Surat al-Ard (), also known as Al-Masalik wa-l-Mamalik (), is a book on geography and travel written by the merchant traveler Abu'l-Qasim Muhammad Ibn Hawqal following his travels, which commenced in 331 AH."The Story of Islam | Ibn Huqal. The adventurous traveler and photographer of the earth". islamstory.com. Archived from the original on 2021-07-11. Accessed on 2021-07-01. The work was influenced by Istakhri,Al-Rehla wa Al-Rahala Al-Muslimoon. P. 117. who requested that he complete his Masalik and Mamalik. Nevertheless, he ultimately elected to compose a revised volume, drawing upon Istakhri's treatise and a compendium of other geographical works, in addition to his own empirical data and insights gleaned from his peregrinations. Consequently, the content of the book is meticulously presented. In addition to geographical information, the book contains a range of scientific and historical content, including biographical information. Some chapters are presented in the form of a tourist guide. Each region is discussed in detail, with a special map provided for each area.
The book exists in multiple versions, each exhibiting distinctive characteristics. The initial manuscript included a dedication to Sayf al-Dawla al-Hamdani,History of Arab geographical literature. P. 201. while a second copy from 367 presented a critical analysis of the Hamdanids."İBN HAVKAL". Kundun55 (Turkish). 9 Feb 2019. Archived from the original on 2021-01-21. Retrieved 2021-07-05. Other versions demonstrate a pronounced proclivity towards the Fatimids. In his study, the orientalist Rizzitano posits that the final version of the book was written in 378 AH, following two attempts: one in 356 AH and the other in 357 AH.Al-Rehla wa Al-Rahala Al-Muslimoon. P. 118. Nevertheless, there are those who posit that the final copy was produced subsequent to Ibn Hawqal's demise. The multiplicity of versions has resulted in a degree of variation among the extant manuscripts of the book. Consequently, there are numerous manuscripts distributed among various libraries in Istanbul, Leiden, Paris, and elsewhere. Additionally, the book has been published in multiple editions in various countries and has been translated into a number of languages, including English, French, Turkish, and others. These translations have been produced either in their entirety or in part.
The author
Abu'l-Qasim Muhammad Ibn Hawqal was an Arab Muslim writer, geographer, historian, traveler, and merchant who lived during the 10th century AD. His writings on geography contained original information gained from his extensive travels, which spanned over three decades. This unique insight distinguished him from his contemporaries and predecessors, whether in his theoretical contributions or in his cartographic representations, which he created with his own hands.Pioneers of the science of geography in Arab civilization. P. 107. In the words of Ibn al-Adim, he was described as follows: "He was a virtuous individual hailing from the Nusaybin region".Boghyat Altalab fi Tarikh Halab. p. 4672. In addition to his book Surat al-Ard, he has another book entitled Kitab Saqalia, which is currently considered lost.Taysir Khalaf. "Ibn Huqal. A scathing satire of the Arab Emirate of Sicily." The New Arab. Archived from the original on 2021-06-08. Accessed on 2021-06-07. He also published an article on the history of the Jews and their festivals in Hyderabad in 1947.Glossary of Islamic Heritage in the Libraries of the World, p. 2905. The dearth of available sources has resulted in a number of discrepancies regarding his life and work. For instance, there is a lack of consensus on the date of his birth, with some sources indicating that he was born in the fourth century AH, while others provide no specific date. Additionally, there is a divergence of opinions regarding the span of his travels. Some sources limit these to a mere 26 years between 331 and 357,Summary of the Islamic Encyclopaedia c. 10, p. 3085 while others extend them to nearly 32 years.Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs - Egypt - (no year of publication). Encyclopedia of General Islamic Concepts. Pp. 307, c1. Archived from the original on 2021-06-25. There was considerable divergence of opinion regarding his loyalties and ideological and political leanings. Some held the view that he was a political advocate,History of Arab geographical literature. P. 200. while others alleged that he was engaged in espionage on behalf of the Fatimids.Notable Arab Geographers, p. 210. These views may be attributed to his association with the Qarmatians of Bahrain, his condemnation of the inhabitants of Sicily, and his remarks concerning Andalusia, which could be interpreted as encouragement for the Fatimids or Abbasids to intervene in the region.History of Arab geographical literature, p. 204. Furthermore, he presented the initial manuscript of his book to Sayf al-Dawla al-Hamdani.History of Arab geographical literature. P. 201. The subsequent edition of the book evinces a pronounced inclination towards the Sunni Samanids.Summary of the Islamic Encyclopaedia, c. 10, p. 3035"The Story of Islam | The Samanids The Samanids". islamstory.com. Archived from the original on 2021-06-29. Accessed on 2021-06-25. The discrepancy in historical accounts regarding his allegiance may be attributed to the reliance of some historians on the Leiden and Oxford versions of the Sourat al-Ard, which exhibit a pronounced and discernible Fatimid bias. This bias is absent in the Paris version and the other five Istanbul versions.Requiem pour Ibn Hawqal, p. 194. The date of his death is also a point of contention. Haji Khalifa asserted that he died in 350 A.H.Kashf al-Zunun An Asamy Al-Kotob wa Alfonon, c. 2, p. 1664. Al-Babani, in Hidayat al-'Arifin, proposed that he died in Andalusia,Ismail Pasha al-Baghdadi (1951), Hidayat al-'Arifin, Names of Authors and Monuments of Classifiers (i. 1), Istanbul: Maarif Agency, c. 2, p. 43, QID:Q19491231 - via Comprehensive Library while Tehrani, in a different source, stated that he died in 380 A.H.Aqa Bazarak al-Tahrani (1983). Al-Dhari'ah to Tasanif al-Shia (3rd ed.). Beirut: Dar al-Adwaa. c. 20. p. 377.
