According to Rahyafte(the missionaries and converts website):Muhammad Kazim Rahmati, a research scholar in The Encyclopedia of Muslim World Foundation, praised the academic achievements of Madelung.
“Wilfred Madelung was an expert on the history and theology of Islam and Shia sects. His works are valuable sources for anyone interested in these fields,” Rahmati said. Muhammad Kazim Rahmati, a research scholar in The Encyclopedia of Muslim World Foundation, praised the academic achievements of Madelung.
He then referred to one of the late scholar’s works titled “The Succession to Muhammad” which supports the Shia view of who should have succeeded the Holy Prophet (PBUH).
“This book is one of his most important works on Islamic history. It is based on a careful examination of the main narratives that describe the early period of Islam (from the demise of the Prophet to the leadership of Imam Ali). The book shows how different trends and issues shaped Islamic society at that time. It also analyzes how different groups reported historical events to hide their role or blame their rivals,” the Iranian scholar added.
Many historical reports from the first half of the first century AH are biased and influenced by various interests, he said, noting that “to understand what really happened, we need to compare different texts and check their sources.”
“German scholars and orientalists have done a great job in this regard. They have used original Shia sources and other resources in their studies of Islam and Iran,” Rahmati said.
Madelung was born on December 26, 1930, in Stuttgart, Germany. He studied Islamic History and Literature at Cairo University and graduated with a B.A. in 1953.
He continued his studies in Germany and earned his Ph.D. in Islamic Studies from the University of Hamburg in 1957. His thesis was guided by German Islamic scholars R. Strothmann and B. Spuler. He served as a cultural attaché of West Germany in Baghdad for three years (1958 – 1960) and then focused on his academic career in Islamic studies.
He has written and edited about 200 books and articles on various aspects of Islamic thought and history, especially Shia. He has also reviewed and introduced 160 books in research journals and encyclopedias. His works include topics such as theology, history, fiqh, schools and sects, biographies and bibliographies. Some of his works have been translated into Persian.
“Religious Trends in Early Islamic Iran”, “Religious and Ethnic Movements in Medieval Islam”, “An Ismaili Heresiography”, “The Advent of the Fatimids: A Contemporary Shi’i Witness”, and “Religious School and Sects in Medieval Islam” are among his works.
iqna
