Philosophy [IO Islamic 1321]

Philosophy.

This manuscript is now IO Islamic 1321 in the India Office collections.

[metadata: Otto Loth, A Catalogue of the Arabic Manuscripts in the Library of the India Office, (volume 1), no. 580 here with further notations and hyperlinks].

580.

1321. Size 91/4 in. by 5 in.; foll. 331. Nineteen lines in a page.

The first part of a voluminous work on Metaphysics, entitled ‘’the clear horizon’’ الافق المبين, 1 by Muḥammad b. Muḥammad, commonly called BÂḲIR DÂMÂD (الملقب بباقر الداماد) Ḥusainî.

The preface begins:سبحانك اللّهمّ جلّ حمدك و عزّ مجدك يا ربّ العاقلات العالية و السافلات البالية . It is stated in it that work consists of two صرحة (?), the first of which comprises the ‘’universal’’ part of the metaphysics (fol.3), الصرحة الاولى من كتاب الافق المبين و هو فلك العلم وسماء اليقين فى الشطر الكلى من حكمة ما فوق الطبيعة . It is divided into مساقات, each of which is subdivided into sections (فصول) and special headings (عنوانات). Only the first , fifth , and sixth مساقة of the first صرحة are to be found in this MS., viz. : I.المساقة الاولى من الصرحة الاولى فى تقدمة جملة تجرى مجرى المبادى فى التقديم و التصدير , being introductory, on definition, perception, etc.; V. (fol. 64v.) المساقة الخامسة من الصرحة الاولى من كتاب الافق المبين ...

يستقصى فيها القول فى عناصر العقود (الوجود.r) و هى الوجوب و الامكان و الامتناع

, on necessity, possibility, and impossibility.

Ends as follows:فلنختم القول فى المساقة الخامسة من الصرحة الاولى من كتاب الافق المبين و هو اسطرلاب الحق و فرجاء (فرجار.r) اليقين و ناخذ فى المساقة السادسة حامدين الخ.

The sixth مساقة begins (fol. 184v.):المساقة السادسة من الصُرحة (!) الاولى من كتاب الافق المبين و هو دستور الحق و ميزان اليقين ... فى احقاق حق النظر فى اوعية الوجود و سنن الموجودات بحسبها (بحسّيتها .r) و ضروب التقدم و التاخر و المعيّة و الاحكام المختلفة باختلافها الخ,on accidents , such as time, distance , and motion.

This work is written in a bombastic and rather obscure style. It comprises both the Greek and the Muḥammadan system. Ibn Sînâ is frequently quoted.

Well written, of about A.H. 1000. Collated, and furnished with marginal notes, which are written in a minute Shikastah. Originally in two volumes, the second of which began with fol. 184. The beginning and end of the first volume, and the last leaf of the second, have been supplied by a more modern hand.

[Johnson.]

1 From Sûrah 81, 23.