Attribution of the book to Ibn Hawqal There is consensus among researchers and other historians and bibliographers regarding the attribution of the book to Ibn Hawqal. However, some of them have differing opinions regarding the nomenclature of the book. Al-Babani,Ismail Pasha al-Baghdadi (1951), Hidayat al-'Arifin, Names of Authors and Monuments of Classifiers (i. 1), Istanbul: Maarif Agency, c. 2, p. 43, QID:Q19491231 - via Comprehensive Library Elian Sarkis,Joseph Elian Sarkis (1928), Dictionary of Arabic and Arabic Prints: It is comprehensive of the names of books printed in Eastern and Western countries with the names of their authors and a glimpse of their translation, from the day the printing appeared to the end of the Hijri year 1339 corresponding to 1919 AD, Cairo: Sarkis Library, c. 1, p. 90, OCLC:15180963, OL:12205831W, QID:Q108889739 - via Comprehensive Library and Haji Khalifa,Kashf al-Zunun An Asamy Al-Kotob wa Alfonon, c. 2, p. 1664. as well as Ibn Khallikan, attributed it to him in multiple instances within the Wafayyat al-Ayyan.See Ibn Khalkan's Wafayyat al-Ayyan: c. 4, pp. 173 and 268. Part 6, p. 421, and Part 7, p. 115 and p. 138. Additionally, numerous Orientalists who translated or otherwise engaged with the text, including William Uziel, Kramers, Weit, and De Goeje, concurred with this attribution.
Naming There is a discrepancy among sources regarding the specific title of Ibn Hawqal's book. This discrepancy is likely due to the varying starting points of the available copies of the book,Al-Mudadi, Mr. Ahmed. "Ibn Hawqal's Surat al-Ard". Contemporary texts. Archived from the original on 2021-03-02. Accessed on 2021-06-07. as evidenced by the differing titles given by Ibn KhallikanSee Ibn Khalkan's Wafayyat al-Ayyan: c. 4, pp. 173 and 268. Part 6, p. 421, and Part 7, p. 115 and p. 138. the author of Kashf al-Zunun,Kashf al-Zunun An Asamy Al-Kotob wa Alfonon, c. 2, p. 1664. who referenced it as "Al-Masalik wa-l-Mamalik".T.Leiden, Mahrousa, Ibn Hawqal wa Al-Masalik and al-Mamalik- M. J. DE GOEJE. This is the title that was used for the first edition published in Leiden.Abu'l-Kasim Ibn Haukal; Goeje, M. J. de (Michael Jan) (1873). Al-Masalak wa al-Mamalek Ibn Hawqal [Viae et regna, descriptio ditionis moslemicae auctore Abu'l-Kasim Ibn Haukal;]. Lugdunum Batavorum, Brill. Archived from the original on 2013-02-23. The title of the second edition, which is primarily based on the Istanbul edition, is "Surat al-Ard."Ibn Hawqal (1938). Surat al-Ard (2nd ed.). Leiden, Netherlands: Brill Press. Pp. Book cover. However, Ibn al-Adim referred to the book as "Goghraphia," stating that Ibn Hawqal, upon his departure from Baghdad in 331 AH, commenced the compilation of a geographical treatise, and made mention of the same in several instances,Boghiat Al-Talab fi Tarikh Halab. Pp. 66, 72, 86, 108, 108, 117, 128, 348. which is the name given to the work in the title of a copy held at the Egyptian Book House."National Books and Documents House". 41.33.22.69. Archived from the original on 2021-07-30. Accessed on 2021-07-14. In addition, Sibt ibn al-Jawzi cites Ibn Hawqal on more than one occasion in Mirat al-Zaman, referring to his book as "Al-Aqaleem".Mirat al-Zaman, c. 1, pp. 74, 91, 100, 110. c. 2, p. 313. C. 16, p. 476. Furthermore, this information is also found in Al-Suyuti's Hosn al-Muhadhirah fi al-Tarikh Misr wa al-Qahira (The History of Egypt and Cairo).al-Suyuti (1967). Hosn al-Muhadhirah fi al-Tarikh Misr wa al-Qahira (1st ed.). Egypt: Dar Ihya al-Kutub al-Arabiya. Pp. 23, c. 1. Archived from the original on 2021-06-25. A similar title is found in Copy 3012 in Topkapi, which begins with the words "Description of the Islamic regions and other provinces and the mountains and seas therein."Requiem pour Ibn Hawqal, p. 197. Sibt Ibn al-Jawzi makes reference to it in another sourceMirat al-Zaman, p. 313, c. 2 as "Ajaeb al-Dunya wa Sefteha," which is also the title of Copy 2934 in Hagia Sophia.Requiem pour Ibn Hawqal, p. 194.
Ibn Hawqal's Methodology in Surat al-Ard