Ibn Khaldun

Founder of modern historiography and social science in 14th-century North Africa

Abd al-Rahman Ibn Khaldun (1332–1406), the Tunis-born scholar, revolutionized historical analysis with his theory of asabiyyah (social cohesion) in Muqaddimah (Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy). His seven-volume Kitab al-Ibar established cyclical patterns in civilizations' rise and fall, predating Western sociology by four centuries.

As a political advisor across Muslim Spain, Egypt, and Syria, Ibn Khaldun developed empirical methods for studying society. He emphasized environmental and economic factors in state formation, rejecting supernatural explanations. The Muqaddimah introduced concepts like:

• Labor theory of value
• Urban-rural dynamics
• Critique of historical sources

Modern economists recognize his anticipation of Adam Smith's division of labor theory. UNESCO commemorated his legacy through the Ibn Khaldun Prize for social science research. His work influenced Enlightenment thinkers and remains foundational in post-colonial studies.