Ta'rīkh al-Sūdān is presented as one of the foundational Arabic chronicles produced within the western Sudan. Its author, al-Sa'di, is identified as a historian of Timbuktu, linking the work to one of the region’s major centers of Islamic scholarship and historical writing.

The chronicle partly overlaps with Ta'rīkh al-Fattāsh in its coverage of Songhay and neighboring areas, but it is described as more extensive and richer in detail. Its narrative continues until 1655, giving it a longer chronological reach than the chronicle associated with the Kati family of Jenne.

The work’s importance lies not only in its subject matter but also in its authorship. It contributes to the first surviving written historical tradition produced by Africans south of the Sahara, although its interpretation of events reflects a bias in favor of Islam.