This References to this work in the Jawámi‘. work is mentioned four times in the Jawámi‘ without the name of its author. In one anecdote, dealing with the origin of the science of physiognomy, in the chapter “On the Sagacity of Eminent Persons”, Aflímún* is mentioned as the founder of this science; and the oft-quoted story*, of his correct reading of the lustful nature of Hippocrates from a chart of his features, is told at length, (A. f154b. I. xi. 589). In another anecdote, the Imám Sháfi‘í is said to have gone in search of this science to different countries and acquired a considerable knowledge of reading men’s characters from their features, (A. f153b. I. xi. 579). Two other references to this work are given in connection with the relation of external features to the human mind, (D. f194a. III. i. 1543), (D. f194b. III. i. 1545).

It Identification not possible. is not known which particular author’s work was in the hands of al-‘Awfí. In these citations he alludes to a work written by the Greek philosophers. Ibnu’l-Qiftí in his Ta’rikhu’l-Ḥukamá’ (p. 60) in the biography of Aflímún says that the treatise of Aflímún on physiognomy was translated from Greek into Arabic; but he does not mention the name of the translator. H. Khalfa (Vol. IV, p. 388, No. 8943) speaks of a work on the above subject, composed by the Imám [Fakhru’d-Dín] ar-Rází (d. 606 A. H. = 1209 A. D.) which was based on the work of Aristotle, and enumerates a few other works on physiognomy, but unfortunately none of these has come down to us.

The Acknowledged citations from the Kitábu’l-Maghází of Muḥammad b. Isḥáq. name of Muḥammad* b. Isḥáq (d. 151 A. H. = 768 A. D.) is particularly mentioned in connection with the above work twice in the Jawámi‘. One anecdote which is related on the authority of Muḥammad b. Isḥáq, the author of the Maghází, concerning the vow of ‘Abdu’l-Muṭṭalib, the grandfather of the Prophet, to sacrifice one of his sons (A. f32b. I. ii. 53), is preserved in extenso in the Síratu Rasúli’lláh (pp. 97-100) of ‘Abdu’l-Malik* b. Hishám (d. 218 A. H. = 834 A. D.), in whose recension the work of Ibn Isḥáq is preserved mainly. Another anecdote, about a man from an Arabian tribe who was taken prisoner during the early victories of the Prophet and breathed his last on separation from his beloved (D. f36b. IV. x. 1896), is also taken from the Maghází of Ibn Isḥáq, but it is not traceable to Ibn Hishám. There is another citation from an indefinite Maghází concerning the famous steed of Sa‘d b. Abí Waqqáṣ called Balqá’ and the poet Abú Miḥjan ath-Thaqafí’s exploit on the eve of the Battle of Qádisiyya, (D. f85a. IV. xxi. 2029). The latter anecdote is genuine*, but it belongs to a later period, hence it cannot possibly be connected either with the work of Ibn Isḥáq or of Ibn Hishám.

Besides Other anec­dotes which correspond with Ibn Hishám’s version. these acknowledged anecdotes, there are at least 21 fairly long accounts* which materially correspond with the Sírat of Ibn Hishám. All these are connected with the life of the Prophet and various campaigns which he waged against the unbelievers of Arabia. From this it is obvious that al-‘Awfí has considerably utilised the Maghází either through the medium of Ibn Isḥáq or Ibn Hishám or al-Wáqidí or some other early writer. In these anecdotes there are very few poetical citations, and much less the insertions of Ibn Hishám. The Persian rendering is very accurate, but has very few references to proper names; and the accounts in the main are correct, but occur like detached and abbreviated excerpts.

The Other works mentioned in the Jawámi‘. Jawámi‘ is also rich in the accounts* of the early conquests of Islam during the Orthodox and the Umayyad Caliphate which are directly connected with Tradition and the early history of Islam. The sources of these anecdotes are not mentioned, but we find here and there agreement either with the accounts given by Ibn Sa‘d, al-Baládhurí, al-Bukhárí or aṭ-Ṭabarí, which, especially in the case of traditional literature, is not a sure basis for correct identification. In different connections, indefinite references are made to six other works connected with theology, Tradition and exegesis of the Qur’án, which again do not permit us to determine exactly the books al-‘Awfí might have consulted in preparing these anecdotes, e. g. the Siyaru’l-Kabír and the Jámi‘u’l-Kabír of Muḥammad b. al-Ḥasan ash-Shaybání* (d. 189 A. H. = 804/5 A. D.), the disciple of the great Ḥanafite theologians, the Imám Abú Ḥanífa an-Nu‘mán b. Thábit (d. 150 or 151 A. H. = 767 or 768 A. D.) and the Imám Abú Yúsuf Ya‘qúb b. Ibráhím (d. 182 A. H. = 795 A. D.), (A. f214a. I. xvii. 967), (A. f214b. I. xvii. 975), (A. f214b. I. xvii. 976); the Musnad Akhbár-i-Nabawí (?) (A. f4a. II. ii. 1198); the [Jámi‘u’ṣ-]Ṣaḥíḥ of Abú Abdi’llah Muḥammad b. Ismá‘íl al-Bukhárí (d. 256 A. H. = 870 A D), (D. f124b. II. vii. 1321); the Gharíbu’l-Hadíth (?), (A. f140a. I. viii. 482), (D. f14b. IV. iv. 1825); and the Jámi‘u’l-Kabír fi’t Tafsír of the Imám Náṣir (?) Ghazálí, (D. f17b. IV. v. 1835).

