Book of Ways and Provinces

work by Ibn Haukal

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July 15, 2026

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The "Book of Ways and Provinces" is a significant work by the Arab geographer Ibn Haukal, written around 977 CE. It is a detailed geographical survey of the Islamic world, drawing heavily on the earlier work of al-Maqdisi, titled "The Best of Classification for the Knowledge of Regions". Ibn Haukal's book provides valuable insights into the economic conditions, trade routes, and diverse populations of the regions he described. It is considered a crucial source for understanding the geography and socio-economic landscape of the Islamic world during the 10th century.1

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The Middle Ages
Ibn Haukal wrote a Book of Ways and Provinces illustrated with maps, and al-Idrīsī constructed a world map in 1154 for the Christian king Roger of Sicily, showing better information on Asian areas than had been available theretofore. In Baghdad astronomers used the compass long before Europeans, studied the…
Read More
Ibn Haukal wrote a Book of Ways and Provinces illustrated with maps, and al-Idrīsī constructed a world map in 1154 for the Christian king Roger of Sicily, showing better information on Asian areas than had been available theretofore. In Baghdad astronomers used the compass long before Europeans, studied the…
Read More