The first part (and it exceeds more than the book's preface) deals with information collected by the author from written and oral sources. Much of this information is historical and scientific, and it is difficult to ascertain its origin. The author sometimes refers to its sources, and sometimes he does not. As for the information that comes from oral traditions, it is naturally full of all the exaggerations and uncertainties that characterize this type of source. We have not been able to verify the information with written documents that existed before the eighteenth century, or to ascertain their importance and reliability. The author often says that the information he has received came from his friends among the scholars, and he only refers to the "Al-Fath Al-Mubeen" by Al-Makki for the history of Sudan. As for the history of the Arabs, he only mentions the book "Al-Fath Al-Mubeen" in the history of the Banu Al-Ash'ari. It is more likely that Al-Makki relied on other books, especially those that are not mentioned. However, this does not diminish the importance of these references regarding the history of the Arabs and their origins.

As for the second part, it is the opposite. It consists of Al-Makki's impressions and personal notes. The source of information in this part is eyewitnesses, and even Al-Makki himself and his personal experience in some cases. He was in direct contact with the political events in his country. This part is characterized by its importance and abundance of information. In it, Al-Makki talks about things he saw himself or that were narrated to him by eyewitnesses whose reliability he trusted. The public financial positions he held, with his competence and ambition, enabled him to establish strong relationships with many holders of public office. This gave him the opportunity on many occasions to delve into the details of matters and to provide very accurate details. Despite the fact that his excessive attention to describing the surrounding circumstances involved some exaggeration in some places, this attention provides us with a clear picture of the environment in which he lived and helped him to...