'Mirrors for Princes' as sources of lbn Khaldun's political theory

Abstract

In an attempt to orient his potential readers to the content of his monumental universal history of mankind. Ibn Khaldun [= IK] sought to give it a title that would depict its precise content and scope, thus, as you all know. it became "The Book of the 'lbar. the record of the origins and events of the Days of the Arabs. Persians and Berbers. and of those of their contemporaries who were possessors of great power." Following Muhsin Mahdi, I think we should translate 'ajam as 'Persians' rather than non- Arabs' because Ibn Khaldun mentions another non-Arab people (Berbers), and thus does not seem to be using 'ajam as a collective noun for all non-Arabs.' That by 'ajam he means Persians is also obvious in the body of the work2. Despite his claim of following a universal approach and treatment, we notice that only three nations or cultures are listed by name: The Arabs, Persians, and Berbers.