ORIENTAL STUDIES / SHARQSHUNOSLIK /
ВОСТОКОВЕДЕНИЕ
2017,
№
4
65
TEXTUAL SOURCES // ÌÀÒÍØÓÍÎÑËÈÊ //
ÒÅÊÑÒÎËÎÃÈß
ALIMOV ZUKHRIDDIN
Researcher, TSIOS
SAITOVA ADOLAT
Researcher, TSIOS
Ibn At’ham al-Kufi and his information on Al-Shash region
Abstract.
The article is devoted to the analisys of historical information on the basis of
“Kitab al-Futuh” (“The Book of Discoveries”) by Ibn ‘A‘tham al-Kufi.
Keywords and expressions:
arabs, islam, Arabian caliphate, Arabs conquests, Cen-
tral Asia, Ash-Shash region.
Аннотация
.
Мақолада
Ибн
Аъсам
ал
-
Куфийнинг
“
Китаб
ал
-
футуҳ
” (
Мамла
-
катларнинг
фатх
этилиши
китоби
)
асосида
Аш
-
Шош
вилояти
ҳақидаги
тарихий
маълумотлар
таҳлил
қилинган
.
Таянч
сўз
ва
иборалар
:
араблар
,
ислом
,
Араб
халифалиги
,
фатҳ
,
Марказий
Осиё
,
Аш
-
Шош
вилояти
.
Аннотация
.
В
статье
анализируются
исторические
сведения
об
области
Аш
-
Шаш
на
основе
произведения
Ибн
Асама
аль
-
Куфия
«
Китаб
аль
-
футух
» («
Книга
о
завовевании
стран
»).
Опорные
слова
и
выражения
:
арабы
,
ислам
,
Арабский
халифат
,
завоевание
,
Цен
-
тральная
Азия
,
область
Аш
-
Шаш
.
From the ancient times in the East appeared a lot of scholars who made a
valuable contribution with their works to the world civilization. It’s important to
introduce their heritage to the world science. Books related to Islamic history play
significant role while researching history of Central Asia. Some of them contain
valuable information not only about history of the Islamic world, but also about
history of the Central Asian region, such as at-Tabari’s “Tarikh al-Umam wa-l-
Muluk”, Ibn al-Athir’s “Al-Kamil fi-t-Ta’rikh” and al-Baladhuri’s “Futuh al-
Buldan”. “Kitab al-Futuh” by Ibn A’tham al-Kufi also gives us large scale of
background about the routes of the Arabs to Central Asia. However, the book is
not learned fully in the source studies and not well known among historians.
Abu Muhammad Ahmad ibn ‘Ali ‘A‘tham al-Kufi al-Kindi al-Akhbari is con-
sidered to be Arabian historian who is not learned fully. There is almost no infor-
mation about his birth data. It was suppused that he dead in 314 A.H. (926 A.D.)
1
His only book which is extant at the time is “Kitab al-Futuh”. Even though Yaqut
1
ﻒﺳﻮﻳ ﻢﻴﻫﺍﺮﺑﺍ
.
ﻪﺑﺎﺘﻛ ﻦﻣ ﺔﻳﻮﻣﻻﺍ ﺔﻓﻼﳋﺍ ﻦﻋ ﰲﻮﻜﻟﺍ ﻢﺜﻋﺃ ﻦﺑ ﺪﲪﺃ ﺞﻬﻨﻣ
ﺡﻮﺘﻔﻟﺍ
/
ﺭﺎﺛﻷﺍ ﻭ ﺦﻳﺭﺎﺘﻠﻟ ﺔﻴﻧﺩﺭﻷﺍ ﺔﻠﺍ
.
ﺪﻠﺍ
2
.
2008
ﻡ.
22
ﺹ
.
ORIENTAL STUDIES / SHARQSHUNOSLIK /
ВОСТОКОВЕДЕНИЕ
2017,
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al-Hamawi in his book “Mu’jam al-Udaba’” said that he had books named “Kitab
at-Ta’rikh” and “Kitab al-Ma’luf” as well
1
.
