Al-Kamil fi al-Tarikh (The Complete History)

Author: Imam, Historian Ibn al-Athir

Al-Kamil fi al-Tarikh (The Complete History), authored by the great historian Izz al-Din Ibn al-Athir al-Jazari (d. 630 AH), is considered one of the foundational general history books in Islamic heritage. It is one of the most prominent comprehensive works that documented the course of history from its beginnings up to the author's era, employing a precise scientific methodology, a meticulous chronological order, and a conscious critical perspective on narratives and reports.
This book achieved a high academic standing due to its extensive historical material, accurate transmission, and fidelity in recording, becoming an essential reference in historical studies. Generations of historians have relied on it as one of the most authentic and comprehensive sources of Islamic history.
As for its author, Ibn al-Athir, he is one of the greatest Islamic historians, known for his vast knowledge, excellent selection of sources, and ability to combine narration with analysis, along with original additions, especially concerning events of the sixth and seventh centuries AH, a significant part of which he lived through. This earned his book high academic value and solid credibility.
Based on this importance, this work, the editing and study of Al-Kamil fi al-Tarikh, is the fruit of a collective academic effort undertaken by Dar Ibn Kathir, through a team of specialized scholars and editors known for their precision, competence, and rigorous scientific methodology. The editing relied on the best available manuscripts, with meticulous collation between them, text regularization, and correction of errors or misinterpretations found in some editions.
The completion of this project took years of continuous work and scientific deliberation, until it emerged in a verified and reliable form, supported by an academic study that highlights Ibn al-Athir's methodology and the value of his book in the history of Islamic historical writing.
This work is being published in about nineteen volumes to provide the Arab and Islamic library with an authoritative academic edition of one of the most important history books, befitting its stature and that of its author, serving researchers and students of knowledge, and contributing to the revival of historical heritage on solid scientific foundations.