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    Ibn Duqmaq and his manuscript "Nuzhat al-Anām fi tārikh al-Islām"
    Tabbara, Samir ( 1989)
    This manuscript relates important events and biographies of prominent figures between the years 628 A.H./1230 A.D. and 659 A.H./1261 A.D. which covers the later period of the Ayyubid rule. This manuscript covers the conflicts between the Sultans of the ruling family in Egypt on the one hand, and the Ayyubid kings in Syria on the other. It also discusses external dangers from the Franks who wished to control all the cities on the Syrian coast, thus posing a direct threat to Egypt, the Mongolian invasion of Baghdad and its destruction in 656 A.H./1258 A. D., followed by the destruction of Syria. This continued until Egypt’s Mamluk al-Zahir Kutuz stood in their way and fought against them in the famous battle of "Ayn jalut" in 658 A.H./1261 A.D. These were the main events that distinguished the historical period during the Ayyubid period as described in the manuscript "Nuzhat al-Anam" and related by the historian Ibn Duqmaq in chronological order. I have edited and studied the contents of this manuscript referring to a substantial number of sources that were contemporary to the Ayyubid period. In addition I have set out an introduction in four chapters that discuss all aspects of this manuscript. The arrangement is as follows: Chapter I: It discusses the author's life, his education and his importance amongst his contemporary scholars. In addition this chapter describes the period of the author's life during the Mamluk rule in Egypt, discussing the literature and scholarship of that period that clarifies some aspects of the author's life as we come to understand the environment he lived in. Chapter I I: This chapter describes the contents of the manuscript indicating the parts it is composed of and their whereabout. Chapter III: This chapter gives us a study of the sources relevant to this manuscript between 628 A.H./1230 A.D. and 659 A.H./1261 A.D. Chapter IV: This chapter gives a picture of the Ayyubid period that is covered by the manuscript. Finally, I would like to point out the importance of this manuscript. Even though it covers the same historic period as that of other references such as Ibn Wasil 's Mufarridj al Kurub, Ibn al-Jawzi' s Mir’at al Zaman, al Maqrizi's al-Suluk and others, this manuscript covers major historic events and biographies of prominent figures that may not be found in other sources, thus complementing other historic references. Above all, the editing of this manuscript aims to draw out the importance and significance of Arab and Islamic history that is often forgotten or unknown. At this stage I would like to draw attention to the numbering of pages of this work. I have numbered the pages beginning with the introduction to the end in the bottom margin. At the same time I have maintained the page numbers of the Arabic text in the top margin. With regards to the footnotes in the introduction, I have placed them at the end of in consecutive order.