Mujam al-Safar

Mu'jam al-Safar (The Biographical Dictionary of Travel) is a biographical dictionary compiled by the Shafi'i hadith master Abu Tahir al-Silafi (d. 576 AH / 1180 CE), documenting the teachers and individuals he encountered during his travels outside Isfahan and Baghdad Akhbar wa Tarajim Andalus…+1.

Scope and Contents

Al-Silafi authored three biographical dictionaries for his teachers: one dedicated to his Isfahani mentors, a second comprehensive 35-part work for his Baghdad teachers, and a third—Mu'jam al-Safar—for the scholars of all other regions where he studied and received transmission Fihris al-Faharis+1. According to a note by the hadith scholar Umar ibn al-Hajib, the work encompassed approximately two thousand figures Siyar Aalam al-Nubala+1.

Reflecting al-Silafi's keen observation and devotion to recording information, the book offers detailed insights into the scholarly and social life of the 6th century AH Akhbar wa Tarajim Andalus…. It incorporates hadith reports, biographical evaluations, legal and ascetic points, as well as literary anecdotes and poems recited to him by contemporary literati and scholars Akhbar wa Tarajim Andalus…+1.

Structure and Transmission

Al-Silafi organized the biographical entries alphabetically according to the first name of each narrator Akhbar wa Tarajim Andalus…. However, he does not appear to have finalized the text into a definitive form; what survived was largely preserved as note drafts arranged after his death, leaving gaps and occasional disruptions in alphabetical order Akhbar wa Tarajim Andalus…. Notably, in surviving copies, all biographical entries occurring before the name "Ahmad" are missing at the beginning Akhbar wa Tarajim Andalus….

Later scholars utilized more complete recensions of the work; for instance, the geographer Yaqut al-Hamawi relied heavily on a fuller copy for his Mu'jam al-Buldan and cited material not found in the surviving originals Akhbar wa Tarajim Andalus…. The work also served as an important source for Ali ibn Yusuf al-Qifti in his Inbah al-Ruwat Akhbar wa Tarajim Andalus….

Modern Editions

An incomplete portion focusing on Andalusian scholars was published under the title Akhbar wa-tarajim Andalusiyya Akhbar wa Tarajim Andalus…+1. Complete surviving texts of Mu'jam al-Safar were later edited by Sher Muhammad Zaman and published in Pakistan (1408 AH / 1988 CE) Dhayl Tabaqat al-Hanabila…, as well as by 'Abd Allah 'Umar al-Barudi (published in Mecca and Beirut) Nazm Ulum al-Hadith = Aqs…+1.