The History Of Imam Tabari 40 Volumes

Tarikh al-Rusul wa'l muluk 'Annals of the Apostles and Kings' ,by Abu Ja'far Muhammad b Jarir al-Tabri (839-923), is by common consent the most important universal history produced in the world of Islam.

This monumental work explores the history of the ancient nations, the prophets, the rise of Islam and the history of the Islamic World down to the year 915 AD / 302 AH i.e The Return of the Caliphate to Baghdad: (The Caliphates of al-Mu'tadid, al-Muktafi and al-Muqtadir)

It is divided here in 40 Volumes (Including Index) each of which covers about two hundred pages of the original Arabic text.

Imam at-Tabari spent 12 years writing this encyclopaedia on Islamic history. His job was not easy for he had to collect and compile the material from different sources. He had to rely on oral reports as well to complete his encyclopedia. His encyclopedia, 'Annals of the Apostles and Kings', chronicled the History of Islam year by year; an attempt to categorize history from creation till the year 915 A.C. By the time he had finished his work, he had gathered all the historical traditions of the Arabs in his voluminous work. The Muslim world was not slow in showing its appreciation, and this work became more famous than his Commentary of the Holy Qur'an, for there was no other works like that in existence at that time.

It is reported that there were at least 20 copies of his encyclopedia in all great libraries in the Muslim world of those days. Hundreds of copyists earned their living copying his work for use of individuals and libraries. Many of his original works were lost over the passage of time. It was only in the end of the last century that modern scholars pieced together his work so that it could be studied by students in modern times.

 

  1. The History of al-Tabari Vol. 1: General Introduction and From the Creation to the Flood
  2. The History of al-Tabari Vol. 2: Prophets and Patriarchs
  3. The History of al-Tabari Vol. 3: The Children of Israel
  4. The History of al-Tabari Vol. 4: The Ancient Kingdoms
  5. The History of al-Tabari Vol. 5: The Sasanids, the Byzantines, the Lakhmids, and Yemen
  6. The History of al-Tabari Vol. 6: Muhammad at Mecca
  7. The History of al-Tabari Vol. 7: The Foundation of the Community: Muhammad At Al-Madina A.D. 622-626/Hijrah-4 A.H.
  8. The History of al-Tabari Vol. 8: The Victory of Islam: Muhammad at Medina A.D. 626-630/A.H. 5-8
  9. The History of al-Tabari Vol. 9: The Last Years of the Prophet: The Formation of the State A.D. 630-632/A.H. 8-11
  10. The History of al-Tabari Vol. 10: The Conquest of Arabia: The Riddah Wars A.D. 632-633/A.H. 11
  11. The History of al-Tabari Vol. 11: The Challenge to the Empires A.D. 633-635/A.H. 12-13
  12. The History of al-Tabari Vol. 12: The Battle of al-Qadisiyyah and the Conquest of Syria and Palestine A.D. 635-637/A.H. 14-15
  13. The History of al-Tabari Vol. 13: The Conquest of Iraq, Southwestern Persia, and Egypt: The Middle Years of 'Umar's Caliphate A.D. 636-642/A.H. 15-21
  14. The History of al-Tabari Vol. 14: The Conquest of Iran A.D. 641-643/A.H. 21-23
  15. The History of al-Tabari Vol. 15: The Crisis of the Early Caliphate: The Reign of 'Uthman A.D. 644-656/A.H. 24-35
  16. The History of al-Tabari Vol. 16: The Community Divided: The Caliphate of 'Ali I A.D. 656-657/A.H. 35-36
  17. The History of al-Tabari Vol. 17: The First Civil War: From the Battle of Siffin to the Death of 'Ali A.D. 656-661/A.H. 36-40
  18. The History of al-Tabari Vol. 18: Between Civil Wars: The Caliphate of Mu'awiyah A.D. 661-680/A.H. 40-60
  19. The History of al-Tabari Vol. 19: The Caliphate of Yazid b. Mu'awiyah A.D. 680-683/A.H. 60-64
  20. The History of al-Tabari Vol. 20: The Collapse of Sufyanid Authority and the Coming of the Marwanids: The Caliphates of Mu'awiyah II and Marwan I and the Beginning of The Caliphate of 'Abd al-Malik A.D. 683-685/A.H. 64-66
  21. The History of al-Tabari Vol. 21: The Victory of the Marwanids A.D. 685-693/A.H. 66-73
  22. The History of al-Tabari Vol. 22: The Marwanid Restoration: The Caliphate of 'Abd al-Malik A.D. 693-701/A.H. 74-81
  23. The History of al-Tabari Vol. 23: The Zenith of the Marwanid House: The Last Years of 'Abd al-Malik and The Caliphate of al-Walid A.D. 700-715/A.H. 81-96
  24. The History of al-Tabari Vol. 24: The Empire in Transition: The Caliphates of Sulayman, 'Umar, and Yazid A.D. 715-724/A.H. 97-105
  25. The History of al-Tabari Vol. 25: The End of Expansion: The Caliphate of Hisham A.D. 724-738/A.H. 105-120
  26. The History of al-Tabari Vol. 26: The Waning of the Umayyad Caliphate: Prelude to Revolution A.D. 738-745/A.H. 121-127
  27. The History of al-Tabari Vol. 27: The 'Abbasid Revolution A.D. 743-750/A.H. 126-132
  28. The History of al-Tabari Vol. 28: 'Abbasid Authority Affirmed: The Early Years of al-Mansur A.D. 753-763/A.H. 136-145
  29. The History of al-Tabari Vol. 29: Al-Mansur and al-Mahdi A.D. 763-786/A.H. 146-169
  30. The History of al-Tabari Vol. 30: The 'Abbasid Caliphate in Equilibrium: The Caliphates of Musa al-Hadi and Harun al-Rashid A.D. 785-809/A.H. 169-193
  31. The History of al-Tabari Vol. 31: The War between Brothers: The Caliphate of Muhammad al-Amin A.D. 809-813/A.H. 193-198
  32. The History of al-Tabari Vol. 32: The Reunification of the 'Abbasid Caliphate: The Caliphate of al-Ma'mun A.D. 813-833/A.H. 198-218
  33. The History of al-Tabari Vol. 33: Storm and Stress along the Northern Frontiers of the 'Abbasid Caliphate: The Caliphate of al-Mu'tasim A.D. 833-842/A.H. 218-227
  34. The History of al-Tabari Vol. 34: Incipient Decline: The Caliphates of al-Wathiq, al-Mutawakkil, and al-Muntasir A.D. 841-863/A.H. 227-248
  35. The History of al-Tabari Vol. 35: The Crisis of the 'Abbasid Caliphate: The Caliphates of al-Musta'in and al-Mu'tazz A.D. 862-869/A.H. 248-255
  36. The History of al-Tabari Vol. 36: The Revolt of the Zanj A.D. 869-879/A.H. 255-265
  37. The History of al-Tabari Vol. 37: The 'Abbasid Recovery: The War Against the Zanj Ends A.D. 879-893/A.H. 266-279
  38. The History of al-Tabari Vol. 38: The Return of the Caliphate to Baghdad: The Caliphates of al-Mu'tadid, al-Muktafi and al-Muqtadir A.D. 892-915/A.H. 279-302
  39. The History of al-Tabari Vol. 39: Biographies of the Prophet's Companions and Their Successors: al-Tabari's Supplement to His History
  40. The History of al-Tabari Vol. 40: Index