Miscellanies [IO Bijapur 459B]

Miscellanies.

This manuscript is now IO Bijapur 459B in the India Office collections.

[metadata: Otto Loth, A Catalogue of the Arabic Manuscripts in the Library of the India Office, (volume 1), no. 1038 here with further notations and hyperlinks].

1038.

B 459B. Size 10 in. by 53/4 in.; foll. 298. Number of lines varying.

Collectanea of Zain b. ‘Abdallah Muḳaibil.

I. Foll. 1-4. A mystic poem, in strophes of five lines (تخمیس); beginning:

فتنت بفتّان سبانی بسحره

II.a. Foll. 4v.-7. Comparative tables of various eras, preceded by an explanation.

Begins:

 الحمدلله رب العالمین ...و بعد فهذه جداول فی معرفة مداخل البروج من التواریخ المشهورة القبطی و الرومی و الشبامی 1 و النیروز و معرفة مدخلها بعضها فی بعض فی کل شهر منها وکل یوم بعینه الخ.

These are four tables, according to the four seasons, the first inscribed

 فصل الربیع و هو المسمی عند اهل الیمن بالصیف, and so forth.

b. Foll. 8-11. Tables for reducing Hijrah years to those of the aforesaid eras, from A.H. 1012 to 1138.

c. Foll. 12-13. A table showing the entrance of the sun into the successive signs of the Zodiac, from A.H. 1069 to 1089. It was prepared by AḤMAD B. ‘OMAR BÂ MUZÂḤIM, a pupil of Muḥammad b. ‘Abdallah al-‘Aidarûs.

Begins: الحمدلله اکمل الحمد و اتمه علی کل حال. These tables are all by one hand, and apparently made in Ḥaḍramaut.

III. a.Fol. 16. هذه قاعدة فی وَلَقَدْ مَکَّنَّاکُمْ. Magic square of the verse Sû. 7, 9.

b. Foll.16v.-17. A special prayer.

c.Foll.17v.-19. Magic tables of letters of the alphabet.

d.Fol.19v.and

e.Fol. 22. On the drawing of magic squares.

f.Foll. 23-34. A longer treatise on the same subject, inscribed فائدة فی معرفة وضع الوفق الرباعی. Written in a large hand.

IV. Foll. 37-43. A treatise on Logic, beginning:

الحمدلله الذی انطق کل شئ بوجود ذاته القدیم...اعلم ان التصور حصول معنی الشئ فی الذهن الخ.

Well written in a large hand.

V.a. Fol. 45. Some verses of the Koran.

b.Foll. 45v.-46. SHÂDHILÎ’S حزب البحر. See no. 373, I.

c.Foll. 47-52. هذه رسالة فی العمل بالربع المجیَّب الافاقی لمعرفة اوقات الصلوة و ما مر من الساعات ولمعرفة القبلة تلخیص سیدنا الفقیه ..جمال الدین برکة المسلمین محمد بن احمد با فضل السعدی الحضرمی نزیل عدن و فقیهها الخ.

On the use of the quadrant for ascertaining the times for prayer, the direction of the Ḳiblah, etc. by JAMÂL AL-DÎN MUḤAMMAD B. AḤMAD BÂ FAḌL ḤAḌRAMÎ, of ‘Adan.

Plainly written, by Zain b. ‘Abdallah Muḳaibil, at باغ نقر (sic). Dated Tuesday, 22nd Ramaḍân, 1073.

VI. Foll. 55v.-57. A critical letter, written in reply to one which was addressed to the author by Saiyid al-Ḥasan b. al-Ḳâsim. It treats chiefly of the righteousness of the companions of the Prophet, and of the Sunnah. The author is ZAIN B. ‘ABDALLAH B. Shaikh b. ‘Abdallah al-‘Aidarûs, “who is buried at Tarîm.”

Begins:

 الحمدلله الذی رفع منازل الدین بالائمة الهادین المهتدین الخ.

