41 Facts About Al-Masudi

Al-Masudi is sometimes referred to as the "Herodotus of the Arabs".

Al-Masudi's journeys took him to most of the Persian provinces, Armenia, Georgia and other region of the Caspian Sea; as well as to Arabia, Syria and Egypt.

Al-Masudi travelled to the Indus Valley, and other parts of India, especially the western coast; and he voyaged more than once to East Africa.

Al-Masudi sailed on the Indian Ocean, the Red Sea, the Mediterranean and the Caspian.

Al-Masudi presumably gathered information on Byzantium from the Byzantine admiral, Leo of Tripoli, a convert-to-Islam whom he met in Syria where his last years were divided between there and Egypt.

Al-Masudi was acquainted with famous poets, including Kashajim, whom he probably met in Aleppo.

Al-Masudi was well read in philosophy, the works of al-Kindi and al-Razi, the Aristotelian thought of al-Farabi and the Platonic writings.

Al-Masudi was familiar with the medical work of Galen, with Ptolemaic astronomy, with the geographical work of Marinus and with the studies of Islamic geographers and astronomers.

Al-Masudi mentions meeting influential jurists and cites the work of others and indicates training in jurisprudence.

Al-Masudi met Zahirites in Baghdad and Aleppo such as Ibn Jabir and Niftawayh; modern scholarship leans toward the view that al-Mas'udi was an adherent of the latter school.

Al-Masudi is the only Arab historian to refer to the kingdom of Urartu, when he speaks about the wars between the Assyrians and Armenians.

Al-Masudi had access to a wealth of translations by scholars such as ibn al-Muqaffa from Middle Persian into Arabic.

Al-Masudi thus had access to much material, factual and mythical.

Al-Masudi was much clearer on the more recent dynasties and his estimation of the time between Alexander the Great and Ardashir is much more accurately depicted than it is in al-Tabari.

Al-Masudi is aware that there were kings before this, but is unclear on their names and reigns.

Al-Masudi seems unfamiliar with such additional aspects of Greek political life as Athenian democratic institutions.

Al-Masudi was aware of the progression of Greek philosophy from the pre-Socratics onward.

Al-Masudi was keenly interested in the earlier events of the Arabian peninsula.

Al-Masudi recognized that Arabia had a long and rich history.

Al-Masudi was well-aware of the mixture of interesting facts in pre-Islamic times, in myths and controversial details from competing tribes and even referred to the similarity between some of this material and the legendary and story telling contributions of some Middle Persian and Indian books to the Thousand and One Nights.

Al-Masudi described the geography of many lands beyond the Abbasid Caliphate, as well as the customs and religious beliefs of many peoples.

Al-Masudi perceived the significance of interstate relations and of the interaction of Muslims and Hindus in the various states of the subcontinent.

Al-Masudi described previous rulers in China, underlined the importance of the revolt by Huang Chao in the late Tang dynasty, and mentioned, though less detailed than for India, Chinese beliefs.

Al-Masudi surveyed the vast areas inhabited by Turkic peoples, commenting on what had been the extensive authority of the Khaqan, though this was no longer the case by al-Mas'udi's time.

Al-Masudi conveyed the great diversity of Turkic peoples, including the distinction between sedentary and nomadic Turks.

Al-Masudi spoke of the significance of the Khazars and provided much fresh material on them.

Al-Masudi's account of the Rus is an important early source for the study of Russian history and the history of Ukraine.

Al-Masudi informed the Arabic reader that the Rus were more than just a few traders.

Al-Masudi noted their independent attitude, the absence of a strong central authority among them and their paganism.

Al-Masudi was very well informed on Rus trade with the Byzantines and on the competence of the Rus in sailing merchant vessels and warships.

Al-Masudi was aware that the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea are two separate bodies of water.

Al-Masudi recorded the effect of the westward migration of various tribes upon the Byzantines, especially the invading Bulgars.

Al-Masudi has some knowledge of other peoples of eastern and western Europe, even far away Britain and Anglo-Saxon England.

Al-Masudi obtained a copy of a list of Frankish rulers from Clovis to his own time.

Al-Masudi makes several references to people interpreted as Vikings, described by him as Majus, they came to Al-Andalus from the North.

Al-Masudi was well aware of peoples in the eastern portion of the continent.

Al-Masudi mentioned that one of the most dangerous routes to travel is to the land of the Zanj, "I have sailed on many seas, but I do not know of one more dangerous than that of Zanj", saying that several captains that he had sailed with drowned.

Al-Masudi knows less of West Africa, though he names such contemporary states as Zagawa, Kawkaw and Ghana.

Al-Masudi described the relations of African states with each other and with Islam.

Al-Masudi provided material on the cultures and beliefs of non-Islamic Africans.

Al-Masudi met Zahirites in Baghdad and Aleppo such as Ibn Jabir and Niftawayh; modern scholarship leans toward the view that al-Mas'udi was an adherent of the latter school.