The Importance of History

Dr Michael (Muhammad As’ad)

Berdine
CMC Papers No. 7

It seems only proper on the occasion of this

graduation of our latest and largest class of
CMC graduates and my imminent retirement,
to talk about a subject that is dear to my
heart: history.

In an article he wrote for the American

Historical Association in 1998, entitled "Why
Study History?" Peter Stearns made the
following observations:

People live in the present. They plan for and

worry about the future. History, however, is the
study of the past. Given all the demands that
press in from living in the present and
anticipating what is yet to come, why bother
with what has been? Given all the desirable and
available branches of knowledge, why insist—as
most American [and, in this case, British]
educational programs do—on a good bit of
history? And why urge many students to study
even more history than they are required to?i

Since I first came across Stearns’ article a

number of years ago, I’ve often asked
students in my classes to read the 12-page
essay on the importance of history. Whether
it’s made any impression on them, or not, of
course remains to be seen. Regardless, in all
my lectures I try to impress on them that
knowing the past is the best way to
understand the present and to prepare for
the future.
 The Importance of History

In his famous saying, so often misquoted as While I can speak on each of these, adding to
“History repeats itself,” which of course it Stearns’ comments in his essay, for the
can’t, because history can’t do anything, only benefit of today’s graduates and because of
people can, George Santayana wrote, “Those time constraints I would like to focus on just
who cannot remember the past are one: the skills a student of history develops.
condemned to repeat it.” And, the late This is because, as you’ve heard me say in
scientist Carl Sagan wrote, "You have to know class: “Opinions are a dime a dozen and
the past to understand the present." And, so everyone has them; so as not to be thought
it is. We can find many similar statements ignorant or worse, make sure yours are
and all too many examples of the truth of informed ones. Otherwise, don’t open your
these statements in our own lives, which is mouth and remove all doubt.”
why knowledge of history, the history of your
country, your parents’ and grandparents’ As future leaders of the British Ummah, your
lives and that of your deen is so important. opinions are important and will count, not
But, what else can history help us with that just in matters of fiqh, hadith, or sirat, but
makes it so important? also in other areas as well, in less scholarly
matters for those who come to you for
In his article, Stearns lists several areas where advice. So, if you take nothing else away
history plays an important part in all of our from my classes at CMC I hope you learned
lives. what I believe is one of the most important
skills history can teach, as it is the ultimate
History Helps Us Understand People and and basic data management tool that will
Societies help you find your way in the world and be
better able to lead others.
History Helps Us Understand Change and
How the Society We Live in Came to Be The Ability to Assess Evidence. The study of
history builds experience in dealing with and
The Importance of History in Our Own Lives assessing various kinds of evidence—the
sorts of evidence historians use in shaping
History Contributes to Moral Understanding the most accurate pictures of the past that
they can. Learning how to interpret the
History Provides Identity statements of past political leaders, for
example, helps develop the capacity to
Studying History Is Essential for distinguish between the truth and falsehood
Good Citizenship of statements made by today’s political
leaders. Learning how to combine different
What Skills Does a Student of History kinds of evidence—public statements, private
Develop? records, numerical data, visual materials—
develops the ability to make coherent
The Ability to Assess Evidence arguments based on a variety of data, all of
The Ability to Assess Conflicting which will help you when faced with
Interpretations challenges in the media and having to
Experience in Assessing Past Examples counter arguments, either publicly in the
of Change mosque, in the media, or in the classroom.
As such, it develops an important skill that
History Is Useful in the World of Work
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 The Importance of History

can be applied in everyday life.

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 The Importance of History

The Ability to Assess Conflicting The ability to identify the continuities that
Interpretations. Learning history means always accompany even the most dramatic
gaining some skill in sorting through diverse, changes also comes from studying history, as
often conflicting interpretations in today’s does the skill to determine probable causes
increasingly confusing and complex world of of change. Learning history helps one figure
information overload. For example, out, for example, if one main factor—such as
understanding how societies work—the a technological innovation or some
central goal of historical study—is inherently deliberate new policy—accounts for a change
imprecise, and the same certainly holds true or
for understanding what is going on in the whether, as is more commonly the case, a
present day, whether it be in the UK, or on number of factors combine to generate the
the world stage. So, learning how to identify actual change that occurs.
and evaluate conflicting interpretations is an
essential citizenship skill for which history, as Historical study, in sum, is crucial to the
the accumulation of human experience and promotion of that elusive creature, the well-
knowledge, provides essential training. informed citizen. It provides basic factual
information about the background of our
However, this is one area in which the full political institutions and about the values and
benefits of historical study sometimes clashes problems that affect our social well-being. It
with the narrower uses of the past. So, also contributes to our capacity to use
experience in examining past situations evidence, assess interpretations, and analyze
provides a critical ability that can be applied change and continuities. No one can ever
to partisan claims about the glories of quite deal with the present as the historian
national or group identity. The study of deals with the past—we lack the perspective
history in no sense undermines loyalty or for this feat; but we can move in this
commitment, but it does teach the need for direction by applying historical habits of
assessing arguments, and it provides mind, and we will function as better citizens
opportunities to engage in debate and in the processii. This is what I hope you have
achieve perspective. learned while at CMC: a respect for history as
a tool to make your lives and jobs easier in
Experience in Assessing Past Examples of today’s hurly-burly world.
Change. Experience in assessing past
examples of change is vital to understanding SUMMARY:
change in society today. It’s an essential skill
in what we are regularly told is our So, why study history? The answer is because
"ever-changing world." Analysis of change we must, to gain access to the full wealth of
means developing some capacity for human experience. When we study it
determining the magnitude and significance reasonably well, and by doing so acquire
of that change, for some changes are more some usable habits of mind, as well as some
fundamental and important than others. basic data about the forces that affect our
Comparing particular changes to relevant own lives, we emerge with relevant skills and
examples from the past helps students of an enhanced capacity for informed
history to develop this capacity, and leaders citizenship, critical thinking, and simple
to show the way to those who rely on their awareness.
insight and guidance.

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 The Importance of History

The uses of history are varied. Studying it can i. “Why Study History?” The American Historical
help us develop some literally "saleable" Associ- ation, 1998
([Link]
skills, but its study must not be pinned down [Link]).
to just its usefulness. Some history— ii. Ibid.
personal recollections about changes and iii. Ibid.
iv. Dominique Enright, ed., The Wicked Wit of Winston
continuities in the immediate environment— Churchill (London: Michael O’Mara Books Limited,
is essential to function beyond childhood. 2001), 146.
Some history depends on personal taste,
where one finds beauty, the joy of discovery,
or intellectual challenge. Between the
inescapable minimum and the pleasure of
deep commitment comes the history that,
through cumulative skill in interpreting the
unfolding human record, provides a real
grasp of how the world [Link]

As Winston Churchill once said, “A nation

that forgets its past has no future.”iv So, pay
heed, my brothers and sisters, and learn your
history well.

Dr. Michael (Muhammad As’ad) Berdine

Cambridge Muslim College Graduation
24 August 2013