Yusuf al-Warraq

Muhammad ibn Yūsuf al-Warrāq(* 904 in Guadalajara; † 973 or 974 in Córdoba) (in present day Spain) was an Andalusían historian and geographer.

He spent many years in Kairouan and returned to Cordoba during the reign of Caliph al-Hakam II.

Al-Warrāq wrote for al-Hakam II a series of historical and geographical works on North Africa, none of which have survived, although many fragments of his extensive production are preserved in al-Bakri’s, Book of Roads and Kingdoms one century later. From the extracts transcribed in al-Bakri’s work relying on al-Warraq one can conclude, that the latter was the first to mix geography and history. Any geographical subject is accompanied by its historical context and a detailed description.