Arabic Authors - A Manual of Arabian History and Literature

F. F. Arbuthnot

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• Publié par: basud
• Publié le: 08 décembre 2010
• Nombre de lectures: 61
• Langue: English

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The Project Gutenberg EBook of Arabic Authors,
by F. F. Arbuthnot
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Title: Arabic Authors A Manual of Arabian History
and Literature
Author: F. F. Arbuthnot
Release Date: November 24, 2006 [EBook #19914]
Language: English
*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG
EBOOK ARABIC AUTHORS ***
Produced by Thierry Alberto, Don Perry and the
Online Distributed Proofreaders Europe at
http://dp.rastko.netARABIC AUTHORS.
A MANUAL OF ARABIAN HISTORY AND
LITERATURE.
BY
F.F. ARBUTHNOT, M.R.A.S.,
AUTHOR OF
"EARLY IDEAS" AND "PERSIAN PORTRAITS."
LONDON:
WILLIAM HEINEMANN.
1890.PREFACE.
The following pages contain nothing new and
nothing original, but they do contain a good deal of
information gathered from various sources, and
brought together under one cover. The book itself
may be useful, not, perhaps, to the Professor or to
the Orientalist, but to the general reader, and to
the student commencing the study of Arabic. To
the latter it will give some idea of the vast field of
Arabian literature that lies before him, and prepare
him, perhaps, for working out a really interesting
work upon the subject. Such still remains to be
written in the English language, and it is to be
hoped that it will be done some day thoroughly and
well.
It is gratifying to think that the study of Oriental
languages and literature is progressing in Europe
generally, if not in England particularly. The last
Oriental Congress, held at Stockholm and
Christiania the beginning of September, 1889,
brought together a goodly number of Oriental
scholars. There were twenty-eight nationalities
represented altogether, and the many papers
prepared and read, or taken as read preparatory to
their being printed, showed that matters connected
with Oriental studies in all their branches excite
considerable interest.
England, too, has been lately making some efforts
which will be, it is sincerely hoped, crowned withsuccess. The lectures on modern Oriental
languages lately established by the Imperial
Institute of the United Kingdom, the Colonies, and
India, in union with University College and King's
College, London, is full of promise of bringing forth
good fruit hereafter. So much is to be learnt from
Oriental literature in various ways that it is to be
hoped the day may yet come when the study of
one or more Oriental languages will be taken up as
a pastime to fill the leisure hours of a future
generation thirsting after knowledge.
In addition to the above, a movement is also being
made to attempt to revive the old Oriental
Translation Fund. It was originally started in A.D.
1828, and did good work for fifty years, publishing
translations (see Appendix) from fifteen different
Oriental languages, and then collapsing from
apathy, neglect, and want of funds. Unless well
supported, both by donations and annual
subscriptions, it is useless to attempt a fresh start.
To succeed thoroughly it must be regarded as a
national institution, and sufficiently well-off to be
able to afford to bring out Texts and Indexes of
[Transcriber's note: Missing page in the source
document.]
-cially An-Nadim's 'Fihrist,' a most valuable book of
reference, ought to be done into English without
further delay. Private individuals can hardly
undertake the business, but a well-organized and
permanent Oriental Translation Fund, assisted by
the English and Indian Governments, could andwould render extraordinary services in the
publication of texts, translations, and indexes of
Oriental literature generally.
For assistance in the preparation of this present
volume my thanks are due to the many authors
whose works have been freely used and quoted,
and also to Mr. E. Rehatsek, of Bombay, whose
knowledge of the Arabic language and of Arabic
literature is well known to all Oriental scholars.
F.F. ARBUTHNOT.
18, Park Lane, W.CONTENTSCHAPTER I.
HISTORICAL.
Arabia: its boundaries, divisions of districts,
revenues, area, population, and history.—Tribe of
Koraish.—The Kaabah at Mecca.—Muhammad.—
His immediate successors: Abu Bakr, Omar,
Othman, Ali.—The Omaiyides.—Fate of Hasan and
Hussain, sons of Ali—Sunnis and Shiahs.—
Overthrow of the Omaiyides by the Abbasides.—
The Omaiyides in Spain; their conquests and
government.—The Moors, and their final expulsion.
—To what extent Europe is indebted to the
Spanish Arabs.—Their literature and architecture.
—The Abbaside Khalifs at Baghdad.—Persia,
Egypt, Syria, Palestine, and Arabia become
detached from their government in the course of
time.—Fall of Baghdad itself in A.D. 1258.—
Dealings of the Turks with Arabia.—The Wahhabi
reform movement.—Expeditions of the Turks and
Egyptians to suppress it.—Various defeats and
successes.—Present form of government in
Arabia.—Its future prospects.—List of the
Omaiyide Khalifs, preceded by Muhammad and his
four immediate successors.—List of the Abbaside
Khalifs.—List of the Arab rulers in Spain.
CHAPTER II.LITERARY.
About the Arabic and Chinese languages.—The
permanent character of the former attributed to the
Koran.—Division of Arab literature into three
periods: I. The time before Muhammad.—The
sage Lokman; the description of three Lokmans;
Arab poetry before the Koran; the seven
suspended poems, known as the Mua'llakat, at
Mecca; notions of the Arabs about poetry; their
Kasidas; description of the Kasidas of Amriolkais,
Antara, Labid, Tarafa, Amru, Harath, and Zoheir;
the poets Nabiga, Al-Kama, and Al-Aasha. II. The
period from the time of Muhammad to the fall of
the Abbasides.—Muhammad considered as a poet;
the poets who were hostile to him; his panegyrist
Kab bin Zoheir; account of him and his 'Poem of
the Mantle,' and the results; Al-Busiri's 'Poem of
the Mantle;' names of poets favourable and hostile
to Muhammad; the seven jurisconsults; the four
imams; the six fathers of tradition; the early
traditionists; the companions; the alchemists; the
astronomers; the grammarians; the geographers
and travellers; the historians; the tabulators and
biographers; the writers about natural history; the
philologists; the philosophers; the physicians; the
poets; the collectors and editors of poems; the
essayist Al-Hariri; many translators; special notice
of Ibn Al-Mukaffa; support given to learning and
literature by certain of the Omaiyide, Abbaside,
and Spanish Arab Khalifs; description of Baghdad;
reign of Harun-ar-Rashid; the Barmekides; the
Khalif Razi-billah; Hakim II. at Cordova; his