The History of al-Tabari Vol. 1
(April 1989)
General Introduction and From the Creation to the Flood Franz Rosenthal - Translator
Volume I of the thirty-eight volume translation of Tabari's great History begins with the creation of the world and ends with the time of Noah and the Flood. It not only brings a vast amount of speculation about the early history of mankind into sharp Muslim focus, but it also synchronizes ancient Iranian ideas about the prehistory of mankind with those inspired by the Qur'an and the Bible. The volume is thus an excellent guide to the cosmolo...(Read More)
The History of al-Tabari Vol. 38
(October 1985)
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 Franz Rosenthal - Translator
The concluding pages of al-Tabari's History cover the caliphates of al-Mu'tadid and al-Muktafi and the beginning of the reign of al-Muqtadir--altogether a period of 23 turbulent years in world history. Although al-Tabari has woven skillful narratives and quoted important documents verbatim, much of the information consists of brief notes jotted down by an observant and well-placed contemporary who witnessed the events as they occurred. The re...(Read More)