Mustadhab al-Akhbar bi-Atyab al-Akhbar
- Author died
- 1133 AH
- Editions
- Dar al-Kutub al-Ilmiyyah
Mustadhab al-Akhbar bi-Atyab al-Akhbar (The Pleasant Reception of Reports Concerning the Sweetest of Tidings) is a work on the Prophetic biography (al-sirah al-nabawiyyah) by the Moroccan scholar Abu Madyan al-Fasi (1112–1181 AH / 1700–1768 CE; also recorded as living in 1132 AH / 1720 CE) . The book serves as an extensive commentary on Awjaz al-Siyar li-Khayr al-Bashar (The Briefest Biography of the Best of Mankind), a concise biographical treatise compiled by the linguist Ahmad ibn Faris (d. 395 AH / 1004 CE) .
Scope and Content
The base text by Ibn Faris is a short summary—spanning around five to eight leaves in original manuscript copies—covering essential facts regarding the Prophet's lineage, birth, upbringing, prophetic mission, military expeditions, wives, children, paternal uncles, paternal aunts, and agnatic kunyas . In Mustadhab al-Akhbar, Abu Madyan al-Fasi expanded substantially on each point outlined in Ibn Faris's brief summary, elaborating on historical details, linguistic definitions, and biographical reports to produce a full monograph reaching 79 folios in the author's own handwriting .
Composition and Reception
Abu Madyan al-Fasi completed the composition of the work in late Ramadan 1132 AH (1720 CE) . The work received written commendations (taqriz) from contemporary scholars, including Muhammad al-Masnawi, who inscribed lines of verse on the original manuscript praising the author's scholarly promise, as well as Muhammad ibn Abd al-Rahman and Muhammad ibn Abd al-Salam .
Manuscripts and Editions
Manuscripts of Mustadhab al-Akhbar are preserved across several collections:
- An autograph manuscript dated 1132 AH held at Dar al-Kutub al-Misriyya in Cairo (MS 7072 H / history supplement) .
- Copies preserved in Morocco, including the Royal Library (al-Khizana al-Hasaniyya) and the National Library (al-Khizana al-Amma) in Rabat, as well as the Ibn Yusuf Library in Marrakesh .
- A copy in the National Library of Tunisia in Tunis .
The text was edited and prepared for publication by the researcher Ahmad Abd Allah Bajur .
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