Mun'im Sirry's Position in Early Islamic Studies: Between Traditionalists and Revisionists

Abstract

Early Islamic research was often divided. Traditionalists use Muslim writings to build early Islamic tales. Revisionists reject conventional sources, noting limitations, and employ archeological data. Some believe traditionalists are Muslims, and revisionists are unbelievers. This study examines Mun'im Sirry's stance on early Islamic studies. This qualitative research employs literature study to gather, classify, and evaluate data from Sirry's publications, journals, periodicals, and online and offline media. This research helps explain Sirry's approach to researching early Islam and his role in the traditionalistrevisionist debate. This research demonstrates that Mun'im Sirry only partly validates or negates descriptive traditionalist and radical skeptical revisionist methods in researching early Islamic history. Here, he is in the center. Sirry says both methods have pros and cons. For this reason, Sirry puts out the "source/tradition criticism" approach as a medium path that is not extreme and may reconcile the two approaches. The source/tradition critical method utilized by Sirry illustrates his perspective as a moderate revisionist. Sirry acknowledges Muslim texts as references in recreating early Islamic history but can be skeptical. Sirry does not accept Muslim sources uncritically, but neither rejects them. This divides Sirry from extreme revisionists who reject traditional sources completely.