VII. Foll. 57v.-65v.

سیرة النبی صلعم تالیف الشیخ...عز الدین ابو عمرو بن جماعة نفع الله به الخ .

A short account of the life of Muḥammad, by ‘IZZ AL-DÎN ABU ‘AMR IBN JAMÂ’AH, i.e. ‘Abd al-‘aziz b. Badr al-dîn Abu ‘Abdallah Muḥammad b. Burhân al-dîn Abu Isḥâḳ Ibrâhîm b. Abu’l-Faḍl Sa’d Allah b. Jamâ’ah Kinânî Shâfi’î (d. A.H. 767, according to Ḥ. Kh. vi. 132).

Begins:

قال شیخنا الفقیه.....اما بعد حمدالله علی جزیل افضاله ...فهذا مختصر فی سیرة سیدنا رسول الله صلعم جمعته من کتب فی المغازی و السیر الخ

Dated Friday, 6th Rabî’ II., 1076.

VIII. Foll. 65v.-66v.:

 القصیدة الموسومة بعنوان الحکم لابی الفتح البستی رحه و اورد بعضها الاسنوی فی الطبقات

A moral Ḳaṣîdah by ABU’L-FATḤ BUSTÎ (‘Alî b. Muḥammad, d. A.H. 430). Begins:

زیادة المرءِ فی دنیاه نقصان

و ربحه غیر محض الخیر خسران

IX.a.Foll. 66v.-71. An account of the seventy-three Muḥammadan sects, taken from ÎJÎ’S المواقف (see no. 438).

Begins:

هذا تذییل الفرق التی اشار الیها الرسول الخ

b.Fol. 72. A charm.

X. Foll. 72v.-75. The commencement of a curious composition, which, when read in the usual way, is a treatise on law, beginning: الحمدلله ولی الحمد و مستحقه. The first and last letters of each line, and two other perpendicular columns in the middle of the page, are written in red, and offer, when read from above downwards, four different treatises. The first is on Prosody العروض, and begins as follows: امر بتالیف هذا الکتاب و جمعه مولانا السلطان ملک الاشرف اسمعیل بن العباس ادام الله ایامه فهذا الکتاب الفته فی العروض. The second treatise gives an account of the Rasûlî dynasty of al-Yaman. The third is on Grammar; and the fourth on Rhyme, علم القوافی.

According to the first of these treatises, the work was composed by order of al-Malik al-Ashraf Ismâ’îl b. al-‘Abbâs, the seventh king of the Rasûlî dynasty of al-Yaman (A.H. 778-803).

It appears from a comparison with a lithographed edition (Lakhnau, A.H. 1272), that this is the عنوان الشرف of SHARAF AL-DÎN IBN MUḲRÎ (d. A.H. 837). Cf. Ḥ. Kh. iv. 272.

This MS. ends abruptly, the copyist having apparently become weary of his task.

XI. Foll. 77.-91. a.

 کتاب المنسک (!) الوسیط تالیف الشیخ الامام حجة الاسلام ابی زکریاء یحیی بن شرف النووی

A treatise on Pilgrimage, by NAWAWÎ (d. A.H. 676), apparently identical with الایضاح فی المناسک, Ḥ. Kh. i, 508.

As the author mentions in the preface, this is an extract from a larger work of his on the same subject.

Begins:

 الحمدلله ذی الجلال و الاکرام، و الفضل و الطول و المنن العظام،....اما بعد فان الحج احد ارکان الدین الخ.

Dated Thursday, 29th Rajab, 1076.

b.هذه قصیدة مشهورة للادیب الاریب الشهیر بابن غلیف (!) صاحب حلی رحه و هی وعظیة الخ .

A moral Ḳaṣîdah, by “IBN GHALÎF,” i.e. probably IBN AL-‘ULAIYIF (Shihâb al-dîn Aḥmad b. Ḥusain); see Ḥ. Kh. vii. 1226.

