DOI article:
Margoliouth, D. S.; Herz, Max: Progress of Egyptology: Arabic Studies - Literature
DOI Page / Citation link: https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.12053#0105
Ababic Studies.
89
and on the motives and conduct of the chief characters who figured in the
series of events which led to the acquisition of the Sudan for Egypt and
Great Britain. A good English translation of this work is a need which
cannot be too speedily supplied.
An account of the Moslem conqueror of Egypt is to found in the Glass-
Book of Ibn Sa'd, a gigantic compilation by Wakidi's Secretary, of which
the name and some of the contents have long been known to scholars from
the works of Muir, Sprenger and Loth, but of which it was left to the
energetic, industrious, and capable Sachau to organize the publication.
The Berlin Academy is patron of the work: as colleagues Sachau has
procured some scholars of tried capacity, including Brockelmann and
Horowitz. The student of the origins of Islam will have to master these
mighty volumes. Nor will he be able to dispense with another work on a
colossal scale, of which the last volume has recently appeared in Cairo :
the Commentary on the Koran by the historian Tabari, whose work will
render that of his successors unnecessary to the European student. And
for the history of the dogmas of Islam valuable material will be found in
the Book of Sects and Beligious Opinions by Ibn Hazm the Zahirite, of
which a beautifully printed edition has recently appeared in Cairo, though
it is probable that Goldziher's monograph on the Zahirites will be found
to have secured all the gems which it contains. Bather nearer Egypt is
the Divan of Sibt Ibn al-Ta'awidhi, one of Saladin's encomiasts, of which
an edition based on two Bodleian MSS. was issued in March by the present
writer from the Muktataf press.
Not a little connected with the government of Egypt in the period
immediately preceding the rise of the Fatimide dynasty is to be found in
the works of Hilal al-Sabi, edited by Mr. Amedroz. This book is one of the
most important contributions to the history of the Abbasid period that we
possess; accurate details of administration are given such as are scarcely
to be found elsewhere ; the historian of the Fatimide dynasty will be able
to learn from it some of the causes which led to the severance of Egypt
from the sovereignty of Baghdad. Mr. Amedroz has provided these texts
with an ample analysis in English, a glossary, and indices ; he has thus
rendered a translation not quite indispensable for those who know little or
no Arabic. The work is issued by the meritorious Brill of Leyden, but
printed at Beyrut with the beautiful types of the Jesuit press.
Mr. George Zaidan, editor of the Hilal, is continuing his history of
Islamic civilization; the second volume contains an elaborate comparison
of Egyptian finance under the Caliphs with the budgets of modern times ;
his work has attracted considerable attention among Arabic scholars in
h
89
and on the motives and conduct of the chief characters who figured in the
series of events which led to the acquisition of the Sudan for Egypt and
Great Britain. A good English translation of this work is a need which
cannot be too speedily supplied.
An account of the Moslem conqueror of Egypt is to found in the Glass-
Book of Ibn Sa'd, a gigantic compilation by Wakidi's Secretary, of which
the name and some of the contents have long been known to scholars from
the works of Muir, Sprenger and Loth, but of which it was left to the
energetic, industrious, and capable Sachau to organize the publication.
The Berlin Academy is patron of the work: as colleagues Sachau has
procured some scholars of tried capacity, including Brockelmann and
Horowitz. The student of the origins of Islam will have to master these
mighty volumes. Nor will he be able to dispense with another work on a
colossal scale, of which the last volume has recently appeared in Cairo :
the Commentary on the Koran by the historian Tabari, whose work will
render that of his successors unnecessary to the European student. And
for the history of the dogmas of Islam valuable material will be found in
the Book of Sects and Beligious Opinions by Ibn Hazm the Zahirite, of
which a beautifully printed edition has recently appeared in Cairo, though
it is probable that Goldziher's monograph on the Zahirites will be found
to have secured all the gems which it contains. Bather nearer Egypt is
the Divan of Sibt Ibn al-Ta'awidhi, one of Saladin's encomiasts, of which
an edition based on two Bodleian MSS. was issued in March by the present
writer from the Muktataf press.
Not a little connected with the government of Egypt in the period
immediately preceding the rise of the Fatimide dynasty is to be found in
the works of Hilal al-Sabi, edited by Mr. Amedroz. This book is one of the
most important contributions to the history of the Abbasid period that we
possess; accurate details of administration are given such as are scarcely
to be found elsewhere ; the historian of the Fatimide dynasty will be able
to learn from it some of the causes which led to the severance of Egypt
from the sovereignty of Baghdad. Mr. Amedroz has provided these texts
with an ample analysis in English, a glossary, and indices ; he has thus
rendered a translation not quite indispensable for those who know little or
no Arabic. The work is issued by the meritorious Brill of Leyden, but
printed at Beyrut with the beautiful types of the Jesuit press.
Mr. George Zaidan, editor of the Hilal, is continuing his history of
Islamic civilization; the second volume contains an elaborate comparison
of Egyptian finance under the Caliphs with the budgets of modern times ;
his work has attracted considerable attention among Arabic scholars in
h