Scholastic Theology [IO Islamic 2323]

Scholastic Theology.

This manuscript is now IO Islamic 2323 in the India Office collections.

[metadata: Otto Loth, A Catalogue of the Arabic Manuscripts in the Library of the India Office, (volume 1), no. 384 here with further notations and hyperlinks].

384.

2323. Size 8 in. by 5 in.; foll. 89.

Principles of Muḥammadan Faith, entitled التمهید فی بیان التوحید و هدایة لکل مسترشد و رشید, by ABU SHUKÛR SÂLIMÎ, i.e. Muḥammad b. ‘Abd al-saiyid b. Shu’aib Kashshî (or Kissî)1 Ḥanafî. Cf. Ḥ. Kh. ii. 423, v. 153, and Bibl. Sprenger. 831.

The author, who belonged to the orthodox school, اهل السنة و الجماعة, lived in the latter part of the fifth century. He says (fol. 78v.):

وقد وجدت الموافقة و المتابعة فی السنة و الجماعة مع الامة و الصحابة و تحققت من مشایخنا ائمّة الهدی فی بلاد الشرق و الصین من فقهاء خراسان و ما وراء النهر و بلاد غزنة و دیار الترک الخ,

and (fol. 80):

سمعت عن شیخ الامام الزاهد ابوبکر محمد ابن حمزة الخطیب سمرقند (!) رحمه الله تعالی فی سنة نیف و ستین و اربع مائة کنت متفقها عنده و تلقّنت منه کتاب السرقة و غیره الخ.

He commonly quotes the opinions of Abu Ḥanîfah, Ash’arî, the Mu’tazilites, and the Philosophers.

The work begins:

قال المهتدی ابو شکور سالمی و هو محمد بن عبدالسید بن شعیب رح الحمد لله الذی ذا المن (!) و الالاء و العظمة و الکبریاء..... فبعد فقد سالنی بعضی (!) اخوانی ان امهّد لهم اصول المعرفة و التوحید مقدار ما یکشف بالعبارة و یدرک بالاشارة الخ.

The chapters are inaccurately marked. The following titles occur here: fol. 1v., العقل و العقلاء; fol. 8, المحسوسات و المعلوم; fol. 14, اثبات الصانع; fol. 20v., اثبات الصفات; fol. 27, الاسماء (on fol. 40 is marked as given by another MS., باب فی معرفة الله); fol. 65v., التکلیف و الطاقة ; fol. 71, الخلافة و الامارة; fol. 78, السنة و الجماعة و الردّ علی البدعة.

Each chapter is subdivided into paragraphs, which invariably begin with the words القول فی.

The name of the author, as given at the beginning, occurs often in the course of the work.

Clearly written; only a few (generally two) lines at the top, in the middle, and at the foot of each page, are straight, dividing it into two squares. The rest run diagonally. Persian notes are on the margin.

A statement of the answer given by the Imâm ABU ḤAFṢ (NASAFÎ) to four questions, which were put to the divines of Transoxania by those of Khurâsân, in Persian, is written on the title-page. Another note, beginning مسئله ارواح هفت نوع اند, is on the fly-leaf.

[College of Fort William, 1825.]

1 See on this surname, Abu’l-fadhl, Homonyma, ed. De Jong, ۱۲۹, ۲۱۳; Liber as-Sojutii de nomin. rel., ed. Veth, ۲۲۲; and Yâḳût, iv. ۲۷۳ and ۲۷۷.