Yaqut al-Hamawi continues giving information about his biography. It’s said that
Ibn A’tham confessed al-Shi‘a direction of Islam and the Hadiths he had narrated were
zaiyf
(which are not trustful). In “Mu’jam al-Udaba’” there is a poem as well written by
Ahmad al-Bayhaqi which gives description of Ibn A‘tham al-Kufi.
“Kitab al-Futuh” by Ibn A’tham consists of three parts and includes historical
events from the time of the caliph Abu Bakr till the reign of the ‘Abbasid caliph
al-Musta‘in (866). Only one manuscript of the first part includes the backgrounds
till the time of the caliph ‘Uthman; it is stored in the library Gotha in Germany
(No. 1592)
2
. Manuscripts of the first and the third parts are stored in the library
Sultan Ahmad III in Istanbul (No. A1956/1
−
2)
3
.
Information used in this article is based on the last edition of the book (Bayrut,
1991) and especially the parts related to the region of al-Shash were taken as the
main source.
“Kitab al-Futuh” by Ibn A‘tham is not researched fully by scholars. Chapters
related to the Khazar’s history have been researched by D. M. Dunlop, D. Ludwig and
M. I. Artamonov. Z. M. Buniyatov translated into Russian the parts related to Azar-
baydjan’s history. It’s important to carry out a research on this book because of the lar-
ge scale of information about the history of Central Asia included in it and using it as a
comparative source. F. Sezgin mentioned that author’s second book named “Kitab at-
Ta’rikh” can be continuation of the first work or can be a part of it
4
.
There is some original information about the Central Asian history, which is
not the same with the datra of the historical works of al-Baladhuri, Ibn al-Athir
and at-Tabari. Bal‘ami while translated the book of at-Tabari used this book
widely. In the years 1190–1200 Muhammad ibn Ahmad ibn Abu Nasr Muham-
mad al-Mustawfi al-Harawi started translation of this work into Persian and be-
cause of his death it was not finished. Translation had been finished by Muham-
mad ibn Ahmad al-Mabaronabadi. In 1882–1887 final version of the Persian
translation was published in Bombey.
The book begins accordingly with Muslim writing traditions such as
tahmid
(gratefulling God) and describing the Prophet Muhammad (p.b.u.h) and blessing
him and included the reign of the caliph Harun al-Rashid.
The book consists of 5 main parts: Ridda event; assassin of ‘Uthman; caliphate
of Abu Sufyan; conquests and victories; Karbala descend. Dividing the book into
parts like this can not be met in the books of other scholars such as Ibn Hisham,
al-Waqidi and al-Mada’ini, who were well known historians in the Muslim world.
1
ﻱﻮﻤﳊﺍ ﺕﻮﻗﺎﻳ ﻦﻳﺪﻟﺍ ﺏﺎﻬﺷ ﷲﺍ ﺪﺒﻋ ﻮﺑﺍ
.
ﺀﺎﺑﺩﻷﺍ ﻢﺠﻌﻣ
.
ﺕﻭﲑﺑ
–
ﻥﺎﻨﺒﻟ
.
1993
ﻡ
.
202
ﺹ
.
2
Pertsch W. Die Arabischen Handschriften der Herzoglichen Bibliothek zu Gotha Bd. III.
−
Gotha, 1881.
−
P. 219.
3
Topkapi Sarayi Muezesi Kuetuephanasi Arapca Yazmalar katalogu / Hazirlayan F.E.Karatay.
−
Istanbul, 1966.
−
S. 341
−
342.
4
Sezgin F. Geschichte des Arabischen Schrifttums.
−
Leiden: Brill, 1967.
