The work Shifa al-Sharif by Qadi Iyad and his historiography

This thesis aims to examine the life and scholarly profile of Qadi Iyad, one of the prominent scholars of the Andalusian–Maghribi intellectual milieu, with particular emphasis on his historiographical approach as reflected in his work al-Shifa. The study consists of two main chapters, in addition to an introduction and a conclusion. The first chapter investigates the role of the Andalusian–Maghribi geographical and intellectual context in the formation of Qadi Iyad's scholarly identity. In this framework, his educational background, especially his years in Ceuta and al-Andalus, is examined in detail. Taking into account the social, political, and intellectual conditions of his time, the chapter offers a comprehensive analysis of his biography, addressing his scholarly training, family background, judicial career, and literary activity within their historical context. In addition, Qadi Iyad's extant and non-extant works are classified and introduced. The second chapter, which constitutes the core of the thesis, is devoted to al-Shifa and, through this work, to Qadi Iyad's understanding of historiography. In this context, the circumstances surrounding the composition of the work, its place within the scholarly literature, and the commentarial, abridgment, translation, and critical edition activities related to it are examined. Furthermore, the criticisms directed at al-Shifa and the nature of these critiques are evaluated. The sources and thematic content of the work are also analyzed in detail. One of the main focuses of the thesis is Qadi Iyad's approach to history. Accordingly, attention is given to his practice of presenting reports in a concise manner, his preference among transmitted narratives, his interpretive stance in addressing historical issues, and his effective use of language. Moreover, his critical method is examined with respect to the reliability of reports and the manner in which historical data are presented.