In a cultural seminar organized by the center, Professor Ayman Fouad Said gave a lecture on his latest revised book entitled "Zubdat Kashf al-Mamalik wa Bayan al-Turuq wal-Masalik". The book, was written by Ghars al-Diyn Khalil Ibin Shahin Al-Dhaheri (d. 873 AH/ 1486 AD) and published by the French Institute for Oriental Archaeology. The lecturer explained that he edited the book based on three manuscript copies that were unknown and did not previously attract the attention of researchers, in spite of their historical importance. He pointed out that the book was issued in two large volumes that contain extensive historical information on Egypt at the Mameluke era.
He stated that his edition of the book is a summarization of Ibn Shahin's book "Zubdat Kashf al-Mamalik wa Bayan al-Turuq wal-Masalik". He pointed out that he summarized it to be a guide for State's officers and to those interested in political and diplomatic questions, stating that he additionally provided many historical details on events he had personally witnessed, especially that he had hold a number of administrative positions in the State and was well-informed about its documents. This made his book a significant historical revelation of the history of the Mameluke Egypt, as he belongs to the Awlad al-Nas class; vis the sons of Mamluks' class who were born free in Egypt, a class to which a large number of historians such as Ibn Taghri-Birdi, Ibn Iyas, and others belonged.
