The Umayyads: Forms of Forgetting and Places of Memory

The importance of this study lies in researching the possibility of re-reading the Umayyad history, in light of the new methodological approaches presented by the historical study of the sociology of memory, as it provides illuminations on the frameworks controlling the writing of history. It aims to introduce the circumstances of the crystallization of this new topic, and the outcome of the legendary achievement of the Umayyad memory. It also aims to present a conception of Umayyad history, based on the methodological richness of memory studies, which focused on researching the roles played by collective frameworks in shaping history, according to the strategies of remembering and forgetting. Therefore, our study was divided into two parts, the first of which was devoted to three levels: providing an overview of the origin of the topic, reviewing the achievements in the Umayyad legend, and clarifying the forms of forgetting that affected the Umayyads. As for the second section, the places of Umayyad memory were highlighted, in three levels: the employed narrative, archaeological evidence, and the foundational memory of culture and identity. In this research, it has been reached to present examples of forms of forgetting and remembering due to the selectivity of memory activity that is shackled by successive control frameworks in historical writing. It also concluded the limited works of obliteration and forgetting due to the strong connection of the Umayyad memory to the foundation of thought, culture and identity in the history of Muslims.

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The importance of this study lies in researching the possibility of re-reading the Umayyad history, in light of the new methodological approaches presented by the historical study of the sociology of memory, as it provides illuminations on the frameworks controlling the writing of history. It aims to introduce the circumstances of the crystallization of this new topic, and the outcome of the legendary achievement of the Umayyad memory. It also aims to present a conception of Umayyad history, based on the methodological richness of memory studies, which focused on researching the roles played by collective frameworks in shaping history, according to the strategies of remembering and forgetting. Therefore, our study was divided into two parts, the first of which was devoted to three levels: providing an overview of the origin of the topic, reviewing the achievements in the Umayyad legend, and clarifying the forms of forgetting that affected the Umayyads. As for the second section, the places of Umayyad memory were highlighted, in three levels: the employed narrative, archaeological evidence, and the foundational memory of culture and identity. In this research, it has been reached to present examples of forms of forgetting and remembering due to the selectivity of memory activity that is shackled by successive control frameworks in historical writing. It also concluded the limited works of obliteration and forgetting due to the strong connection of the Umayyad memory to the foundation of thought, culture and identity in the history of Muslims.

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