The history and historiography written by Ibn Khaldun was informed in theory by his learning as a faylasuf [philosopher].Muhsin Mahdi (Ibn Khaldun's Philosophy of History (1957) pp. 30–33) understands that he was influenced directly by Fakhr al-Din al-Razi (d.1209) of Iraq, and at least indirectly by al-Farabi, Ibn Sina, and Ibn Rushd. Erwin Rosenthal (Political Thought in Medieval Islam (1958) pp. 104–105) states that he favored and shared the views of al-Ghazali. Yet it was his participation in the small unstable governments of the region at inspired many of his key insights. His history seeks to account for the apparent cyclical progression of historical states of the Maghrib, whereby: (a) a new ruling association comes to power with strong loyalties, (b) which over the course of several generations fall apart, (c) leading to the collapse of the ruling strata. The social cohesion necessary for the group's initial rise to power, and for the group's ability to maintain it and exercise it, Ibn Khaldun called Asabiyyah.Heinrich Simon, Ibn Khalduns Wissenschaft von der Menschlichen Kultur (Leipzig 1959), translated by Fuad Baali as Ibn Khaldun's Science of Human Culture (Lahore: Ashraf 1978) pp. 68–88, presents a discussion of this key concept, wherein asab means "to bind", asabatun means "the group", asabah means the "paternal relationship" in the law of inheritance [p. 68, 68n1], and asabiyah means "the nature of the group" [68–69].
The history and historiography written by Ibn Khaldun was informed in theory by his learning as a faylasuf [philosopher]Muhsin Mahdi (Ibn Khaldun's Philosophy of History (1957) pp 30–33) understands that he was influenced directly by Fakhr al-Din al-Razi (d1209) of Iraq and at least indirectly by al-Farabi Ibn Sina and Ibn Rushd Erwin Rosenthal (Political Thought in Medieval Islam (1958) pp 104–105) states that he favored and shared the views of al-Ghazali Yet it was his participation in the small unstable governments of the region at inspired many of his key insights His history seeks to account for the apparent cyclical progression of historical states of the Maghrib whereby (a) a new ruling association comes to power with strong loyalties (b) which over the course of several generations fall apart (c) leading to the collapse of the ruling strata The social cohesion necessary for the group's initial rise to power and for the group's ability to maintain it and exercise it Ibn Khaldun called AsabiyyahHeinrich Simon Ibn Khalduns Wissenschaft von der Menschlichen Kultur (Leipzig 1959) translated by Fuad Baali as Ibn Khaldun's Science of Human Culture (Lahore Ashraf 1978) pp 68–88 presents a discussion of this key concept wherein asab means "to bind" asabatun means "the group" asabah means the "paternal relationship" in the law of inheritance [p 68 68n1] and asabiyah means "the nature of the group" [68–69]