"continuity" in the islamic civilization (marshall hodgson's view)

for marshall hodgson, the history of the islamic civilization is not an event, rather it is a chain of continuous events happening with a global harmony and historical continuity, enjoying a spirit among different cultures and nations and throughout historical periods. the continuity of historical events in the islamic world does not amount to the interconnection of all events in the islamic history and civilization. indeed it is impossible to discover or create a detailed chain of key events in a study of a civilization. what hodgson has in mind is a sort of a universal social model in every historical period and a type of historical continuity in light of one salient core element in the relevant temporal and spatial period. on such a view, all dimensions of a society should be considered all at once, but the core element of the events in every historical period should be pinpointed, other events being interpreted and explained in its light.