O sky, withold (your rain)!”..” (Hud (11), v, 44); “They
said (for Abraham): “Burn him (immediately) and help your gods, if you are doing
anything”. (then they threw Abraham into the fire with his hands and arms bound.)
“We (God) said: “O fire! Be coolness and peace for Abraham!” (al Anbiya(21), v,68-
9); “Or were you present when death came to Jacob? He said to his sons, “what
will you worship after me?” They answered...” (al Baqara(2), v, 133)

Economies of Ancient Nations in Quran:

Quran condems ‘taking of interest and usury of Jews’ (Nisa’ (4),v, 161); and
reminds that God had made a covenant with the Children of Israel ‘..to lend to
Allah (to believers) a goodly (non-interest,interest free) loan...’ (al-Maida
(5), v, 12); and also reminds the story of big boss, probably the richest man of
ancient Egypt, Korah (Qarun) (al Qasas(28), v, 76-82)

Crisis in the Social Sciences and Quran

About the importance and using of history, we will see opinions of Wallerstein,
and then return Quranic history

Immanuel Wallerstein, chair of the international Gulbenkian Commission on the

Restructuring of the Social Sciences (1994-95) He writes in three domains of
world-systems analysis: the historical development of the modern world system; the
contemporary crisis of the capitalist world-economy; the structures of knowledge.
(His) Books in each of these domains include respectively The Modern World-System
(3 vols.); Utopistic, Historical Choices for the Twenty-first Century; and
Unthinking Social Science: The Limits of Nineteenth-Century Paradigms.
...
In the last sentences of his biography, Wallerstein says: “...(Fernand) Braudel
made me conscious, as no one else did, of the central importance of the social
construction of time and space, and its impact on our analysis...I have argued
that world-systems (historical social system) analysis is not a theory but a
protest against neglected issues and deceptive epistemologies. It is a call for
intellectual change, indeed for ‘unthinking’ the premises of nineteenth-century
social science, as I say in the title of my books”. ( 12)
(As a characteristics of Wallerstein, he is a far-seeing man. His famous speech in
the University of Vermont in 1995 about (Hispanic) immigrants, became true, after
eleven years in May 2006, that Hispanics caused problems in some cities of US.
Wallerstein had pointed the problems of this people that they had (have) got no
citizenship or right of vote, but only work in labor power of United States) (13 )

We see Divine and Non-Divine Civilizations in Quran. Civilization of Egypt

(Pharaos), Civilization of the Children of Israel (prophets David and Solomon and
others); Civilization of Upper Mesopotamia (prophets Abraham, Jonah); Civilization
of Arabian peninsula (passages from Middle and South of peninsula); Civilization
of Mediterranean (prophets Elijah and three the other prophets to Antioch (Chapter
of Ya-Sin). General rules are seen that destroy states, empires: ‘neglect of
prayers’ and ‘follow their worldly desires’: “But after them there came a
generation which neglected prayer and followed passions...”(Maryam(19), v, 59) And
sometimes there are different reasons destroy different societies: trickery in
business: “And to Midian (We sent) their brother Shu’ayb (Jethro). He said: “O my
people! Worship Allah. You have no other God save Him. Indeed, a clear sign has
come to you from your God; so give full measure and full weight, and wrong not
mankind in their goods and work not corruption in the earth...” (al- A’raf(7), v,
85) Midian were descendants of a son of prophet Abraham. They are sometimes
believed to have dwelt in a city located on the shore of the Red Sea between
Palestine and the Hijaz. Other historians locate them in South Yemen.
The second destroying resaon is (to live in) luxury (but to forget God’s help and
power):
“Ashab al Hijr (The People of the Rocky Tract, Mount Hijr, some 150 miles from
Madina) also denied the prophets...And they used to hew out dwellings from the
hills, feeling secure”. (al Hijr(15), v, 80-1);
Another reason is to be arrogant: “To Pharaoh and his notables, but they were
arrogant, and they were haughty people” (al- Mu’minun(23), v, 46). ‘Homosexuality’
(al Naml (27), v, 58) and ‘idolize of the leaders and religious men’ (al Tawba
(9), v, 31) and ‘to believe in the wealth earned is not from God but he himself
earned’ (al Qasas(28), v, 78) are the destroying reasons of communities and
individuals.

