Sh. Marjani’s “Wafi yat al-’Aslaf” as a Monument of Arabo-Islamic Culture

Abstract

Sh. Marjani’s seven- volume handwritten work “Wafi yat al-aslaf” is an encyclopedic dictionary devoted to the 6057 famous Muslim scholars, writers, philosophers, dignitaries, rulers etc. since the 7th century B. C. Marjani himself considered “Wafi yat al-aslaf” as his main work. The text is nothing but compilation, while the most scholarly interesting content concerns the Turkic world of the 17–19th centuries (Volga- Ural Region, Central Asia, Caucasus, Crimea). The original treatment of rich material of Muslim culture as well as author’s assessment of certain historical facts and events demonstrate, Marjani is not only a highly educated theologian, but also an erudite and talented scholar and enlightener. The academic value of the encyclopedia consists in its ability to shed light on the Marjani’s worldview, which is manifested in his selection of historical fi gures and in mode of description of their life and works.