al-Tarikh al-Mutabar fi Anba man Ghabar
- Author died
- 928 AH
- Editions
- Dār al-Nawādir
al-Tarikh al-Mutabar fi Anba man Ghabar (The Instructive History of the Chronicles of Those Who Have Passed) is a universal history and biographical compendium written by the Jerusalemite Hanbali jurist and judge Mujir al-Din al-Ulaymi (860–928 AH / 1455–1522 CE) . The work encompasses prophetic histories, general Islamic annals down to the late ninth and early tenth century AH, and a compendium of prominent Muslim figures .
Scope and Structure
The book is arranged into two main divisions:
- Chronological History: The first part opens with the histories and accounts of the prophets, starting from Adam and concluding with Jesus, followed by a chronological record of Islamic history arranged by year down to 896 AH . In this section, al-Ulaymi records noteworthy events, political developments, and unusual historical occurrences in an abridged narrative .
- Biographical Dictionary (Tarajim al-A'yan): The second part is devoted entirely to concise biographical notices of over six hundred eminent figures . These entries cover the eponymous founders of the four Sunni schools of jurisprudence, the Successors (Tabi'un), scholars, rulers, viziers, poets, and judges of the Islamic legal system . The biographies are organized alphabetically by name, though without strict internal alphabetical ordering within individual letters . Each entry typically records the subject's name, death date, and a brief summary of their life and deeds .
Method and Sources
In compiling the book, al-Ulaymi favored brevity over exhaustive exposition, employing an accessible style meant to provide instruction and historical recollection . Much of the biographical and historical material was drawn from established earlier works, chief among them Ibn Khallikan's Wafayat al-A'yan, Abu al-Fida''s al-Mukhtasar fi Akhbar al-Bashar, and Ibn al-Wardi's Tatimmat al-Mukhtasar . Significant portions of the material also intersect with al-Ulaymi's other major historical work, al-Uns al-Jalil bi-Tarikh al-Quds wa-al-Khalil .
Transmission and Publication
The work is documented in classical bibliographies, including Katib Celebi's Kashf al-Zunun, Kamal al-Din al-Ghazzi's al-Na't al-Akmal, and Isma'il Pasha al-Babani's Hadiyyat al-'Arifin .
A primary manuscript transcribed in 945 AH from the author's autograph is preserved in the Garrett Collection at the Princeton University Library (MS 2263), where the first part comprises 112 folios and the second part comprises 70 folios . The text was critically edited from this manuscript by a team of scholars supervised by Nur al-Din Talib and published by Dar al-Nawadir in 1431 AH / 2011 CE in three volumes .
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