History Lesson 1 : Discovering the Past

Assalaamu'alaikum wa rahmatullah

Introduction

Some people might found that history is a boring stuff and it is a good tool to make those who experience insomnia to sleep earlier. Some people love history and some even incorporate it as apart of their so-called conspiracy theories and later being disillusioned because their basis of understanding and knowledge is only half of it. 

So, what is history dear beloved brothers and sisters? In it's broadest sense, it is the story of people. It is the study of our past. Some parts of this side also talking about history and recording some part of history. In religious studies branches of study, we also have seerah or taarikh which deals with our chronicles and the history of our noble prophets.

Some historians might be looking at important events such as wars, revolutions and governments while others are interested in ordinary people's lives. Henry Ford, who is an American car manufacturer said that history is bunk. Most people would also disagree with him. 

Our lives today are shaped by decisions and actions made decades, centuries or even thousands of years ago. Through the understanding of the past, we may even get a more balanced view of the present.  

Goals of History

Basic aims of history are to record and explain our past. Whatever happens to me or to brothers and sisters who happened to pass by here is history. Historians study a wide range of oral and written evidence. Some are combined with archeology where later they may interpret the facts or data to build up a picture of the past. 

Beginning of the Study

The first people according to Westerners who study history seriously were the ancient Greeks. Around 5th BC, Herodotus set out to write a true and systematic record of the wars between the Greeks and Persians. He hoped to preserve the memory of past events and show how two peoples came into conflict with one another. 

The scientific study of archeology only began in the 18th century. Archeologists today investigate even the tiniest fragments left behind by ancient people to create a more complete picture of the past.

Closing

History is not just concerned with the distant past. It is the story of our lives. What is new today will be turning to be history tomorrow. Change can be sudden or dramatic, and long held ideas will be overturned tomorrow.

Sealed with prayers for mercy, peace and love, amin!