−
P. 527.
ORIENTAL STUDIES / SHARQSHUNOSLIK /
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There can be met some background about the history of al-Shash, Arabs conquest
and the people of this country as well. Moreover, the situation in this country at that
time also is mentioned. For instance, in the chapter named “Qutayba’s visit to Samar-
qand region and his war with the people there” he wrote:
“Qutayba arrived to Samarqand, at this time Ghuzak ibn Ikhshid was rulling
there and he had 130 soldiers. Qutayba surrounded all the gates of the city. All of
the Sogdians went out armed against them. Between the two militant had been
started war and a lot of people were killed,…
…King of Samarqand sent a letter to the al-Shash’s kang saying: the Arabs
are killing us and we are killing them. If they win us they will continue their route
to your side. Protect yourself, we will be with you. If you come to us for help it
will be your victory. People of al-Shash gathered in Samarqand for help. They
sent a messenger to Ghuzak warning that soldier were planning to attack at night.
People of al-Shash sent their vigorous soldiers for help. They went forward the
place where soldiers of Qutayba were staying. Qutayba spied out about it. Then
he had chosen 700 soldiers from his army and told: as you know people of al-
Shash are planning to attack with his governor at night. Now you should go out
and put traps in different places and prevent your religion.
Muslims went out almost at midnight and one mile afar from Qutayba’s army
to the place where the side against them were planning to attack. Chieftain of
Muslim thinking their be hoof divided his army into three and put three traps in
different places. One trap to the right side and the second to the north and the last
was Qutayba’s brother who placed in the middle of the rode.
In midnight people of al-Shash came fully armed. When they came face to face
with Muslims they started to attack and two sides had been mixed. Soldiers who
were staying in the right and left trap attacked against them also. Person who had
more authority among soldiers was taken out of his head. Kafirs (people who do
not have religion) lost the war and run away. Their all weapons were taken away.
Almost none of them managed to run away. Muslims held them as hostages and
told to Qutayba about it. Qutayba said: “May Allah be pleased with you for
fighting without thinking about yourself and showing your power. Then hostages
were brought and all of them were taken of their heads… Qutayba gave to his
soldiers a lot of awards and continued his route to Samarqand…”
1
.
At-Tabari described this event in his book like this:
“…governor of Samarqand sent a letter to the governor of Jaj (Chach) saying
that Arabs has come to us. If they manage to win us they will go forward you.
People of Chach got together and faced to Samarqand. They sent a legate to
Ghurak and said to call them for war. When they are engaged with you we will
attack them… Qutayba found out about it. Qutayba had chosen one thousand of
his soldiers and sent them towards Chach. Each of them was equal to hundreds of
them in power. Qutayba told them that Chach’s troop are planning to come
towards us to attack. He ordered them to stay in one place in a trap and chose
1
ﰲﻮﻜﻟﺍ ﻢﺜﻋﺍ ﻦﺑﺍ
.
ﺡﻮﺘﻔﻟﺍ ﺏﺎﺘﻛ
.
ﺀﺍﻮﺿﻻﺍ ﺭﺍﺩ
.
ﺕﻭﲑﺑ
–
ﻥﺎﻨﺒﻟ
.
1991
ﻡ.
158
ﺹ
.
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Salih ibn Muslim as a leader. Salih ibn Muslim divided soldiers into three groups.
One group stayed on the right and the second on the left and finally he with his
soldiers stayed in the middle.
Almost half of the night passed. Salih ibn Muslim had gone out from the trap
and started fighting. Shu‘ayb ibn Tayir from Muslim’s side attacked one of the
princes of Chach and took his head. Seeing this Chach army lost the war. Arabs
run after them and killed some of them. No one could run away. Heads that were
taken away were brought to Qutayba. Almost all of them were princes. Muslims
could gain a lot of arms and brought them to Qutayba…”
1
.
These events described like this in Ibn Athir’s history book also. But in his
book number of the soldiers who were sent against al-Shash’s army is written
from 400 hundreds to 600 hundreds of people. Furthermore, it is mentioned that
Salih ibn Muslim who was chosen as a leader to the army had divided his troop
not in three parts, but in two parts and then began fighting
2
.
