Ṣûfism and Ethics [IO Islamic 794]

Ṣûfism and Ethics. 

This manuscript is now IO Islamic 794 in the India Office collections.

[metadata: Otto Loth, A Catalogue of the Arabic Manuscripts in the Library of the India Office, (volume 1), no. 680 here with further notations and hyperlinks].

680.

794. Size 91/2 in. by 63/4 in.; foll. 210. Nine lines in a page.

A compendious work on Asceticism, called عين العلم .

It is not an abridgment of Ghazzâlî’s Iḥyâ, as is stated by Stewart (Catal. 139), who followed a notice on the margin of this MS. (fol. 1v.).1 The author is not named, 2 but it would appear that he was an Indian scholar. Cf. Ḥ. Kh. iv. 282.

The work is introduced by an elaborate preface, which begins:يا ربّ يا ربّاه باسمك ابتدى ‘ بك اقتدى‘ وبنور قدسك اهتدى . The author, imitating the old poets, complains of the ‘departure’ of knowledge and science, etc. He dedicates his work to a Saiyid of the Ḥusainî branch, named Ibrâhîm. It is divided into an introduction and twenty chapters, which are entitled as follows: المقدّمة فى العلم (fol. 4v.) ; Chap. I.الباب الاول فى الورد (fol. 10v.) ; II. فى الانفاق و القناعة (fol. 29v.); III.فى الصوم و كسر الشهوة (fol. 35v.) ; IV.فى السفر (fol. 40) ; V. فى التزوّج و التخلّى (fol. 47v.) ; VI.فى الكسب و الورع (fol. 55v.); VII. فى الاتباع فى المعيشة (fol. 60v.) VIII. فى الصحبة (fol.81) ; IX. فى الصمت و آفات اللسان (fol. 102v.); X. فى الانابة و الحلم و العفو و النصيحة (fol. 118); XI. فى العزلة و الخمولة و حبّ الذمّ و بغض المدح (fol. 122v.); XII.فى التواضع و ذكر المنّة (fol.129) ; XIII. فى الاخلاص و النية و الصدق (fol. 134v.); XIV.فى التفويض و قصر الامل (fol. 150) ; XV.فى نفى الخواطر و الرياضة (fol. 154); XVI.فى التوبة و المرابطة و التقوى (fol.163v.); XVII.فى الصبر و الرضا و الشكر (fol. 175v.);XVIII. فى الخوف و الرجاء (fol. 184); XIX. فى الفقر و الزهد (fol. 190); XX.فى التوحيد و التوكل و اليقين (fol. 198).

The work concludes with an appendix, الخاتمة فى المحبّة و السلوك (fol. 206).

Well written in a large hand. Dated Ramaḍân, 1037. The titles are in gold, and the formula which introduces the traditions quoted by the author ( ورد حand the like) is always in blue. Frequent explanations, extracted from a commentary and from other works, are added on the margin; others are written between the lines. Many ornaments. Foll.144, 169, and 170 are injured.

Seal of ‘Abd al-ṣamad Khân Bahâdur Dilîr Jang, dated A.H. 1189.

[Tippu.]

1 ان بعض علماء الهند اختصر الاحياء اختصارا بليغا سماه عين العلم الخ . This notice is ascribed to Ibn Ḥajar.

2 Only by Stewart, l.c., he is called Yaḥya b. ‘Abd al-raḥmân.