Alberuni's India, Edward C. Sachau's 1910 scholarly translation of the eleventh century scholar al-Biruni's account of Indian religion, science and customs, is a key primary source for medieval Islamic scholarship on Hindu India. Its strength is that al-Biruni was an unusually careful and systematic observer for his time, and Sachau's is a rigorous critical translation. Its limit is that it reflects an outsider's eleventh century understanding, filtered further through an early twentieth century translation, so a modern claim should also be checked against current scholarship.
Facts
Assessment
Reliability Tier1
Reliability tier 1: a rigorous critical translation of a key medieval primary source, prepared by a systematic contemporary observer and rendered by a careful scholarly translator, reflecting an outsider's eleventh century understanding filtered through an early twentieth century translation. NotesScholarly translation of al-Biruni's eleventh century account of Indian religion, science and customs, Kegan Paul, Trench, Trubner and Co., 1910.
Citation
AuthorAbu Rayhan al-Biruni, translated by Edward C. Sachau
PublisherKegan Paul, Trench, Trubner and Co.
Publication Year1910
Source Typeprimary text, critical translation
Connections
Associated With
This source names India directly: "Alberuni's India, Edward C."
Source Alberuni's IndiaAbu Rayhan al-Biruni, translated by Edward C. Sachau
Claims Backed By This Source (10 claims)
This source backs 10 claims across the atlas. As facts: 7 well-attested. As cited relationships: 2 holds. Plus 1 entities citing it as a general reference with no single fact or relationship attached.
Disposition By Topic
- Sources, 8 claims: 7 well-attested, 1 holds.
- Historical Figures, 2 claims: 1 holds, 1 general references.
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