Al-Baladhuri in his book “Futuh al-Buldan” described this event in this way:
“…Qutayba captured people of Samarqand. They met one more time and
fought. Governor of al-Sughd wrote a letter to al-Shash’s king who had lived in
at-Tarband. King of al-Shash with his army came to help them. Muslims faced
with them and they fought. Then Qutayba won the war …”
3
.
At-Tabari in his book described Qutayba’s campaign to al-Shash in details and
it’s not given in Ibn A’tham’s book. There is the chapter “Description of Qutay-
ba’s war to Chach and Farghana” in “Tarikh at-Tabari”:
“It was 94. Qutayba decided to go to capture Farghana and Chach. Leaving
marv he passed Djayhun river and gathered troop with twenty hundreds of people
and joining with his own soldiers they arrived to Samarqand. He sent his troop to
Chach and he himself came to Farghana then he continued his conquest till
Khudjand. People of Farghana were ready for fighting. Then they started to fight.
There was not any day without war. All the time the victory was in Muslims side…
…Soldiers of Qutayba surrounded the city. They found out that they lost the
war. After that they made an agreement to make a condition that they will pay
taxes every year…”
4
.
Ibn al-Athir mentioned the same information. But he added that Qutayba’s
troop with 20 thousands soldiers were gathered not only from Kish and Kh
w
arazm
but from Bukhara and Nasaf as well
5
.
Al-Baladhuri described Qutayba’s capture of al-Shash like this:
“…al-Haytham ibn ‘Adi says: “As the information I got from Ibn ‘Ayyash al-
Hamadani that Qutayba captured al-Shash totally and got through Isbijob.
Furthermore I was told that this palace was captured in past times also then
1
ﻱﱪﻄﻟﺍ ﺮﻳﺮﺟ ﻦﺑ ﺮﻔﻌﺟ ﰊﺃ ﻡﺎﻣﻺﻟ ﻱﱪﻄﻟﺍ ﺦﻳﺭﺎﺘﺑ ﻑﻭﺮﻌﳌﺍ ﻙﻮﻠﳌﺍ ﻭ ﻞﺳﺮﻟﺍ ﺦﻳﺭﺎﺗ
.
ﺓﺮﻫﺎﻘﻟﺍ
.
1985
ﻡ.
472
ﺹ
.
2
ﲑﺛﻷﺍ ﻦﺑﺍ
.
ﺦﻳﺭﺎﺘﻟﺍ ﰲ ﻞﻣﺎﻜﻟﺍ
.
ﺔﻴﻤﻠﻌﻟﺍ ﺐﺘﻜﻟﺍ ﺭﺍﺩ
.
ﺕﻭﲑﺑ
–
ﻥﺎﻨﺒﻟ
.
1987
ﻡ.
274
ﺹ
.
3
Liber Expugnationis Regionorum auctore imamo Ahmed ibn Jahja ibn Djabir al-Beladsori / Ed.
M.J. de Goeje. Lugduni Batavorum, 1866.
−
P. 321.
4
ﻱﱪﻄﻟﺍ ﺮﻳﺮﺟ ﻦﺑ ﺮﻔﻌﺟ ﰊﺃ ﻡﺎﻣﻺﻟ ﻱﱪﻄﻟﺍ ﺦﻳﺭﺎﺘﺑ ﻑﻭﺮﻌﳌﺍ ﻙﻮﻠﳌﺍ ﻭ ﻞﺳﺮﻟﺍ ﺦﻳﺭﺎﺗ
.
ﺓﺮﻫﺎﻘﻟﺍ
.
1985
ﻡ.
483
ﺹ
.
5
ﲑﺛﻷﺍ ﻦﺑﺍ
.
ﺦﻳﺭﺎﺘﻟﺍ ﰲ ﻞﻣﺎﻜﻟﺍ
.
ﺔﻴﻤﻠﻌﻟﺍ ﺐﺘﻜﻟﺍ ﺭﺍﺩ
.
ﲑﺑ
ﺕﻭ
–
ﻥﺎﻨﺒﻟ
.