Begins: اراک و قد اضآءَ لک النهار، عن النهج القویم لک ازورار

XII. Foll. 92v.-97. A treatise of SUYÛṬÎ (d. A.H. 911), in refutation of a millenarian doctrine, styled کتاب الکشف عن مجاوزة هذه الامة الالف. Cf. Ḥ. Kh. v. 211 sq., and Cat. Lugd. iv. 273 sq.

Begins: الحمدلله و کفی ...و بعد فقد کثر السوال الخ.

It is followed by two tetrastichs of ABU’L-FATḤ BUSTÎ (see above, no. VIII.).

XIII. a.Foll. 97-104. کتاب نصیحة التلمیذ تالیف الشیخ الامام حجة الاسلام ابی حامد محمد بن محمد الغزالی الطوسی نفع الله به الخ.

GHAZZÂLÎ’S (d. A.H. 505) celebrated paraenetical treatise ایّها الولد. Published in Arabic and German, by Hammer-Purgstall, Wien, 1838. Cf. Ḥ. Kh. i. 519.

Begins: الحمدلله و صلی ... اعلم ان واحدا من تلامیذ الشیخ الخ.

Dated Wednesday, 12th Sha’bân, 1076.

It is followed by the beginning of NASHWÂN B. SA’ÎD ḤIMYARÎ’S (d. A.H. 573) famous Ḳaṣîdah, inscribed:

و هذه قصیدة للقاضی نشوان...فی الزهد فی الدنیا.

b.Fol. 105. A poetical account of the death of Ghazzâlî, by ḤAJJÂJ B. ṬARKHÂN ISKANDARÎ,

XIV. Foll. 105v.-106 Moral advice, given by SHIHÂB AL-DÎN SUHRAWARDÎ (d. A.H. 632) to his son.

Begins:

 الحمدلله...قال الشیخ...لولده یا بنی اوصیک بتقوی الله الخ.

Cf. Catal. Lugd. iv. 322.

XV. a. Foll. 107-110. Copy of a letter of GHAZZÂLÎ, addressed to Abu’l-fatḥ Aḥmad b. Salâmah Dimishḳî.

Begins: لقد بلغنی علی لسان من اثق به من حسن سیرة الامام الزاهد الخ.

b.Foll. 110. A tract on Asceticism, by (Shihâb al-dîn) ‘Omar b. Muḥammad SUHRAWARDÎ (d. A.H. 632).

Begins: قال الشیخ...العقل الرزین المتاید بتایید الله یقضی بالزهد فی الدنیا و اهلها.

c.Fol. 111. An extract from a work of NAWAWÎ, on the same subject.

d.Fol. 111v. A prayer ascribed to IBN ABU’L-ṢAIF (Muḥammad B. Ismâ’îl Yamanî, d. A.H. 609).

XVI. Foll. 111v.-116v.

کتاب فضائل الاعمال التی تقرب الی الله سبحانه و تعالی و تبعد من سخطه

An anonymous treatise on the spiritual merit of good actions.1

Begins: الحمدلله الذی عرفنا ان العز و النعمة فی طاعته.

Dated Friday, 21st Sha’bân, 1076.

XVII. Foll. 116v.-125. The Tenets of the Naḳshbandî Order, by TÂJ AL-DÎN B. ZAKARÎYÂ ‘OTHMÂNÎ NAḲSHBANDÎ (b. Sulṭân Hindî, d. A.H. 1050).

Begins:

 الحمدلله ...اعلم وفقک الله تعالی ان معتقد السادات النقشبندیة قدس الله تعالی اسرارهم هو معتقد اهل السنة و الجماعة.

It is followed by another short tract of the same author.

XVIII. Foll. 125-143. A treatise by the same author, on the duties of novices, etc.

Begins:

 اللهم خلصنا عن الاشتغال بالملاهی...اما بعد فهذه رسالة فی آداب المشیخة و المریدین الطالبین و شرائطها.

