The Economic Narrative in Al-Bayān wa al-Iʿrāb: On the Arab Tribes of Egypt al-Maqrīzī (d. 845 AH)

Abstract

The economic narratives in al-Maqrīzī’s al-Bayān wa al-Iʿrāb ʿammā bi-Arḍ Miṣr min al-Aʿrāb constitute a highly valuable source for studying the economic structure of Mamluk Egypt, particularly in its peripheral regions. The work goes beyond a purely social description of the Bedouin groups to provide detailed accounts of modes of livelihood, such as agriculture, pastoralism, trade, and the transportation of goods, and their direct relationship with security and political authority. Through these narratives, al-Maqrīzī reveals the structural interdependence between political stability and economic activity, demonstrating how insecurity, road blockages, and disorder led to the disruption of agriculture, the stagnation of markets, and the interruption of commercial supply. The significance of these accounts lies in their documentation of everyday, informal economic practices that are often absent from major historical chronicles. They also highlight the role of the Bedouins as active economic agents—at times as producers and carriers of goods, and at other times as sources of instability affecting caravan routes and marketplaces. Accordingly, al-Bayān wa al-Iʿrāb holds exceptional documentary value for the study of rural and local commercial economies and serves as an essential complement to al-Maqrīzī’s al-Sulūk, offering an economic–social perspective on regions beyond the center of political power