دانشگاه اصفهان پژوهش های تاریخی 2008-6253 18 3 2026 09 23 Analysis and Criticism of Sources Regarding the Number and Names of Hafez Abru's Works بازکاوی و نقد منابع دربارۀ تعداد و نام آثار حافظ ابرو 1 18 30547 10.22108/jhr.2026.147719.2887 FA محبوبه نقیه گروه زبان و ادبیات فارسی، دانشکده ادبیات و علوم انسانی، واحد نجف آباد، دانشگاه آزاد اسلامی، نجف آباد، ایران. قربانعلی ابراهیمی گروه زبان و ادبیات فارسی، دانشکده ادبیات و علوم انسانی، واحد نجف آباد، دانشگاه آزاد اسلامی، نجف آباد، ایران. شهرزاد نیازی گروه زبان و ادبیات فارسی، دانشکده ادبیات و علوم انسانی، واحد نجف آباد، دانشگاه آزاد اسلامی، نجف آباد، ایران. Journal Article 2025 12 16 Abstract Hafez Abru was a ninth-century historian, who served under Timur the Great and his successor, Shahrokh. In 1413 AD, Shahrokh first commissioned him to compose a geographical work and he was subsequently entrusted with several historical writing projects. Scholars who have examined his life and oeuvre have provided information regarding the number and titles of his works that remains unclear and imprecise. This ambiguity arises from several factors, including the extensive volume of his writings, his distinctive method of compilation, and the fact that many of his manuscripts have yet to be identified, critically edited, and published. This article critically evaluated the available information on his works through a descriptive-analytical methodology. To present a definitive list of his writings, his corpus must be classified into 3 categories: (1) works that he transcribed from other authors; (2) works that represent his original authorship; and (3) collected works that comprise both his own compositions and transcribed materials, along with new content. To establish an accurate list of his works, one must extract from these three categories the titles that he authored and present them as his genuine oeuvre. Keywords: 7th Century (AD), History, Hafez Abru, Works. Introduction The primary objective of this article was to establish a comprehensive list of Hafez Abru's works through a comparative analysis of information drawn from existing sources and references. This study was predicated on the hypothesis that a thorough review of all available scholarship, alongside a comparative examination of the texts of Hafez Abru's edited works, can facilitate the preparation of a definitive inventory of the number and titles of his writings. The present study was historical in nature; that is, it examined and critically evaluated the information presented in previous research on the works of Hafez Abru. The following scholarly works were conducted on Hafez Abru: Introduction by Khanbaba Bayani to the Jami' al-Tawarix al-Rashidi(1938) Introduction by Bahman Karimi to Zafarnameh Nizam al-din Shami(1949) Introduction by Tower in Five Historical Treatises(1958) Introduction by Heravi in Hafez Abru's Geography(1960) Modarresi's introduction to Majma' al-Tawarix al-Sultaniyah(1985) Modarresi in the first section of Majma' al-Tawarix(1991) Azkaei in The Historians of Iran(1994) Introduction by Hajj Seyyed Javadi in Zobdat-ol Tavarix(1993) Introduction by Sajjadi and Ale-Dawood in Hafez Abru's Geography(1996) Introduction by Mir Hashem Muhaddis to the History of the Kings of Kart(2010) Continuity and Change in Iranian Historiographyby Gholamreza Amirkhani (2016) Introduction by Ghiyasyan to Jame'i al-Tawarixand Majma' al-Tawarix (2019) The article "Hafiz Abru" by Ale-Dawood (2019) The article "Hafez Abru and His Works" by Barthold (1996) The article "Hafez Abru" by Rezazadeh (2022) The article "The Life and Method of Historiography of Shahab al-din Hafez Abru" by Keshavarzghasemi (2009) Materials & Methods This study employed a historical research methodology, utilizing a descriptive-analytical approach to critically examine and synthesize existing scholarship on the works of the 9th-century historian Hafez Abru. The primary objective was to establish a definitive list of his authored works by resolving ambiguities and contradictions present in previous research. The materials for this study consisted entirely of secondary sources, specifically the corpus of published research on Hafez Abru and his historiographical output. The primary data were drawn from a comprehensive review of 19 key scholarly works, which included: Critical Introductions to Primary Texts:Introductions to edited manuscripts of Hafez Abru's works, such as the Jami' al-Tawarix al-Rashidi (Bayani, 1938), Zafarnameh Nizam al-din Shami (Karimi, 1949), Majma' al-Tawarix al-Sultaniyah (Modarresi, 1985), and Hafez Abru's Geography (Heravi, 1960; Sajjadi & Ale-Dawood, 1996), among others Analytical and Encyclopedic Articles:Scholarly articles and book chapters dedicated to Hafez Abru's life and works, including those by Barthold (1996), Ale-Dawood (2019), Rezazadeh (2022), and Keshavarzghasemi (2009) Comprehensive Historiographical Studies:Broader works on Iranian historiography, such as The Historians of Iran (Azkaei, 1994) and Continuity and Change in Iranian Historiography (Amirkhani, 2016) These sources were selected as they represented the full spectrum of modern scholarship on the subject, providing a range of perspectives and lists of Hafez Abru's purported works. The research was conducted in a systematic, three-stage process: Data Compilation:Information regarding the number and names of Hafez Abru's works was extracted from each of the 19 identified sources. These data were organized into a comparative table (as seen in the "Research finding" section), mapping the titles attributed to Hafez Abru by each scholar. Comparative Analysis:The compiled data were subjected to a rigorous comparative analysis. The lists of works from all sources were cross-referenced to identify points of consensus, contradictions, and ambiguities. This involved a critical evaluation of the rationale each researcher provided for their attributions, noting where they diverged. Synthetic Categorization:To reconcile the disparate findings, a new analytical framework was developed. It was determined that works attributed to Hafez Abru fell into 3 distinct categories: Works he authored(original compositions) Works he compiled(which might include his own and others' writings) Works he transcribed(copies of other authors' texts) By applying this tripartite classification to the data from the comparative analysis and by excluding works clearly misattributed (such as Sirat'al Nabi and Kulliyat), a final, synthesized list of Hafez Abru's original authored works was proposed. This method allowed for a systematic resolution of the confusion caused by his unique compilation. Style and the incomplete publication of his manuscripts Research Findings Karimi (1949) identified a collection comprising 16 works, including the Introduction and Index to Tabari's History, Tabari's History, Sub-Tabari's History, Introduction and Index to Jami' al-Tawarix, Jami' al-Tawarix, Kings of Kart, Four Small Pieces, Toghatimur, Amirvali, Sarbedariyeh, Arghunshah, Sub-Jame' al-Tawarix, History of Ale Muzaffar, Zafarnameh, Sub-Zafarnameh, and History of Shahrokh. Bayani (1938) listed 12 works, including the Kings of Kart, Toghatimur, Sarbedariyeh, Arghunshah, History of Ale Muzaffar, Sub-Zafarnameh, History of Shahrokh, Oljaito, History of the Sahibqarani, Geography, and a Collection. Felix Tower (1957) identified a collection that included the Introduction and Index to Tabari's History, Tabari's History, Introduction and Index to Jami' al-Tawarix, Toghatimur, Amirvali, Sarbedariyeh, Arghunshah, Sub-Jame' al-Tawarix, History of Ale Muzaffar, Zafarnameh, Sub-Zafarnameh, and History of Shahrokh, as well as the Majma' al-Tawarix al-Sultaniyyah (whose fourth volume he called Zubdat-ol Tawarix), and the Geography. Mayel Heravi (1970) listed the Kings of Kart, Toghatimur, Amirvali, Sarbedariyeh, Sub-Jame' al-Tawarix, History of Ale Muzaffar, Sub-Zafarnameh, History of Shahrokh, Zubdat-ol Tawarix, and Geography. Nafisi (1984) presented a collection that included Tabari's History, Sub-Tabari's History, Jami' al-Tawarix, Kings of Kart, Toghatimur, Amirvali, Sarbedariyeh, Arghunshah, Sub-Jame' al-Tawarix, History of Ale Muzaffar, Zafarnameh, Sub-Zafarnameh, History of Shahrokh, Yamini's Translation, Beyhaqi's History, and Seljuqnameh. Warhram (1991) listed only the Geography. Seyyedjavadi (1993) listed the Majma' al-Tawarix al-Sultaniyyah, which included the Kings of Kart, Toghatimur, Amirvali, Sarbedariyeh, Arghunshah, Sub-Jame' al-Tawarix, History of Ale Muzaffar, Sub-Zafarnameh, History of Shahrokh, History of the Sahibqarani, and Geography. Azkaei (1994) listed the Sub-Jame' al-Tawarix, History of Shahrokh, Majma' al-Tawarix al-Sultaniyyah, Geography, and Jami' al-Tawarix. Barthold (1996) listed Tabari's History, Jami' al-Tawarix, Zafarnameh, Majma' al-Tawarix al-Sultaniyyah, Zubdat-ol Tawarix, Geography, and Jami' al-Tawarix. Sajjadi and Ale-Dawood (1996) identified a collection that included the Introduction and Index to Tabari's History, Tabari's History, Sub-Tabari's