السمعاني مؤرخا

Abstract EN

The biography and genealogy books are very important sources that provide us with rich content about political, economic and social history.

This subject, which is rare in other fields of history, is very important apart from being a support to what comes in other historical resources, especially the modern content that covers the era of the author.

The books of Abo Monsour al -Sam’ani (562 A.H/ 1166 A.D.) Attahbir Ala Almu’jam Alkabeer, and Almuntakhab Min Mu’jam Alshoyoukh are rich references that stabalized the conditions of "the Islamic world" in the middle of the 6th century A.H./12th century A.D.

Their importance is as important as other historical fields or may be more significant than them.

This is what made the researcher focus on al-Sam’ani and his books to attract the attention of otherresearchersandotherpeoplewhoare interested in the importance of the books of biography and genealogy in studying the civilized history in general.

In adition, the focus is on the importance of al- Sam’ani’s books as historical resource that studies Iraq and is on the Islamic world in the middle of the 6th century A.H./ 12th century A.D.

The author attempts to answer an important question: to what extent could al-Sam’ani be considered as a historian of his time? And to what extent had the subjects of his books covered the political, religious, economic and social aspects? In this study, the author covered al-Sam’ani time, his life, his journeys, his books and sources.

He also searched the historical material found in al- Sam’ani’s books and their importance in presenting a historical and geographical image of the Islamic world in his time.

This paper tried to answer this important question: "Was al-Sam’ani’ a critical visionary his time?"