Ṣûfism and Ethics [IO Islamic 1815]

Ṣûfism and Ethics. 

This manuscript is now IO Islamic 1815 in the India Office collections.

[metadata: Otto Loth, A Catalogue of the Arabic Manuscripts in the Library of the India Office, (volume 1), no. 673 here with further notations and hyperlinks].

673.

1815. Size 93/4 in. by 51/4 in.; foll. 214. Twenty-one lines in a page.

A Collection of Moral Sentences, entitled جوامع الكلم فى المواعظ و الحكم , by (‘Alâ al-dîn, or Nûr al-dîn) ‘Alî b. Ḥusâm al-dîn (Hindî Makkî) commonly called MUTTAḲI, a Ḥanafite (of Burhânpûr, d. A.H. 975, at Makkah). Cf. Cat. Mus. Brit. 756 n.; Ḥ. Kh. ii. 553, etc.

The preface begins:الحمد لله الذى نوّر قلوب العارفين فاقتبسوا من لوامع كلامه و كلام رسوله غرر وجوه المعانى و الاشارات.

The author states that this collection consists of about 3000 sentences (حِكَم) , viz. 500 اقتباسات , or sentences mixed with quotations from the Koran ; 1 500 تضمينات , or traditions which, on account of their conciseness, are preceded by an introductory and explanatory phrase, rhymed with them; 2 300 sentences of Ibn ‘Aṭâ (see below, no. 696), and 100 of his ‘’disciple’’ ( تلميذه , i.e. according to a marginal note, داود بن باخلا ) ; the rest being sayings of the ‘’Ancients’’ (من كلام السلف) .

These materials, which follow invariably in the order just mentioned, are distributed under some eighty heads, which are arranged alphabetically, as باب فى الايمان , باب فى الاحسان , and so forth. A list of them is inserted after the introduction (مقدّمة) , which treats of the definition of حكمة . As to the general character of the work, the author remarks (fol.2): كمال لذّة هذا التاليف موقوف على ان يكون الشخص حافظاً مفسّراً محدّثا و ان يكون له ذوق من علوم الصوفية.

Conclusion : اتممتُ الكتاب حامداً مصلياً .... و انا الفقير علىّ المتّقى الراجى من الله العطايا و الهبات و هو الذى يقبل التوبة من عباده و يعفو عن السّيئآت.

Well written, of the eleventh century. Emended. Numerous marginal notes, some of which are derived from the author. An omission has been supplied by a different hand (foll. 15-17). Foll. 150-152 and 148-149 should be transposed. Slightly injured by insects.

1 Cf. Sprenger’s Dictionary of Technical Terms, p. ١١٨٧.

2 They are defined, in a marginal note, as الاحاديث التى ذكرت قبلها توطئتها و تمهيدها.