AL BILA′DURI′.
also wrote a work on the genealogy of the Arabian tribes, the title of which is not known, and he translated several works from the Persian. He also has the credit of being a good poet. He is cited frequently by Ibn Haukal, Al-Mas’údi, and other ancient geographers, but his history is rarely quoted. Kudáma, who wrote at Baghdad, towards the end of the ninth century, gives an extract from it, and Ibn Asír also quotes it under the years 89 and 95 H.
{[em}}He was called Biládurí or Bilázurí, from his addiction to the use of an intoxicating electuary made from the Balázar, or Malacca bean, which, from its resemblance in shape and colour to a heart, is called anacardium.[1] [The name is written optionally with either د or ذ. Goeje transcribes the name as “Beládsorí.” The author, however, is better known as Biládurí or Beladori, and that form has therefore been retained. The Leyden MS., like other old MSS., prefers the ذ to the د, even when the latter is manifestly correct—thus it gives Brahmanábáz for Brahmanábád, and Rúzbár for Rúdbár.[2]
EXTRACTS.
Conquests of Sind.
’Alí, son of Muhammad, son of ’Abdu-llah, son of Abú Saif, has related that the Khalif ’Umar, son of Al Khattab appointed ’Usman, son of Abú-l ’Así of the tribe of Sakíf to Bahrain and ’Uman in the year 15 H. (636 A.D.) ’Usman sent his brother Hakam to Bahrain, and he himself went to ’Uman, and despatched an army to Tána. When the army returned he wrote to the Khalif ’Umar to inform
- ↑ F. R. Dietz, Analecta Medica, p. 101. Compare Weil, Geschichte der Chalifen, Vol. III. Auhang, Vol. I. p. i-x. Journal des Savants, April, 1847. Journal Asiatique, IV Serie, Vol. VIII. Hamaker, Specimen Catalogi, pp. 7, 12, 239. A. Sprenger’s Meadows of Gold, pp. 15, 16, Fraehn, Indications Biblographiques, No. 39. Reinaud, Fragments Arabes et Persans, pp. xviii., xix. Mémoire sur l’ Inde, p. 16. Aboulféda II. 57. Biographical Dict. L. U. K., “Ahmed aI-Beládhorí.” Uylenbroek Iracæ Persicæ Descriptio, p. 67.
- ↑ Morley’s Catalogue, p. 20. Müller’s Essai sur la Langue Pehlivi. Lumsden’s Grammar. Borhan-i Káti, p. 4. Dubeux Tabari, XXX, Spiegel, Parsi Grammar.]
