Biography and History [IO Islamic 755]

Biography and History. 

This manuscript is now IO Islamic 755 in the India Office collections.

[metadata: Otto Loth, A Catalogue of the Arabic Manuscripts in the Library of the India Office, (volume 1), no. 709 here with further notations and hyperlinks].

709.

755. Size 101/2 in. by 7 in.; foll. 155. Twenty-seven lines in a page.

كتاب طبقات الفقهاء الشافعيّة

Biographies of Shâfi’î Divines, by JAMÂL AL-DÎN Abu Muḥammad ‘ABD AL-RAḤÎM b. al-ḤASAN b. ‘Alî1 Ḳurashî Umawî Isnâ’î Shâfi’î (d. A.H. 772), who finished the first copy on 21st Shawwâl, 769, after he had begun his work already a little before A.H. 750. Cf. Ḥ. Kh. iv. 143.

A circumstantial account of the work is given in the author’s preface, which begins:الحمدلله مميت الاحياء و محيى الاموات . It was after composing his المهمّات فى شرح الرافعى و الروضة , i.e. a commentary on the two standard works on the Shâf’ite Law , that he undertook his present task. He collected his materials from numerous kindred works, and especially from the Ṭabaḳât of Ibn al- Ṣalâḥ (d. A.H. 643) and Tiflîsî (‘Omar b. Bundâr, d. A.H. 672). The latter he incorporated wholly in his own work. Although he also terms it Ṭabaḳât, it is not arranged chronologically (or rather according to the generations, على الاعصار ), but alphabetically, each man being placed under the initial of the name by which he is commonly known – (fol.3) .على حروف المعجم معتبرا اول حرف من اللفظ الذى يحصل عنده التعريف و الشهرة اسما كان او كنية او لقبا او نسبة او صفة .

Each chapter (or letter) is divided into two sections as stated by Ḥ. Kh., and the single articles of each section follow in chronological order, according to the dates of death. The last chapter (ى) concludes with a succession of Yamanîs, who are mentioned in this place, according to the initial of their native country, although their common names are different.

The last of them is Yâmi’i.

The whole is preceded by special notices of Shâfi’î and his immediate followers and disciples ( اصحابه المعاصرون الآخذون منه).

This MS. begins:اخبرنا غير واحد مشافهة و مكاتبة عن العلامة جمال الدين الخ . it was completed at Makkah, on Thursday, 5th Jum. I., 845, by العبد الفقير الى مولاه الغنى به عمّن سواه محمد المدعو عمدى

(sic) محمد بن محمد بن ابى الخير محمد بن فهد الهاشمى العلوى المكى الاثرى .

Hurriedly written, often without diacritical points. The beginning of each article is written in red, and repeated on the margin, also in red.

Signature of ‘Abd al-raḥmân b. ‘Abdallah b. Fahd Hâshimî ‘Alawî, who also wrote the above title.

1 His pedigree is carried up to the mythical ancestor of the house of Umaiyah as follows : b. ‘Omar b. ‘Alî b. Ibrâhîm b. ‘Alî b. Ja’far b. Sulaimân b. al-Ḥasan b. al-Ḥusain b. ‘Omar b. al-Ḥakam b. ‘Abd al-raḥmân b. ‘abdallah b. Muḥammad b. ‘Abd al-raḥmân b. al-Hakam b. ‘Abd al-malik b. Marwân b. al-Ḥakam b. Abu’l-‘Âṣi b. Umaiyah b. ‘Abd-shams b. ‘Abd-shams b. ‘Abd-manâf.