The history of the conquest of Egypt, being a partial translation of Ibn 'Abd al-Hakam's "Futuh Misr" and an analysis of this translation Item Type text; Dissertation-Reproduction (electronic) Authors Hilloowala, Yasmin, 1969- Publisher The University of Arizona. Rights Copyright © is held by the author. Digital access to this material is made possible by the University Libraries, University of Arizona. Further transmission, reproduction or presentation (such as public display or performance) of protected items is prohibited except with permission of the author. Download date 10/10/2021 21:08:06 Link to Item http://hdl.handle.net/10150/282810 INFORMATION TO USERS This manuscript has been reproduced from the microfilm master. UMI films the text directly fi-om the original or copy submitted. Thus, some thesis and dissertation copies are in typewriter face, while others may be from any type of computer printer. 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This reproduction is the best copy available UMI THE HISTORY OF THE CONQUEST OF EGYPT, BEING A PARTIAL TRANSLATION OF IBN 'ABD AL-HAKAM'S FUTUH MISR AND AN ANALYSIS OF THIS TRANSLATION by Yasmin Hillcxjwala Copyright^Yasmin Hilloowala 1998 A Dissertation Submitted to the Faculty of the DEPARTMENT NEAR EASTERN STUDIES In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements For the Degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY In the Graduate College THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA 1998 UMI Niunber: 9912114 Copyright 1998 by Hilloowala, Yasmin All rights reserved. LFMI Microform 9912114 Copyright 1999, by UMI Company. All rights reserved. This microform edition is protected against unauthorized copying under Title 17, United States Code. UMI 300 North Zeeb Road Ann Arbor, MI 48103 2 THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA ® GRADUATE COLLEGE As members of the Final Examination Committee, we certify that we have read the dissertation prepared by Yasmin Hilloowala entitled "The History of the Conquest of Egypt, Being a Partial Translation of Ibn 'Abd al-Hakam's Futuh Misr and an Analysis of this Translation." and recommend that it be accepted as fulfilling the dissertation requirement for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy .[ajcL Ison Date 3 Seotember 1998 Dr. Adel Gamal Date 3 September 1998 Dr.Dr. ^y Newhall Date 3 September 1998 Dr. Linda Darling Date 3 September 1998 Hj ( t' Dr. Frederick Kellogg 3 September 1998 Final approval and acceptance of this dissertation is contingent upon the candidate's submission of the final copy of the dissertation to the Graduate College. I hereby certify that I have read this dissertation prepared under my direction and recommend that it be accepted as fulfilling the dissertation requirement. tloM. Dissertation ctor Date Dr. William Wilson 3 September 1998 3 STATEMENT BY AUTHOR This dissertation has been submitted in partial fulfillment of requirements for an advanced degree at The University of Arizona and is deposited in the University Library to be made available to borrowers under rules of the Library. Brief quotations from this dissertation are allowable without special permission, provided that accurate acknowledgment of source is made. Requests for permission for extended quotation from or reproduction of this manuscript in whole or in part may be granted by the copyright holder. SIGNED: 4 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to thank Kendra Gaines and Jennifer Ellis for help with the editing of this dissetation, an also Anne Marie Brroks for help with the translation of two French articles, "Ibn Abd al-Hakam et la conquete de I'Afrique du Nord par les Arabes" and two chapters in the book. Six originaux de lettres du Prophete de rislam. I also owe a great deal of thanks to my dissertation director. Dr. Wilson for supporting me throughout the process. A special thanks goes to Dr. Gamal, who has been my graduate advisor for the past seven years and who made a speical effort during the dissertation despite his busy schedule. 5 DEDICATION This dissertation is dedicated to my father and mother, who gave me unending support throughout my graduate career and especially during the writing of my dissertation. 