A?san al-taq?s?m f? ma?rifat al-aq?l?m by al-Muqaddas?

Shams al-D?n Ab? ?Abdall?h Mu?ammad b. A?mad b. Ab? Bakr al-Bann?? al-Sh?m? al-Muqaddas? is one of the most prominent representatives of Arabic geography in the second half of the 10th century CE. Building on the tradition of the "atlas of Islam" of which al-I??akhr? and Ibn ?awqal were also representatives, al-Muqaddas? was the first to systematize the subject into a proper science of geography of Islam for the benefit of both merchants and the cultivated man. Al-Muqaddas?'s A?san al-taq?s?m f? ma?rifat al-aq?l?m ("the best division for the knowledge of the provinces") was the first work of its kind to be accepted as a form of literature. The treatment of each "province" (iql?m) begins with the division of its districts and towns, followed by their description. Then a general chapter of the province tends to discuss the following aspects: climate, products and specialties, waters, mines, mountains, holy places, money, taxes, weights and measures, customs, marvels, calendar, political power, factions, schools and Qur??nic readings, and routes. A?san al-taq?s?m f? ma?rifat al-aq?l?m by al-Muqaddas? covers North Africa (including Iberia), Egypt, the Arabian Peninsula, Greater Syria, Iraq and Upper Mesopotamia, as well as eight non-Arab provinces including Iran and Afghanistan.