History And Social Sciences

In his magnum opus History of Economic Analysis (1954) Schumpeter says: “There
are three ways to approach economics: history, theory of economics, and
statistics; but if I were a new beginner I would become a historian.” (14) P. M.
Sweezy also points this aspect of Schumpeter and notes: “After publishing of ‘
Capitalism, Socialism and Democracy’(1942); World of Anglo-American Social Science
inclined to understand ‘social scientist’ Schumpeter” (15) Historiography of 19th
and 20th centuries was influenced from the Newtonian understanding of knowledge.
(Wallerstein pointed this, above) Historians had studied to apply this method (of
physics) on history. But when physicists began to use in another language (and
they left Newtonian physics) it became a very difficult problem for historians and
other social scientists. Social scientists saw that their way was a blind alley.
On the other hand, contrasts like fact/value or idiographical/nomothetical, will
be investigated, from the beginning points (again), by historians and other social
scientists (like economists, sociologists, scholars of political science). Ahmet
Tabakoglu’s statement may be remembered here: “There is no difference between
history and social sciences, on the contrary there is an integration. It is
impossible a social science, economics, sociology, law without history. Social
sciences and history are like two faces of a medallion.”

In the definition of Ibn Khaldun: history has got a comprehensive and broad
characteristics that a lot of different and independent disciplines of today enter
to this definition: “You have to know that the duty of history is to mentione the
places of the world that the humanbeing can live, to live in communities and to
improve (umran), to give knowledge about the works, earnings and gains of man and
sciences, skills, crafts and in general (to tell) the industry and depending on
this, civil works and to narrate the news about these.” After quotation of Ibn
Khaldun’s sentence, Dr. Ibrahim Erol Kozak says: “Today also there are some
scholars that they say: ‘history has to be understood that ‘all of the social
sciences are interested in history’’. Wright Mills notes that the most suitable
term in place of ‘social science’ and ‘social researches’ is ‘history’ . The
products of historians are indispensable things for all of the social sciences.
The opinions of a serious sociological study should depend on a historical
viewpoint and have to get fully benefits from the historical materials. The
problems of today (are not understood, even) are not express unless to comprehend
that history is the backbone of sociological searches and (unless) to progress a
human psychology that this psychology has got a coherent angle of history. (16)

Sociology And History

Fernand Braudel had wanted to mix history and sociology and to build (and
transform) a single way (of) ‘venture of thought.’ Braudel had said: (history and
sociology) are not inside and out of a cloth but these two are material of cloth
and (all) essence of the thread. (17) D. Mehmet Dogan also points that “history:
is a guidance that with its guidance we comprehend the institutions and formations
that they are all of essences of the social interactions of history. History is a
sociology of last years. That’s why who are busy with today’s institutions they
find the foundations of these, in the history.(18) One of greatest Ottoman
Historians of 20th century Yilmaz Oztuna says “the mystery of reborn of (state of)
Israel after two thousand years is, not to weaken the conscious of history in Jews
community, in spite of a long centuries” (19) This shows the influence of history
on the sociology of a people.

Old (and New) Social Scientism

Immanuel Wallerstein had said in early 1990s that: “Old Social Scientism came to
‘End’.” Social Scientists, in last 15 years, have been struggling to put new
products (even new drafts) in social sciences. Wallerstein had said that “this
process would last a fifty years.”

