Nuzhat al-Umam fi al-Ajaib wa al-Hikam
- Author died
- 930 AH
- Editions
- Maktabat Madbuli
Nuzhat al-Umam fi al-Ajaib wa al-Hikam (The Excursion of Nations into Wonders and Wisdoms) is a historical and geographical work by the Egyptian historian Ibn Iyas (d. c. 930 AH / 1524 CE), dedicated primarily to the wonders, ancient monuments, topography, and history of Egypt.
Purpose and Scope
In his introduction to the work, Ibn Iyas states that after surveying the historical chronicles of earlier nations and the recurring wonders recorded within them, he sought divine guidance (istikhara) to compile a concise volume preserving the strangest reports he had heard and the most remarkable sights he had witnessed.
The treatise covers the marvels and administrative regions of Egypt, ancient talismans, ancient temples (barabi), and the pyramids. It includes brief accounts of the reigns of Egypt's monarchs, the wonders and inundation of the Nile River, topographical features (khitat), historical landmarks, and the geographic boundaries and extent of the land.
Cross-References and Reception
Ibn Iyas cited Nuzhat al-Umam fi al-Ajaib wa al-Hikam in his other writings, including his major chronicle Bada'i' al-Zuhur fi Waqa'i' al-Duhur and his historical work Jawahir al-Suluk. In Bada'i' al-Zuhur, under the entries for the year 880 AH, he referenced the work when describing the al-Azbakiyya quarter in Cairo, noting that he had incorporated into Nuzhat al-Umam a maqama in prose and verse composed by his teacher, Shams al-Din al-Qadiri, praising the development of al-Azbakiyya. The Ottoman bibliographer Katip Celebi similarly recorded the book in Kashf al-Zunun, noting Ibn Iyas's citation of it under the year 880 AH.
Manuscripts and Modern Study
Several manuscript copies of Nuzhat al-Umam fi al-Ajaib wa al-Hikam survive:
- A manuscript preserved in the Bibliothèque nationale de France in Paris (MS 2209), the copying of which was completed on Friday, 14 Sha'ban 922 AH.
- A manuscript comprising 267 folios preserved in the Hagia Sophia (Aya Sofya) collection in Istanbul, a reproduction of which is held at the Central Library of Cairo University.
- An academic edition prepared by Rafi' 'Adli as a master's thesis at Necmettin Erbakan University in Konya, Turkey (2016), based on three of fourteen located manuscript copies.
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