Al-Akhbar al-Tiwal (The Long Narratives)

Al-Akhbar al-Tiwal is the history of Abu Hanifa al-Dinawari. Its editor, Abd al-Mun'im Amir, observes that al-Dinawari gives more attention to the history of Persian life than to Arab life in Arabia. ¹

The book begins with the children of Adam and the early nations, then the Persian kings, Alexander and the Sasanians, then the conquest of Iraq and the civil wars. It goes on to the revolt of the Azariqa and the rise of Abu Muslim al-Khurasani as missionary for the Abbasids, then summarises the period from the death of Marwan ibn Muhammad to the death of al-Mu'tasim in 227 AH, going into detail only on events such as the founding of Baghdad, the killing of Abu Muslim, the revolt of al-Nafs al-Zakiyya, the strife of al-Amin and al-Ma'mun, and the rising of Babak. ¹

Vladimir Guirgass edited it, and Baron Rosen completed its publication with Brill in 1888, using the Leiden and other manuscripts. ^{2 3} In 1957 a manuscript was found in the Rifa'a al-Tahtawi library at Sohag, which the editor considers older than the copies known in the West; it bears an ownership note dated 579 AH. ⁴