• What research did you need to complete in order to understand these texts? 

In order to fully understand these texts I had to research the symbolism that was in Ibn Ishaq’s chronicle, and what that symbolism means to people of the Islamic faith. I also investigated details about Muhammad’s early life to see how they matched up to this account. For the second passage, I researched the political, economic, and social situation between the Byzantine Empire and Muslims in the Arabian Peninsula/Syria and beyond in order to make sense of the events that led to the Battle of Yarmuk. 

• How would you make these texts relevant to your classroom? 

I would likely include these texts in a broader discussion of historiography, and in the case of the Battle of Yarmuk text, I would find a Greek source on the battle to compare and contrast different cultural attitudes to this important event. The texts would also be used to show Islamic historiography as a counter to the traditional Western European narrative that is so dominant in medieval studies. 

• What information would you share with your students when you presented these texts? 

I would share information concerning Islamic symbolism and iconography and the political/economic situation vis-a-vis Constantinople and Aleppo prior to presenting these texts. I would also work with them to track the expansion of Islam, and the subsequent trade networks that were used to aid in this expansion. 

• Discuss how you would contextualize these readings for your students in a larger unit that you teach on medieval history.  

If I were teaching a broader course on medieval history. I would use these readings to show the clash of civilizations and ideas so to speak between the Byzantine Empire and its expansion, and the East. The materials would be a great way to show Islamic historiography in action, and to show students that history was not just limited to Western Europe during the medieval period.