Abu dhabi: A verified and referenced edition of "Dictionary of Countries" has been published in Abu Dhabi. The Department of Culture and Tourism - Abu Dhabi announced the publication of a critical edition of the 'Dictionary of Countries' (Mu'jam al-Buldan), one of the most important and comprehensive geographical dictionaries in the Arab-Islamic heritage.

According to National Iraqi News Agency, this new edition of the encyclopedia, authored by Yaqut al-Hamawi (d. 626 AH) in the 13th century CE, of which six volumes have been published to date, is a meticulously edited and scholarly work. The geographical entries, some dating back centuries, have been updated to reflect their contemporary relevance, thus bridging the gap between historical research in the Arab-Islamic heritage and the needs of modern researchers.

'Dictionary of Countries' is considered a pivotal record of Arab-Islamic civilization, containing 15,038 key geographical entries covering the countries of the Islamic world from the far reaches of Andalusia to the borders of China.

This edition was produced under the scholarly supervision of researcher Abdullah al-Suraihi, from the Manuscripts and Research Section of the Libraries and Publishing Department at the Department of Culture and Tourism - Abu Dhabi. The investigation focused on identifying the current state of the places, countries, and cities mentioned in the dictionary, determining whether they still exist or have disappeared.

This meticulous methodological process connects centuries of scholarly research with contemporary reality, giving the encyclopedia immense practical value for researchers and academics today, comparable to its value to scholars of the Islamic world in the Middle Ages.

Abdullah Al-Suraihi, the encyclopedia's editor, stated: "The 'Dictionary of Countries' has always been a fundamental and pivotal reference for researchers of Arab-Islamic heritage throughout the centuries. Yaqut al-Hamawi documented with meticulous precision and detail the literary, scientific, historical, social, and geographical knowledge of the Islamic world."