Shams al-Din al-Ansari al-Dimashqi

Shams al-Din al-Ansari al-Dimashqi
Arab geographer
Shams al-Din al-Ansari al-Dimashqi
شمس الدين الأنصاري الدمشقي
Title al-Dimashqi
Born 1256 CE
Died 1327 CE
Ethnicity Arab
Region Greater Syria
Main interests History and Geography

Sheikh Shams al-Din al-Ansari al-Dimashqi or simply al-Dimashqi (Arabic: شمس الدين الأنصاري الدمشقي‎) (1256–1327) was a medieval Arab geographer, completing his main work in 1300. Born in Damascus—as his name "Dimashqi" implies—he mostly wrote of his native land, the Greater Syria (Bilad ash-Sham), upon the complete withdrawal of the Crusaders. He became a contemporary of the Mamluk sultan Baibars, the general who led the Muslims in war against the Crusaders. His work is of value in connection with the Crusader Chronicles. He died while in Safad, in 1327.[1]

Al-Dimashqi (1325) gives very detailed accounts of each island in the Malay archipelago, its population, flora, fauna and customs. He mentions "the country of Champa...is inhabited by Muslims and idolaters. The Islam came there during the time of Caliph Uthman...and Ali, many Muslims who were expelled by the Umayyads and by Al-Hajjaj, fled there, and since then a majority of the Cham have embraced Islam ".

Of their rivals the Khmer, Al-Dimashqi (1325) mentions they inhabit the island of Komor (Khmer), also called Malay Island, are many towns and cities, rich-dense forests with huge, tall trees, and white elephants; they supplemented their income from the trade routes not only by exporting ivory and aloe, but also by engaging in piracy and raiding on Muslim and Chinese shipping.

Al-Dimaski's writings on Syria were published in St. Petersburg in 1866 by M.A.F Mehren, and this edition was later used for the English translation by Guy le Strange in 1890.[1]

References

  1. ^ a b le Strange, 1890, p.10.

Bibliography

External links


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Поможем написать курсовую

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Shams al-Din — (Arabic: شمس الدين ‎) Shams al Din is a Muslim name, meaning Sun of the faith . It may refer to: Muhammad ibn Ahmad Shams al Din al Muqaddasi (ca. 945 1000), Arab geographer Shams al Din Muhammad bin Ali, or Suzani Samarqandi (died 1166), Persian …   Wikipedia

  • Al-Dimashqi — The Arabic nisbah (attributive title) Al Dimashqi (Arabic: الدمشقي‎) denotes an origin from Damascus, Syria. Al Dimashqi may refer to: Shams al Din al Ansari al Dimashqi: a medieval Arab geographer. Abu al Fadl Ja far ibn Ali al Dimashqi: 12th… …   Wikipedia

  • Nabulsi soap — stacked for drying. Photo taken between 1900 1920 by American Colony, Jerusalem. Nabulsi soap (Arabic: صابون نابلسي‎, ṣābūn Nābulsi) is a type of castile soap produced only in Nablus in the West Bank, Palestine.[1] …   Wikipedia

  • Abū Rayḥān al-Bīrūnī — Al Biruni redirects here. For the lunar crater, see Al Biruni (crater). For the university, see Al Beroni University. Al Birunī (البیرونی) Alberonius An imaginary rendition of Al Biruni on a 1973 Afghan post stamp Full name Abū Rayḥān Muḥammad… …   Wikipedia

  • Al-Dhahabi — Full name Al Dhahabi Born 673 AH / 1274 Died 748 AH[1] / 1348 Era Medieval era Region Syrian scholar …   Wikipedia

  • Muḥammad ibn Mūsā al-Khwārizmī — al Khwārizmī redirects here. For other uses, see al Khwārizmī (disambiguation). Muḥammad ibn Mūsā al Khwārizmī …   Wikipedia

  • Ibn Qayyim Al-Jawziyya — Nacimiento 4 de febrero de 1292 cerca de Damasco. Fallecimiento …   Wikipedia Español

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”