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IntroductoryChapter
ReferenceWorksandResearchTools:
1.TheScripturesofIslam:Qurʼān,andtheIslamicTradition.
2.TheMuʻtaziliteandAl-MaʼmūnSchoolofthought.Iẖwānaṣ-Ṣafā
ʼ.
3.Geographical,Cosmographical,Astronomical,Encyclopedic
SourcesandTravelersʼAccounts.
4.TravelandMarvelsBooks.
5.Encyclopedias.
6.Geographicaldictionaries.
7.TechnicalProblems.
BeforetheriseofIslam,Arabshadnogreatinterestingeography.
ArabsleftnothinginthisconcernexceptwhatismentionedinArabic
poetryabouttheenvironmentalconditionsoftheArabianPeninsula.
AncientArabicpoetryincludesscantgeographicalreferencesandis
generallyconnectedwithdescriptionsofnaturalsurroundings,
includinginnocentgeographicalreferencestovalleys,wells,hills,
mountains,andotherlandmarks.Aswithmostsubjectmatterin
Arabicpoetry,mostofthisdatawasfullofmythologicalnotions.
AlthoughArabsknewagreatdealaboutthestarsandplanetsto
whichtheyturnedforguidanceinthedesert,theyhadverylittle
geographicalinformationabouttheirneighborstothenorthsuchas
theByzantines,excepttheadjacentprovinces,andthePersiansinthe
east.SomeinformationaboutIndiaandtheEasternAfricanshores
werealsoknowntoArabsduetotheirtradeactivitieswiththese
places.
AftertheriseofIslam,theinterestofArabsingeographywasdue,
largely,nottotheprovincesofwhichtheMuslimCaliphateconsisted,
butalsototheworldaroundthem.ThisforcedArabstobecome
acquaintedwithgeography.Theywouldhavebeenunabletocarryout
theirmilitaryventuresortomobilizetheirarmyinthesevastareas
withoutknowingagreatdealabouttheroutesconnectingthevarious