Al-Jabarti's History: 'Aja'ib al-Athar fi al-Tarajim wa al-Akhbar

The book "Aja'ib al-Athar fi al-Tarajim wa al-Akhbar", known as "Al-Jabarti's History", is a rich record of the events that Egypt witnessed in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries. The book narrates, in a detailed narrative style, the events of the French campaign on Egypt, the Egyptian people's revolution against it, then the turbulent Ottoman rule period that followed, up to the beginnings of the era of Muhammad Ali Pasha.

This book is distinguished by its focus on the minute details of daily life in that period. It is not limited to major political and military events, but also deals with various social, economic, and cultural aspects. Al-Jabarti describes, for example, the conditions of markets and crops, details of fashion and social customs, and even the prices of various goods. The book also provides biographies of a large number of prominent figures in that period, from rulers, scholars, jurists, merchants, and artists, which makes it a rich source for understanding the nature of Egyptian society in that crucial historical era.

"Al-Jabarti's History" is considered one of the most important historical references for understanding that period of Egyptian history. It provides an eyewitness perspective, although it carries some personal biases, it remains of high value to researchers and historians. The book is distinguished by its smooth literary style and its ability to transport the reader to the heart of events, making it enjoyable to read even for those who are not specialized in history.