XIX. Foll. 143v.-179.

 کتاب رسالة قوانین حکم الاشراق الی کل الصوفیة بجمیع الآفاق تالیف الشیخ..شمس الدنیا و الدین الشیخ محمد بن احمد بن محمد التونسی الشادلی (!) الوفائی المالکی المدعو المشهور بابی المواهب نفع الله به آمین.

Mystic Aphorisms, by Shams al-dîn ABU’L-MAWÂHIB Muḥammad b. Aḥmad b. Muḥammad Tûnisî Shâdhilî Wafâ’î Mâlikî.

This treatise is identical with no. 688, where the author was not ascertained. Cf. no. 669.

Copied on Tuesday, 27th Dhû-alḳa’dah, 1076.

XX. Foll. 179v.-180. IBN DURAID’S (Abu Bakr Muḥammad b. Ḥasan Azdî, d. A.H. 321) Ḳaṣîdah on the nouns ending in a and â, فی معرفة المقصور و الممدود, accompanied by a short commentary. Cf. Ḥ. Kh. v. 157; Aumer, Hdss. Münch. 239.

XXI. Foll. 181-202. کتاب المناظر الالهیة تالیف الشیخ ....عبد الکریم بن ابرهیم الکیلانی الصوفی.

A mystic treatise by ‘ABD AL-KARÎM B. IBRÂHÎM KÎLÂNÎ (or Jîlî, d. A.H. 811), the same as no. 666, III.

Dated Sunday 25th Jum. I., 1075.

XXII. Foll. 203-210. A treatise on Magic and on Talismans, imperfect at the commencement. It begins, after a blank: الارواح جنود مجندة.

On fol. 206 begins the second part, الجزء الثانی فی عمل الطلسمات, where a number of specifics are given.

XXIII. Foll. 211-296.

 کتاب غنیة ارباب السماع فی کشف القناع عن وجوه الاستماع من املآء الشیخ....عبدالکریم بن ابرهیم الکیلانی.

Contributions to the better understanding of the transcendent language of Ṣûfî liturgy, by ‘ABD AL-KARÎM KÎLÂNÎ.

Begins:

 الحمدلله الذی اقام فی مقام القرب اقدام الرجال

The author says subsequently (fol. 212v.): اما بعد فانی لما رایت قصور الفهوم عن اطوار المعانی، ووقوف العلوم من عوام ارباب السماع علی ظاهر الفاظ الاغانی، اردت

 ان افتح بابا لاهل السماع، الی حسن الاستماع، و اکشف نقابا لاهل الاغانی، عن مخدرات المغانی، المحجوبة عن عیون العامة بصور الفاظ المعانی، الخ

The author treats in the introduction (مقدمة) of the different classes of devotees; and, in three chapters, illustrates in their various applications to the said classes, 1. One hundred single words, used in Ṣûfî poetry; 2. Ten entire hymns or Ḳaṣîdahs; 3. Forty technical terms for the various states of the spiritual life.

Dated Tuesday, 13th Dhû-alḳa’dah, 1076.

There are added from the author’s copy seven verses of his, according to which he was born on 1st Muḥarram, 767 (= 26 September 1365 CE), at Calicut کالیکوت, in India, and went afterwards with his father to ‘Adan, where he arrived at manhood, and where his father died.

Then follows the date of his death, which had been written by his son, ‘Omar, in a copy of الانسان الکامل; viz., Saturday, 28th Jum. II., 811 (= 27 November 1408 CE).

XXIV. Foll.296v.-298. Two extracts (فائدة) from ‘Abd al-raḥmân b. Muḥammad بَکْرَین ‘IRÂḲÎ’S لوائح الوجود فی حضرة الشهود, which is a commentary on his own التسنیم شراب اهل النعیم. The first extract gives a mystic definition of love,المحبة .

All the pieces from no. V. onward, with the exception of some portions of no. XIX. and the greater part of no. XXIII., are written by the above mentioned Zain himself.

1 This is the era used in Ḥaḍramaut.

1 Several treatises with this title are noticed in Ḥ. Kh. iv. 446.

[Bijapur Collection]