History, Jami' al-Tawarix, Toghatimur, Amirvali, Sarbedariyeh, Arghunshah, Sub-Jame' al-Tawarix, History of Ale Muzaffar, Zafarnameh, Sub-Zafarnameh, History of Shahrokh, and History of the Sahibqarani, as well as the Majma' al-Tawarix al-Sultaniyyah, Zubdat-ol Tawarix, Geography, and History of the Eastern Kings. Keshavarz Qasemi (2009) listed a collection that included Sub-Tabari's History, Kings of Kart, Toghatimur, Amirvali, Sarbedariyeh, Arghunshah, Sub-Jame' al-Tawarix, History of Ale Muzaffar, Sub-Zafarnameh, History of Shahrokh, and local dates, as well as the Majma' al-Tawarix al-Sultaniyyah, Zubdat-ol Tawarix, and Geography. Amirkhani (2016) presented a collection that included Tabari's History, Sub-Tabari's History, Jami' al-Tawarix, Kings of Kart, Toghatimur, Amirvali, Sarbedariyeh, Arghunshah, Sub-Jame' al-Tawarix, History of Ale Muzaffar, Zafarnameh, Sub-Zafarnameh, History of Shahrokh, parts of Geography, and History of the Abbasid Caliphs, as well as the Majma' al-Tawarix al-Sultaniyyah, Zubdat-ol Tawarix, Sub-Gozideh History, Introduction to the Shahnameh of Baysonqori, and Mu'az al-Ansab. Shahri (2021) listed the Kings of Kart, four treatises (Toghatimur, Amirvali, Sarbedariyeh, Arghunshah), Sub-Jame' al-Tawarix, History of Ale Muzaffar, Sub-Zafarnameh, History of Shahrokh, Majma' al-Tawarix al-Sultaniyyah, Zubdat-ol Tawarix, and Geography. Rezazadeh (2022) listed the Kings of Kart, five treatises (Toghatimur, Amirvali, Sarbedariyeh, Arghunshah, and Kings of Kart), Sub-Jame' al-Tawarix, History of Ale Muzaffar, Sub-Zafarnameh, History of Shahrokh, Majma' al-Tawarix al-Sultaniyyah, and Zubdat-ol Tawarix. Discussion of Results & Conclusion In the manuscript inventories, no work entitled "Collection" or "Kulliyat" is attributed to Hafez Abru; nevertheless, all of his writings may be regarded collectively as a historical compendium spanning the entire period from the beginning of Islamic history to the author's own time. In any case, attributing a unified collection specifically to Hafez Abru is erroneous. Moreover, certain works appearing in manuscript indexes—particularly in the list compiled by Qara Balut—are, according to the introductions of critical editions and the findings of modern scholars, unequivocally not authored by Hafez Abru. These include Sirat'al Nabi, Kulliyat, and the History and Lineage of the Kings of Gharat. The central subject of this article—namely, the definitive titles of Hafez Abru's works—could not be established with certainty until all of his manuscripts were identified, critically edited, and published. Based on the foregoing discussion, Hafez Abru transcribed material from various sources, composed original treatises, and subsequently compiled these treatises into an unnamed collection. In other words, he constructed the history of Iran through a chain of both his own and others' works. Consequently, some researchers had enumerated these works separately, and we adopted the same approach in presenting his oeuvre as follows: Sub-Tabari's History (translated by Bal'ami), Sub-Zafarnameh, Sub-Jame' al-Tawarix, the History of Hazrat Sahib Qarani (Timur), the History of Shahrokh Mirza, Majma' al-Tawarix al-Sultaniyyah (the last, or fourth, volume of which was known as the Zobdat ol-Tawarix), and the Geography. حافظ ابرو (758-833ق) از مورخان قرن نهم است که در خدمت امیر تیمور گورکانی و شاهرخ بوده است. اولین بار در 816ق شاهرخ او را مأمور کرد که کتابی در حوزۀ جغرافیا بنویسد. حافظ ابرو سپس چند بار مأمور به تاریخ‌نگاری شد. محققان و مصححانی که به زندگی و آثار او پرداخته‌اند، دربارۀ تعداد و نام آثار او مطالبی آورده‌اند که روشن و صریح نیستند. برخی از این دلایل عبارت‌اند از: شمار فراوان آثار حافظ ابرو، روش کار او در تدوین مطالب و نیز شناسایی، تصحیح و چاپ نشدن همۀ دست‌نویس‌های آثار وی. در نوشتار حاضر با روش توصیفی-تحلیلی به نقد اطلاعات موجود دربارۀ آثار او پرداخته شده است. نوشتار حاضر بر مبنای این فرضیه انجام شده که بررسی همۀ پژوهش‌های در دسترس و مقایسۀ متن آثار مصحح حافظ ابرو با یکدیگر می‌تواند به تهیۀ فهرستی دربارۀ تعداد و نام آثار حافظ ابرو کمک کند. بررسی و تحلیل اطلاعات نشان داد که برای ارائۀ فهرستی از آثار او باید آن‌ها را به سه دسته تقسیم کرد: 1. آثاری که بر پایۀ متون پیشین تدوین یا از روی آن‌ها نوشته شده‌اند؛ 2. آثار تألیفی مستقل مؤلف؛ 3. آثاری که ماهیتی مجموعه‌ای دارند و دربردارندۀ تألیفات مستقل مؤلف، متون برگرفته یا رونویسی‌شده، و نیز مطالب افزوده‌ و تازه‌اند. برای ارائۀ فهرستی از آثار او باید از این سه دسته، نام آثار تألیفی مستقل وی را استخراج و به‌عنوان آثار حافظ ابرو معرفی کرد.

https://jhr.ui.ac.ir/article_30547_ed3ad7f0974b28b7f1f3096991cb4d9e.pdf