Scholastic Theology [IO Bijapur 201]

Scholastic Theology.

This manuscript is now IO Bijapur 201 in the India Office collections.

[metadata: Otto Loth, A Catalogue of the Arabic Manuscripts in the Library of the India Office, (volume 1), no. 380 here with further notations and hyperlinks].

SCHOLASTIC THEOLOGY.

380.

B 201. Size 73/4 in. by 5 in.; foll. 59. Mostlt seventeen lines in a page.

A Commentary (ممزوج) on the الفقه الاکبر, or Principles of Muḥammadan Faith, by ‘ABD AL-AWWAL b. ‘Abd al-ḳaiyû Mûsawî, who wrote it A.H. 1064, at Samarḳand, this commentary was not known to Ḥ. Kh. (see iv. 458), nor is it found elsewhere.

See on the الفقه الاکبر, which is commonly (and also by the present commentator) ascribed to Abu Ḥanîfah (d. A.H. 150), Cat. Lugd. iv. 227, and A. von Kremer, Geschichte der herrschenden Ideen des Islams, p. 39 sqq. It was printed with a Hindûstânî translation, at Lakhnau, A.H. 1260.

The preface begins: الحمدلله الواجب وجوده لذاته.

The author says in it that no labour deserving the name of a commentary had been bestowed upon the work before him (fol. 2): ولکن لم اطلع له شرحا یبین شیئا من مجملاته و یحلّ عقدة من مشکلاته بل لم اجد له ما تعدّ عداد الشروح الخ. He quotes in his commentary the principal works on the Kalâm down to (Dawwânî’s) شرح العقائد العضدیة.

It concludes in the following manner: الحمدلله علی اتمام شرح کلام امام الهمام و الصلوة و السلام علی سید الانام و علی آله العظام و اصحابه الکرام فی ثلث آخر لیلة العاشر شهر الحجة الحرام من شهور سنة اربع و ستین و الف فی فناء بلدة المحروسة سمرقند فی جوار خانقاه الحضرة القدسیة الحسنیة الخارزمیة.

The present MS., the greater part of which (from fol. 20) is written in a legible Nasta’liḳ hand, though almost without diacritical points, and with no distinction of text and commentary, was transcribed during the author’s lifetime. It bears corrections, additions, and some notes by the author (marked with منه سلمه الله و ابقاه) on the margin. The first portion is ill written by a different hand. It bears similar corrections, and a few additions (marked with صح) have been inserted in it on separate slips of paper. Fol. 19v., which remained vacant, has been filled with trials of the pen.

Cat. 226, xx.