To Ahmad al-Sa'di

His era and his book "History of Sudan"

By: Ahmad Zuwad bin Allah

History of Western Sudan from Arabic Sources

Arab geographers, travelers, and historians, since the ninth century AD, have taken the lead in exploring the African continent, its research, and its related studies.

They were the ones who penetrated the continent's deserts, endured hardships, and faced dangers, accompanying trade caravans, preachers, and scholars, in order to reveal the unknown. In the sixteenth century, the endeavor began from the sons of the continent themselves, especially the sons of Africa, who are honored in this field, by writing the message and documenting the history and heritage of their countries.

European travelers did not find their way to the continent until the "dawn of colonialism." Their movement began fundamentally with the beginning of the eighteenth century. These cannot deny the precedence of Arab travelers, geographers, and historians from the sons of the region in this field. Rather, what the latter wrote is considered a primary reference for all European studies on the African continent, which deal with the period between the ninth century and the beginning of the nineteenth century.

Thus, the ancient Arabic sources dealing with this era of African history can be divided into two main categories: works by Arab historians and travelers from the ninth century to the end of the sixteenth century, and works by scholars from the region who did not have a language other than Arabic, and who were often from those who embraced Islam, and these cover the period up to the beginning of the nineteenth century.