6 TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT 8 I. INTRODUCTION 9 Ibn 'Abd al-Hakam and the Futuh Misr 11 Ibn 'Abd al-Hakam II The Futuh Misr 16 The Manuscripts 17 II. TRANSLATION OF THE FUTUH MISR 21 The Letter of the Messenger of God, May God Bless Him and Grant Him Peace, to al-Muqawqas 21 The Reason for the Entrance of 'Amr ibn al- 'As to Egypt 31 The Conquest of Egypt 34 He who said that Egypt was Conquered by Treaty 71 He who said that Egypt was Conquered by Force 7 5 Property 78 Those who Delineated Around the Congregational Mosque with 'Amr al- 'As 86 The Properties of al-Gizah 126 The Booty [Spoils] of Alexandria 127 The Addition to the Congregational Mosque 129 The Grants [Estates, Fiefs] 131 The Exit of 'Amr to the Countryside 138 The Quartering of the Army 141 The Horses of Egypt 143 The Sharing of 'Umar ibn al-Khattab with the Representatives.. 146 The Nile 150 The Jizyah 152 The Hills Near Cairo 159 The Waiting of 'Umar ibn al-Khattab from 'Amr ibn al- 'As for the Kharaj 161 The Ban on the Army for Cultivation 165 The Digging of the Canal of the Commander of the Faithful 166 THE ANALYSIS OF THE FUTUH MISR 175 III. HISTORICAL BACKGROUND 175 IV. THE THEME OF RELIGION 185 Destiny and Frugality 185 Faith of the Individual 192 The Link to the Judeo-Christian Heritage 198 V. NOSTALGIA FOR THE BEDOUIN WAY OF LIFE. 202 Genealogy 204 Bedouin Pride 214 Animosity Toward Non-Arabs 222 VI. THE EGYPTIAN FOCUS 226 Background 226 Egyptian Favor: The Physical Land and its Individual People 228 The Mu 'awiyah/ 'Amr ibn al- 'As/ 'Ali Conflict. 232 7 TABLE OF COmEmS-Continued Ibn 'Abd al-Hakam's View of 'Amr ibn al- "As.. 237 The View of ai-Muqawqas 245 VII. LEGAL ASPECTS 251 Background 251 Treaties 252 By Force or by Treaty 254 Jizyah 256 VIII. IBN 'ABD AL-HAKAM'S USE OF HADITHS... 264 Hadith/Isnad Background 264 Development of Hadith Centers 267 Compilers of Hadiths 270 Ibn 'Abd al-Hakam and Isnad and Hadith 272 Ibn 'Abd al-Hakam's Sources 272 Ibn 'Abd al-Hakam's Use of Hadiths 275 Conflict of Hadiths 280 IX. CONCLUSION 286 APPENDIX A: CONTENT CITATIONS TO THE INTRODUCTION 293 APPENDIX B: CONTENT CITATIONS TO THE TRANSLATION 295 APPENDIX C: CONTENT CITATIONS TO THE ANALYSIS 316 APPENDIX D: GLOSSARY 322 APPENDIX E: BIOGRAPHIES 326 APPENDIX F: MAPS 329 WORKS CITED 333 8 ABSTRACT This dissertation consists of two parts. Part one is a translation of the Egyptian history within the Futiih Misr wa Akhbaniha of Ibn 'Abd al-Hakam. The Futuh Misr, as I refer to it in this dissertation, is a ninth century history written by the Egyptian historian/legalist, Ibn 'Abd al-Hakam. Its pages encompass the history of pre-lslamic Egypt, as Ibn 'Abd al- Hakam saw it, the conquest of Egypt, North Africa and Spain. The section on Egypt, and even North Africa and Spain, is one of the oldest histories we have dealing with this conquest. The second half of this dissertation is an historical analysis of Ibn 'Abd al-Hakam's history on the conquest of Egypt. Although at first glance the Futuh Misr does not seem to yield much useful information, it is surprisingly deceptive, particularly the Egyptian section. I have examined this section and have analyzed the contents to see what they reveal about the history of that time. From the themes that emerge, it is obvious that Ibn 'Abd al-Hakam's Futuh Misr not only provides useful information about the Arab conquest of 640 CE, but gives modem scholars an incite into the mentality of the author and his time period, and thus adds to our understanding of the attitude of historians during the medieval period in the Islamic world. 9 I. INTRODUCTION Charles Cutler Torrey, an historian of biblical and ancient Near Eastern history, maintained that the ninth-century Arab-Egyptian historian, Ibn 'Abd al-Hakam and his history, Fumh Misr wa-akhbaruha (Egypt and its News, henceforth the Futuh Misr) was widely used as the starting point or basis for a number of later Egyptian historical works that are considered to be important to historiography. The later Arab-Egyptian historian al- Maqrizi (1364-1442) used the information from the Futuh Misr when writing about the early period in his history of Islamic Egypt entitled, al-Khitai.