4 – Jurisprudence:
This feature underscores the multi-faceted nature of his learning. We have already noted the remarkable breadth of his expertise in Qur’anic exegesis and Hadith—something that naturally surfaces in the opening and closing sections of the book—but for the persona of the jurist to overshadow that of the historian is a distinctive method worthy of record and illustration. One may observe this, for example, in his investigation of who served as the guardian in the marriage of Umm Salamah (may Allah be pleased with her) (1), his analysis of the legal ruling on consuming the meat of domesticated donkeys (2), and his clarification of the ruling on temporary marriage (mutʿah) (3).

5 – Annalistic History:
The Arabic word ḥawl denotes “a year,” so called because of its cyclical nature and the sun’s revolution through its rising and setting points. Allah, Exalted is He, says: “Mothers shall breast-feed their children for two full years” (al-Baqarah 2:233), and He also says: “A provision for a year without being turned out” (al-Baqarah 2:240).

The annalistic style of historical writing appeared among Muslim historians very early, in the second century AH, which means it emerged in the first stages of historical recording. It is related that al-Haytham ibn ʿAdī (d. 207 AH) composed a chronicle arranged by years (4); Ibn Saʿd, the scribe of al-Wāqidī (d. 230 AH), authored a similar work (5); and the chronicle of Khalīfah ibn Khayyāṭ (d. 240 AH) has come down to us (6).

Because annalistic works are organized according to the Hijri calendar, foreign influences on them are virtually absent, which explains the special attention Muslim historians accorded to this genre.

The earliest annalistic chronicles—foremost among them the History of al-Ṭabarī (d. 310 AH)—were concerned primarily with historical events and seldom accorded distinct importance to biographical notices. A clear shift, however, becomes apparent from the sixth century AH onward, especially among scholar-traditionists, who began to pay greater attention to biographies. This is evident in Ibn al-Jawzī’s al-Muntaẓam (d. 597 AH), where he introduced a clear division between events and deaths, placing the biographies after the incidents of each year. This method continued to shape the annalistic framework of later historical compositions, including Ibn Kathīr’s al-Bidāyah (7).

6 – Obituaries:
At the end of each year he places a section entitled “Those who died in this year,” and he may treat it at considerable length