Tarikh Al-sudan English Translation Pdf May 2026

The Tarikh al-Sudan (History of the Sudan) is the most vital primary source for the history of the Songhai Empire and the broader Niger Bend region of West Africa. Written in Arabic around 1655 by the Timbuktu scholar Abd al-Rahman al-Sa'di, it provides a rare, internal perspective on one of Africa’s greatest pre-modern civilizations. Finding a PDF English Translation

Alongside its companion chronicle, the Tarikh al-Fattash, the Tarikh al-Sudan forms the textual backbone of medieval West African history. tarikh al-sudan english translation pdf

Introduction

• Timbuktu and the Songhay Empire (Hunwick, 1999).
• Databases like JSTOR, Project MUSE, or Brill Online. Most universities have a digital license. You can download the PDF chapter by chapter.

The chronicle is celebrated for its detail and breadth, covering: The Tarikh al-Sudan (History of the Sudan) is

Tarikh al-Sudan (History of the Sudan), written by Timbuktu scholar Abd al-Rahman al-Sa'di Timbuktu and the Songhay Empire (Hunwick, 1999)

Imperial History: It tracks the Songhai Empire from its 15th-century peak under Sunni Ali and Askia Muhammad through the devastating Moroccan invasion of 1591.