AL.sfwah Fi Wasf Al.mamlaka AL.masriya By:Mohammad Bn Abo Al.fateh Mohammad Al.sofe Al.shafee (950 Hijri/1543 Ad)

Mohammed bin Ahmed bin Mohammed bin Mohammed bin Eisa bin Ahmad Al-Sufi Al-Shafiei Al-Katabi Al_Masri is a mathematician and an astronomer who was called Abi- Al.Fath. Besides, he died in 950 H/1543 AD, and he wrote many books namely: Nozhat Al_Nather Fi Wad’ Khotot Al_Dawair and Al_I’lam Bishidat Al_Bankam. The importance of the scroll of “The Finest Description of the Egyptian Kingdom” lies in its historical data, which tackled the Egyptian kingdom from different aspects, namely: religious, geographical, administrative and social. In addition, it is a shorter version of “Zubdat Kashf Al.Mamalik” and” Al_Masalik” for Khalil bin Shahin Al_Thahiri (873H / 1468 AD) Abual_Fath Al_Sufi has showed Egypt’s high status and it honorific privileges due to its marvelous geographic sights and the number of the Islamic realms, which are affiliated to it. It also talked about the duties of the Sultan and the common describing the outfit of every sect whether it was public or private. It also mentioned the administrative divisions in the Egyptian kingdom that it talked about the minister and his duties including waiters, directors, councils and employees of religious jobs. It also includes special centers for homing pigeons which send letters to the Sultans palaces. He also described those palaces including the rooms of the Sultan’s wives, the palace’s safes, armory storage, spices rooms, woods room and kitchens mentioning what is made in those kitchens. He also described what the kingdom needs from building bridges when the Nile is high. Besides, he talked about the attorneys and military jobs, which are affiliated to the Islamic realms ruled by the Egyptian kingdom. Furthermore, he also mentioned the princesses of the Arabs, Turkman and Kurds in the Egyptian kingdom highlighting all the incidents, which happened there in different ages to learn a lesson from them. He depended on the technique of observation and description from the historians who lived before him; as a result, he took information from “Fotoh Masr and Al.Maghrib W Al Anddalus” for Ibn Abdelhakam (257 H/ 870 AD) and Shihab Al.Din Al.Qalqashandi’s “Sobh Al.a’sha Fe Sonat Al.insha” (821 H/ 1418 AD) and Taqi Al.Din Al.Marqazi‘s “Al. Mawa’th w Al.I’tibatr Bithikr Al.Khotat W Al.Athar Al.Mosama Bel.Khotat Al.Maqriziya” (845 H/ 1441 AD). He also followed the way of presenting his material as short as possible that he passed over many incidents, which were mentioned in Ibn Shahin Al. Thahiri’s book “ Zobdat Kashf Al.Mamalik w Bayan Al.Toroq w Al. Masalik”. He mentioned four verses from the Holy Quran and nine Hadiths to show the virtues of the cities and their religious status. He also employed four poetic stanzas including 23 lines to show the status of Jerusalem, which was a compliment for the Sultans of the Mameluks.