Abstract:
The present writing is an inquiry into one of the most important local histories of the Maghreb, especially the Marinid era, titled Al-Anis al-Mutrib bi-Rawd al-Qirtas fi Akhbar Muluk al-Maghrib wa Tarikh Madinat Fas. This writing, while examining various viewpoints on the controversial subject of the book's true author after re-reading the content of the work, its compilation method, writing style, and the author's sources, as well as during that process, re-evaluates the book's position among the historical writings of the Marinid era. It concludes that Abu al-Hasan bin Abdullah bin Abi Zar' is at least the author of large parts or the first editor of the book. Given that the Marinids and Fez are the focus of the discussion, the book possesses a certain ambiguity and hagiographic tone. Since the author lived during the era of the loss of Islamic lands in Andalusia, he has recorded valuable details of these events, especially the last battles of Muslims against Christians during the Marinid period, in simple and fluent prose. Finally, in explaining historical matters, he has effectively utilized coins, inscriptions, written sources, and his own observations.
Machine summary:
Such histories also found general popularity in the Maghreb, and soon works emerged regarding the important cities of the Maghreb, among which Fez held an excellent position 4; the writing of local histories continued in the eighth century AH, and Abu al-Hasan Ali bin Abdullah bin Abi Zar 5 produced the most important local history of the Maghreb in this century under the title Al-Anis al-Mutrib bi-Rawd al-Qirtas fi Akhbar Muluk al-Maghrib wa Tarikh Madinat Fas. Essential information about his life is not available, but through his words, it can be assumed that he was born in Fez, grew up there, and did not leave Fez for a distant journey.
He first mentioned, in 1923, in an article titled "Two new manuscripts of Rawd al-Nisrin," the extensive adaptation of Ibn Ahmar from Al-Anis al-Mutrib and promised to present independent research on this subject 6; however, he apparently never had the opportunity to do this work or publish it; again in 1934, upon accessing the manuscript of Mafakhir al-Berber of unknown authorship, he proposed the hypothesis of Abu Muhammad Salih ibn Abd al-Halim al-Gharnati as the author of Al-Anis al-Mutrib 7, and four years later, in an article titled "The Foundation of the City of Fez" 8, using some Moroccan biographies, especially the mention of Mashahir Ahl Fas fi al-Qadim, reported on two copies of the book and attributed the first copy to Abul Abbas Ahmad ibn Abi Zar, the preacher and leader of the Al-Qarawiyyin Mosque in Fez (d.
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