Al-Maqrizi's Contribution to The Writing of Regional History "Al-Bijah as a Model"

Taqi al-Din Ahmad ibn Ali al-Ubaydi al-Maqrizi(d. 845 AH/1441 AD) is regarded as one of the most prominent historians of the Mamluk period. He produced numerous historical and geographical works that constitute important sources for the study of the Islamic regions. His writings contain valuable information on the land of the Beja, located between the Red Sea to the east and the Nile River to the west. He provided a description of its geographical location and boundaries and referred to its natural resources, particularly its mineral wealth, which contributed to stimulating economic activity and attracting population settlement.

Al-Maqrizi also discussed the social conditions of the Beja, their customs, and the marital relations established between them and the Rabi'ah tribe, together with their impact on the social and political structure of the region. Furthermore, he described aspects of the religious beliefs of the Beja before Islam and examined the nature of their relations with the Muslims, including the conflicts that eventually led to the conclusion of treaties and agreements regulating the relationship between the two sides.

These accounts highlight the importance of al-Maqrizi as a principal source for the study of the history of the Beja and their geographical, economic, social, religious, and political conditions during the Islamic periods. Al-Maqrizi was not merely a transmitter of earlier reports; rather, in several instances, he reorganized and presented the historical material in a clearer manner and supplemented it with information related to his own time, thereby enhancing the scholarly value of his narratives.