1987
ﻡ.
281
ﺹ
.
ORIENTAL STUDIES / SHARQSHUNOSLIK /
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Turks got it and in that time some people from al-Shash were with them. In the
caliphate time of amir al-mu’minun al-Mu‘tasim billah this palace was captured
by Nuh ibn Asad. Then he built a wall that surrounds people’s fields…”
1
.
We can met also some other information about al-Shash in Ibn A’tham’s book.
For example he described event that happened in 123 A.H. like this:
“… Hisham sent Nasr ibn Sayyar to Khurasan as a governor. Nasr bin Sayyar
arriving there decided to begin a war to the places behind the river which were
not joined the caliphate. He captured al-Shash and Farghana. He made easier to
pay hiraj (type of tax in Islamic counties) for people in this cities. As a result
people’s attitude to him changed and they treated him good…”
2
.
At-Tabari also described this event like this:
“…Nasr ibn Sayyar came and captured cities of al-Shash. He was busy with war
and he made easier hiraj (the taxes). And the nation treated him like a friend…”
3
.
As a conclusion we can say that Ibn A’tham al-Kufi’s “Kitab al-Futuh” plays
significant role to get new information about the history of Central Asia and to
compare with another books. The source is necessary because of the historical
names which are not met in other books. Study of this book fully gives us
opportunity to research history of Central Asia in more details.
BEKMURADOV SANJAR
Researcher, TSIOS
Jamal al-Qarshi and his composition
“Al-Mulkhaqat bi-s-Surakh” is important source to study
Central Asian history during XIII
–
XIV centuries
Abstract.
The article is devoted to work of Middle Asian scientist of XIII
–
beg. XIV
century Jamal al-Karshi “Al-Mulkhaqat bi-s-Surakh” (“Addition to As-Surakh voca-
bulary”). The article deals primarily with the relevance of the work and the level of
its study and its translation, as well as research that will be made in the future.
Keywords and expressions:
mongols, khakan, Jamal al-Karshi, “Al-Mulkhaqat bi-s-
Surakh”, Chighatay, Khaydu, Chapar, Kistay, Ghuyuk, Kutan, Sartak, Menku-Temur,
Alghuy, Khara-Khulagu (Khudaghu).
Аннотация
.
Мазкур
мақола
Жамол
ал
-
Қаршийнинг
XIII–XIV
аср
бошлари
тари
-
хини
баён
этувчи
“
Ал
-
Мулҳақот
би
-
с
-
Суроҳ
” (“
Суроҳ
луғатига
иловалар
”)
асари
,
яъни
унинг
долзарблиги
,
унинг
ўрганилганлик
даражаси
ҳамда
тар
-
жималари
ҳақидадир
.
1
Liber Expugnationis Regionorum auctore imamo Ahmed ibn Jahja ibn Djabir al-Beladsori / Ed.
M.J. de Goeje. Lugduni Batavorum, 1866.
−
P. 322.
2
ﰲﻮﻜﻟﺍ ﻢﺜﻋﺍ ﻦﺑﺍ
.
ﺡﻮﺘﻔﻟﺍ ﺏﺎﺘﻛ
.
ﺀﺍﻮﺿﻻﺍ ﺭﺍﺩ
.
ﺕﻭﲑﺑ
–
ﻥﺎﻨﺒﻟ
.
1991
ﻡ
.
283
ﺹ
.
3
ﻞﺳﺮﻟﺍ ﺦﻳﺭﺎﺗ
ﻱﱪﻄﻟﺍ ﺮﻳﺮﺟ ﻦﺑ ﺮﻔﻌﺟ ﰊﺃ ﻡﺎﻣﻺﻟ ﻱﱪﻄﻟﺍ ﺦﻳﺭﺎﺘﺑ ﻑﻭﺮﻌﳌﺍ ﻙﻮﻠﳌﺍ ﻭ
.
ﺓﺮﻫﺎﻘﻟﺍ
.
1985
ﻡ
.
192
ﺹ
.