Conclusion And Hope

There are 1,700 verses in Quran about history, in my count. And about economics
(also in my count) approximately 580 verses. Traditional Islamic jurists used to
say there are between 300-600 verses about law in Quran. Also we see verses about
sociology, psychology, political science. To look at the world from the viewpoint
of Quran (appearance of world from Quranic perspective) will open new horizons
for ‘Open the Social Sciences.’ Quran can be “the point of ‘take off’” for New
Social Scientism. (Muslim and Non-muslim) Social scientists have to (re) read
Quran without prejudice.. ‘Without prejudice’ is important, because we see these
sentences in (Grolier Encyclopedia) one of the main sources of Western World: “A
Certain historical consciousness is found in all civilizations. But in very few
civilizations has historical thought advanced beyond an elementary stage, and only
in Western civilization has it assumed a fundamental role in politics and general
culture” (20) Without forgetting the warning of Wallerstein (for ‘Open Social
Sciences’): “to think on ‘neglected civilizations/cultures/domains”; and ‘To
think and search on 14 centuries of Islamic tradition and Quran’; that kind of
study may be a second aid of Islamic World to Western World (after a thousand
years, like aids of civilizations of (Islamic) Spain and (Islamic) Sicily, for a
new renaissance of (all of) humanity.

(1) Sayar, Ahmet Güner(1998). Sabri Ülgener. Eren Yayincilik, Istanbul: Eren
Yayıncılık (Eren Publications), pp. 347

(2) Ülgener, Sabri(1984). (Tarihte) Darlik Buhranlari (first edition: Istanbul

1951), the second edition, Ankara: Mayas Yayınları

(3) Ülgener, Sabri(1940-41). İktisadi Hayatta Zihniyetin Rolu ve Tesirleri,

Iktisad Fakultesi Mecmuasi(Journal of Faculty of Economics), v, 2, No, 3-4

(4) Ülgener, Sabri(1947). Ahmet Cevdet Paşa’nın Devlete ve İktisada Dair

Düşünceleri, İş Mecmuasi, 76, pp.5-23

(5) Ülgener, Sabri(1980). Milli Gelir İstihdam ve İktisadi Büyüme (National

Income Employment and Economic Growth), Istanbul: Der Yayınevi, p.3

(6) Orman, Sabri(2002). Gazali’nin İktisat Felsefesi (Economic Philosophy of

Ghazzali). Insan Yayinlari, 2th edition, Istanbul: İnsan Yayınları, p.10

(7) Orman, Sabri(2001). İktisat Tarih ve Toplum(Economics History and Society)

Kure Yayinlari, Istanbul , (in the first part of this study:),pp. 13-114

(8) Sirma, Ihsan Sureyya(1987). Tarih Şuuru. Istanbul: Seha Neşriyat. p.V

(9) Hornby, A.S. (1982) Oxford Advanced Dictionary. Oxford University Press,
London

(10)Braudel, Fernand(1991). Maddi Medeniyet Ve Kapitalizm, (Afterthoughts on

Material Civilization and Capitalism, The John Hopkins University Press,Baltimore,
1977, trs into Turkish Özel, Mustafa), Istanbul, p.9

(11)Wallerstein, Immanuel(2000). The Essential Wallerstein. New York: New Press

(12) Özel, Mustafa (1995). Ticaret Savaşları (Trade Wars).Wallerstein, I., America
and the World After Liberalism, The New Press, New York, 1995 (Turkish Edition
Ozel, M., (in Ticaret Savaslari, p, 50, 1997 and) Istanbul

(13) Ozel, Mustafa(1994). (editor), İktisad Risaleleri (The Papers of Economics),

Istanbul: İz Yayıncılık, p.31 (from Braudel’s book (1984), London: Fontana Press)

(14) Sayar, ibid, p.100

(15) Ozel, Mustafa (1997). Medeniyet ve Modernlik (Civilization and Modernism),

Istanbul: Kitabevi Yayıncılık, p.87

(16) Kozak, İbrahim Erol(1999). İnsan Toplum İktisat (Man Society Economics).
Adapazarı: Değişim Yayınları, 2th edition. p.25, (endnote, p.50)

(17) Braudel, p.10

(18)Doğan, D. Mehmet(1989). Tarih ve Toplum (History and Society). Ankara: Rehber
Yayıncılık, p.16
(19)Oztuna, Yılmaz(1969). Büyük Türkiye Tarihi (Grand Turkish History). Istanbul:
Ötüken Yayıncılık. (vols.1-14), v, 1, p, 15

(20) Grolier Universal Encyclopedia(1966). New York: Stratford Press, Inc.