Among Difficulty in the identifica­tion of the sources of al-‘Awfí for cos­mography. the various subjects represented in the anecdotes of the Jawámi‘, cos­mography, wonders of the world and talismans occupy four chapters at the end of the book: Pt. IV, chs. xvi-xix, Anecs. 1963-95; but in these cases, it is very difficult to trace the actual sources of al-‘Awfí, as he himself acknowledges in one passage* that he has drawn his material for cosmography from several indefinite works like the Masálik wa Mamálik and the Kitáb-i-Ṭabá’i‘ [probably of al-Buldán]. From the time of Ibn Khurdádbih who began his Masálik wa Mamálik about 232 A. H. = 846 A. D., the earliest extant work on the “Routes and Continents”, to that of Yáqútu’l-Ḥamawí, an illustrious contemporary of al-‘Awfí, who made a fair copy his Mu‘jamu’l Buldán in 625 A. H. = 1228 A. D., there are at least three more works extant of the same title*, that of Iṣṭakhrí (who wrote in 340 A. H. = 951 A. D.), of Ibn Ḥawqal (who wrote in 367 A. H = 978 A. D) and of al-Bakrí* (d. 487 A. H. = 1094 A. D.), and similarly there are more than twelve old extant works* with the titles of ‘Ajá’ibu’l-Buldán and Kitábu’l-Buldán; therefore, it is very difficult to identify the works used by al-‘Awfí. Moreover a comparison of the material and arrangement of the two chapters (xvi-xvii) on cosmography with the extant Masálik wa Mamáliks shows that al-‘Awfí did not utilise them, and has probably drawn his material from some comparatively late work.

In A notice on the cosmographical portion in the Jawámi‘. these two chapters on cosmography* al-‘Awfí has given us a rudimentary sketch of the world as it was known to the old Arab geographers, and has described the main groups of peoples inhabiting the different “climes”. In chapter xvi, after describing the ancient physical geography of the world, he goes on to the division of the globe into seven Iqlíms or “climes”, which is more or less the same as that adopted by his predecessors like al-Mas‘údí* and by his successors like Zakariyyá al-Qazwíní* and Shamsu’d-Dín ad-Dimashqí* (d. 727 A. H. = 1327 A. D.). Then he gives an account of the ancient Chín, its old capital, fine arts and civilization, and a few other interesting details (D. f66a. IV. xvi. 1965), some of which are taken from an Akhbár-i-Chín, and correspond with the account given by Yáqút* from the itinerary* of Abú Dulaf Mis‘ar b. Muhalhil al-Khazrají al-Yanbú‘í (who wrote after 331 A. H. = 942 A. D.). Further on, he gives us really valuable information about ancient Turkistán and the Valley of Kharkhíz and the various Turkish tribes that once existed in those regions, (D. ff66b-68a. IV. xvi. 1966-7). The importance of these sketches has been shown by Professors Barthold* and Marquart, as has been noticed previously (pp. 31-2). In the next chapter (xvii), al-‘Awfí takes up the historical geography of Rúm or Byzantium, and gives a short description of the military organisation, civil administration, religious orders and the revival of Greek learning as introduced into Asia Minor, (D. f68a. IV. xvii. 1968). Then follows an account of Arabia, its pre-Islamic civilization and a few features of the Bedouin life, (D. 68b. IV. xvii. 1969). Next comes India, but the information does not exceed a few remarks about the black arts and the diversity of her races and religions, (D. f69b. IV. xvii. 1971). Then he deals with the Ḥabasha and gives a few interesting details about their curious manners, customs and superstitions, (D. f69b. IV. xvii. 1972). Lastly, he closes this chapter with a very long account of the People of the Jazá’ir, by which he means those who dwelt on the isles round the Caspian Sea, and with an account of the land of Maghrib*, (D. f70a. IV. xvii. 1976).