Author
Muʼayyad billāh Aḥmad ibn al-Ḥusayn, 944 or 945-1030?
Publication Date
[1450-1550?]
Subject
Manuscripts, Arabic, Manuscripts, Arabic /Michigan, Manuscripts, Arabic / Michigan /Ann Arbor., Zaydīs, Zaydīs /Early works to 1800., Sufism, Sufism /Early works to 1800., Religious life, Religious life /Islam, Religious life / Islam /Early works to 1800., Repentance, Repentance /Islam, Repentance / Islam /Early works to 1800., Muslims, Muslims /Conduct of life, Muslims / Conduct of life /Early works to 1800.
Type
kitap
Language
Arabic
Digital
Yes
Manuscript
No
Pages Count
67
Physical Dimensions
67 leaves : paper ; 180 x 130 (114 x 71) mm. bound to 180 x 131-135 mm
Library
HathiTrust Digital Library
Record ID
005984415
Date
[1450-1550?]
Notes
Shelfmark: Ann Arbor, University of Michigan, Special Collections Research Center, Isl. Ms. 36 Origin: Lacks dated colophon ; paper may suggest late 15th or 16th century. Former shelfmark: British Museum, London "No. 34. Manahij al-abrar." ; on tail edge "۲٤٣". Binding: Pasteboards covered in marbled paper (pink, blue, white) with spine, fore-edge flap, and edges/turn-ins in red leather ; Type II binding (with flap) ; board linings in paper ; sewn in cream thread, two stations ; endbands virtually gone, only traces of primaries remain ; in poor condition with flap ill-fitting and much abrasion, staining, pest damage and numerous repairs in heavy textured tape. Support: non-European (likely Persian) laid paper with laid lines, somewhat indistinct, oriented horizontally and spaced 6-7 laid lines per cm. ; chain lines only sporadically visible as short lengths or a few cases in pairs (spaced roughly 16 mm. between the chains) ; lightly sized and burnished ; more rough than smooth. Decoration: Written area surrounded by a simple rule-border of blue fillets ; text rubricated with keywords in red. Script: Nastaʻlīq (talik) ; large, elegant hand ; sans serif ; effect of words descending to baseline ; slight tilt to the left ; contrast in line thickness with heavier horizontal strokes ; initial hāʼ looking like two inverted commas. Layout: Written in 8 lines per page ; frame-ruled (impression of ruling board evident). Collation: IV-1 (7), 7 IV(63), 2 I(67) ; chiefly quaternions ; catchwords present ; pagination in pencil, Western numerals, supplied during digitization. Explicit: "التفت اليهما فقالت ما حاجتكما فقالا جئناك زائرين مسلمين قالت قد خلفتما قوما عني لا تشغلاني عن عبادة ربي فاني ابادر طي صحيفتي فسئل عنها فقيل هذه مليكة بنت محمد بن المكندر [ اي المنكدر] بلغ مبلغه [كذا]" Incipit: "الحمد لله الذي جعل لنا الى سلوك مناهج الابرار سبلا لائحة ونصب لنا على لزوم مدارج الاخيار ادلة واضحة ... وبعد فاني لما رايت مجالس العلوم في زماننا هذا بتجلي العلوم وغامضها معمورة وخطوطها اهلها منها موفورة الا علوم المعاملة فانها اصبحت منبوذة مهجورة ..." Title from inscription on 'title page' fol.1a (p.1). Ms. codex. Bookplate of British Museum, London on inner front cover, "British Museum, London. No. 34. Manahij al-abrar." ; circular seal impression with figure of goat / gazelle in purple ink as well as inscription "482" in Western numerals on fol.1a (p.1) ; circular waqf-seal impression in black ink appears on fol.1a (p.1) and elsewhere throughout, reads: "هذا وقف الراجي فيض الصمدي الشيخ احمد ضيا الدين ابن مصطفى الخالدي فمن بدله بعد ما سمعه فانما اثمه على الذين يبدلونه" in name of Aḥmad Ḍiyāʼ al-Dīn ibn Muṣṭafá al-Khālidī (i.e. Ahmed Ziyâüddîn Gümüşhanevî, d. 1893 or 4) ; on fol.1b (p.1) "وقف" written in the otherwise blank upper rectangular panel (possibly intended for a headpiece) ; a few marginal corrections.. Elegant copy of the work on religious life for the seeker or Sūfī novice by the Zaydī imām al-Muʼayyad Billāh Aḥmad ibn al-Ḥusayn.
