Tarikh Asbahan = Akhbar Asbahan
- Author died
- 430 AH
- Editions
- Dār al-Kutub al-ʿIlmiyyah
Tarikh Asbahan (also titled Dhikr Akhbar Asbahan) is a regional history and biographical dictionary compiled by the hadith scholar and historian Abu Nuaym al-Asbahani (336–430 AH / 948–1038 CE), dedicated to the city of Isfahan and the scholars associated with it .
Background and Purpose
Abu Nuaym notes in his preface that he wrote the book following the tradition of earlier scholars after being requested by colleagues to compile an organized record of the hadith transmitters and scholars native to Isfahan who narrated there, along with visiting jurists and judges . The work was organized alphabetically to make referencing entries straightforward .
Structure and Content
The work opens with a historical and geographical introduction before proceeding to the biographical dictionary :
- Introductory Section: Abu Nuaym begins with hadith narrations addressing the virtues of Persians, non-Arabs, and mawali (clients) . He then details the geography and layout of Isfahan, describing its dimensions (recorded as 120 by 120 parasangs), its borders extending toward Hamadhan, Nihawand, Kirman, and Khuzestan, as well as its administrative divisions comprising sub-districts (rustaqs and tassujs), villages, and cities such as Jayy . He discusses the climate and physical qualities of the region .
- Conquest and Companions: The introductory chapters record the Islamic conquest of Isfahan during the caliphate of Umar ibn al-Khattab, presenting varying historical reports that date the event to late 20 AH or 21 AH and citing the differing accounts regarding the military leaders involved . It also lists the Companions of the Prophet who entered or settled in the city .
- Biographical Dictionary: The remainder of the book consists of biographical entries for hadith scholars, transmitters, jurists, and other notables who lived in or visited Isfahan, arranged in alphabetical order according to the Arabic letters of their names . Each entry typically records the subject's lineage, narrations, teachers, and students.
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