Sudanese Encyclopedia of Tribes and Genealogies

Sudanese Encyclopedia of Tribes and Genealogies (; transliterated: Mawsu'at al-qaba`il wa'l-ansab fi 'l-Sudan) by Awn Alsharif Qasim, printed in Khartoum by Maktabat Afiruqraf (Afro-Graph) in 1996. This encyclopaedia consists of seven volumes and 2628 pages. In his 12-page introduction, which is incorporated in the first volume, Qasim states his purpose and objectives of compiling such a work. He also mentions the scope or coverage, the criterion of inclusion, arrangement of the various entries and hints on how to use his encyclopaedia. Background Qasim's encyclopaedia had its origins in the mid-1980s when he was collecting material for two of his other contributions, Halfayat al-Muluk, which is a regional biographical dictionary of the Halfaya region north of Khartoum, and Qamus al-lahja al-'ammiya fil-Sudan, 'A Dictionary of Sudanese Arabic'. Among those who appreciated the value of this indispensable source for Sudanese studies was R.S. O'Fahey, who followed its forms in writing Sudanese personal, tribal and place names. Having revised and published these two works, Qasim began to plan for a project with a wider scope. His encyclopaedia appeared after more than ten years of active research and preparation.