Khulāsat al-akhbār fi bayān al-ahwāl al-akhyār

7/6/2021 13:42

Khulāsat al-akhbār fi bayān al-ahwāl al-akhyār authored by Ghiyāth al-Din ibn Humām al-Din known as “Khāndamir”, edited by Mir-Hāshim Muhaddith is released by the Centre for the Great Islamic Encyclopaedia (Centre for Iranian and Islamic Studies).

CGIE:  Khulāsat al-akhbār fi bayān al-ahwāl al-akhyār authored by Ghiyāth al-Din ibn Humām al-Din known as “Khāndamir”, edited by Mir-Hāshim Muhaddith is released by the Centre for the Great Islamic Encyclopaedia (Centre for Iranian and Islamic Studies).

Historiography is one of the distinguished features of Islamic and Iranian culture and civilization, which, because of its prominence, deserves more and deeper research.

Khulāsat al-akhbār fi bayān al-ahwāl al-akhyār by Ghiyāth al-Din Muhammad Khānadmir is categorized in the series of general histories written during the Timurid era, and its significance increases in the sections close to the author’s era and the description of the notables of his time. This book represents a history from the beginning of creation to the year 905 AH.

The author is Ghiyāth al-Din ibn Humām al-Din, known as Khāndamir, the son of Mirkhvānd’s daughter. According to Khāndamir, his grandfather’s book, Rawdat al-Safā, was voluminous; therefore, he summarized it in a book entitled Khulāsat al-akhbār (summary of the narratives). Twenty-three years later he compiled Habib al-Siyar, with the help of the same sources. These three books make the triangle of Iranian history sources; each possesses its own unique character and content. Khāndamir was also a poet and many of his poems are in Khulāsat al-akhbār.

Compilation of the book commenced in 904 and ended in 905 A.H.

Khulāsat al-akhbār has an introduction, ten chapters and a conclusion as follows:

Introduction: On the creation of the world

The first chapter: On the prophets, the messengers of God, blessings be upon them all

The second chapter: On the sages, may God have mercy on them

The third chapter: On the kings of Ajam and the ancient sultans

The fourth chapter: On the life and expeditions of the Holy Prophet, blessings of God be upon him and his family

The fifth chapter: On the Rāshidun Caliphs and the Twelve Imams, peace be upon them all

The sixth chapter: On the Ummayad caliphs

The seventh chapter: On the Abbāsid caliphs

The eighth chapter:  On the classes of sultans, who were contemporaries of the Abbāsids or after them

The ninth chapter: On the sons of Japheth ibn Noah and the Mongols

The tenth chapter: On the kingdom of Amir Timur Gurkān and the kingship of his descendants

The final section is focused on the history of Herat, its buildings and gardens, and the story of ninety-eight scholars, poets, and calligraphers who worked in the royal library, as well as painters, engineers, music teachers, and musicians of Sultan Husayn Bāyqarā era.

Khāndmir was born around 880 AH to a Shirazi family in Herat and died in India in 942 AH. At his own request, he was interred in the tomb of Khājeh Nizāmuddin Owliā near the tomb of Amir Khosrow Dehlavi. His works include Maāthir al-Muluk, Khulāsat al-Akhbār, Habib al-Siyar fi akhbār-i afraād al-bashar, excerpts of Tārikh-e Wassāf, Homāyoun-nāme, Makārem al-Akhlāq, and Dastur al-vuzarāʼ.

It should be noted that Khāndamir’s biography was authored by Seyyed Ali Al-e Davoud in The Great Islamic Encyclopedia (vol. 23, pp. 124-128) in which his works are introduced as well.

The whole book had not been published formerly. Khulāsat al-akhbār fi bayān al-ahwāl al-akhyār, which represents a legacy of Persian historiography, is published completely for the first time by the CGIE press in 1275 pages and 500 copies.

The book is available from June 11, 2021. Those interested can contact the CGIE press store for more information: 00982122297677, 00989127362684.