“The History of Prophets and Kings (Ta’rikh al-rusul wa’l-mulük) by Abū Ja’far Muhammad b. Jarir al-Tabari” is a seminal historical work considered crucial in the world of Islam. Written by al-Tabari (838-923), this monumental work offers a comprehensive account of ancient nations, with a significant focus on biblical peoples, prophets, the legendary and factual history of ancient Iran, and a detailed narrative of the rise of Islam and the life of Prophet Muhammad. Moreover, it provides a rich account of the Islamic world’s history up to the year 915.
The significance of “The History of al-Tabari” lies not only in its portrayal of historical events and figures but also in its influence on the understanding of Islamic and Persian history. The text serves as a vital source for Iranian history, particularly from the rise of the Sasanian dynasty in the third century up to the year 915. Given the importance of the work, efforts were made to translate it in its entirety for non-Arabic speakers, making this significant historical account accessible to a broader audience.
In 1971, a proposal was made to UNESCO to include a complete translation of al-Tabari’s History in its Collection of Representative Works, emphasizing the need to provide this historical resource to non-Arabists. However, despite initial support, the Arab Commission favored other literary priorities. Consequently, the Iranian Institute of Translation and Publication undertook the monumental task of translating the work, recognizing its immense historical and cultural value.
The process of translation began in 1974, aiming to divide the text into manageable sections for translation and annotation, ensuring that each section could be used independently. The Leiden edition of the text served as the prominent base for translation, being the only critical and scholarly edition available at that time. The translation required collaboration with numerous scholars specializing in medieval Islamic history and classical Arabic, aiming for consistency in translation and adherence to established guidelines.
Guidelines were established to maintain consistency in translation, addressing format, rubrics, annotation, bibliography, and indexing. A conscious effort was made to translate frequently used phrases and expressions uniformly, providing an essential modicum of consistency in rendering Arabic into English. Furthermore, standardization of spelling for place names was emphasized to enhance clarity and accuracy.
The translation process aimed to strike a balance between faithfulness to the original text and idiomatic expression in English. Though variations may exist in styles and terminology, meticulous efforts were made to ensure accuracy, readability, and overall consistency. The romanization system commonly used by present-day Arabists and Islamicists in the English-speaking world was chosen to maintain accurate transliteration of Arabic terms.
Al-Tabari often cited his sources verbatim and traced chains of transmission (Isnad) for reported information. These chains were rendered by individual links separated by dashes, signifying the reliability and lineage of the reported information, offering insight into the historical methodology employed in this work.
